Go up to 11
We don’t have to convince you of the benefits or going to single ring setup. You’re reading this page so you’re already clearly up for making the move now.
Having said that, go 1x! Lighter, quieter, less to go wrong, looks cleaner and much else besides. Just do it.
You can bodge your current 10 set up into a wide-range 1x system with an expander sprocket but we reckon that you might as well bite the bullet and change your whole drivetrain. You’re only delaying the inevitable.
>>> OneUp extends the range of Shimano 11 speed cassettes
BE AWARE: For all SRAM 1×11 systems (apart from SRAM NX) you will require a rear wheel with XD driver body. So you’ll need to check if your existing wheels can be converted or whether you’ll need to budget for a new wheel as well.
SRAM NX
RRP: £251.00
Looking to trump Shimano the SRAM NX which comes in at a budget busting £251 RRP for a crank and chainring, rear mech, shifter, chain and cassette. That makes it one of the cheapest 1x system around and gives you almost exactly the same 11-42t range available on Shimano’s XT groupset. NB: Does NOT require a XD Driver rear hub.
Read more about SRAM NX drivetrain
Buy Now: SRAM NX drivetrain at Ubyk from £250.00
Shimano XT M8000
Price: £284.90
Reliable chain retention, slick shifting, stiff cranks, powerful, easy-to-service disc brakes, shockingly good value for money.
Read the full review of Shimano XT M8000 groupset
Buy Now: Shimano XT M8000 groupset at Ubyk from £284.90
SRAM GX
RRP: £372.99
SRAM’s new GX groupset brings 1×11 to a more accessible price point than ever. The new budget drivetrain fits neatly between the company’s X1 1×11 groupset and the 10-speed X5 offering, and manages to deliver significant cost savings without losing any of the features that made its single-ring system such a game changer when it was launched just over two years ago.
Read more about the SRAM GX drivetrain
Buy Now: SRAM GX groupset at Chain Reaction Cycles from £299.99
Shimano XTR M9000
RRP: N/A
XTR is Shimano’s flagship mountain bike groupset, and in 2015 it was been given a reboot. There’s a whole raft of changes and improvements including 11-speed shifting, an over-sized cassette, self-retaining chain ring, new disc brakes and revamped front and rear derailleurs.
Read more about Shimano XTR M9000
Buy Now: Shimano XTR M9000 drivetrain at Ubyk from £682.54
SRAM XO1
RRP: N/A
SRAM took their original 1×11 genre-busting XX1 drivetrain and their heftier follow-up X1 and introduced something in the middle – XO1. Probably the most popular of all the SRAM 11 speed single ring drivetrains, XO1 is as light as most riders are bothered about going and isn’t too prohibitively expensive.
Buy Now: SRAM XO1 drivetrain at Ubyk from £743.93
Video: SRAM Eagle XO1 groupset first ride
SRAM XX1
RRP: £1,138.00
The groupset that started this whole 1×11 single-ringing revolution. XX1 is still SRAM’s flagship groupset. The fact that it has now been joined/superseded by the 12 speed Eagle version means that there are some bargains to be had in the original 11 speed version.