How To Change The Gearing On Your Bike!

if i want to convert my 2x to a 1x could i just simply put a single chainring in the front and call it a day or do i need a specific casette in the back thats like made for 1x ? are there any mechanical issues if i dont change anything in the back ?

Many times. It's no issue when you have bar end shifters. Gearing for a long >25° climb, gearing for touring, gearing for mixed road, gearing for winter and summer. You can choose heavier stronger chains for high stress or high load (8 or 9s) and lighter running gear for summer (10 or 11s). Best of all you can run rim or mechanical brakes. Of course, you're not stuck with only one brand.

Why changing a 11-34 for a 11-32 cassette? You won’t notice the diffence. Change it to a 11-25 or 11-28 and you will have the smaler steps between the cogs you wanted for road use.

Something to also consider for increasing cassette size would be the rear derailleur capacity and max cog size. Short derailleur cages won’t be able to handle the larger cassette sizes and would require a new derailleur.

As for the ranges you asked for on our bikes, I run 50/34 chainrings with 10-speed 11-36t cassette. At 190 lbs with the hilly terrain in southern Oregon, I’ll take all the climbing help I can get!

Somewhat off topic but can't decide if I like that "Sand Grain" color of the new Grail. Unfortunately it's the only Di2 option here in the US. Guessing it looks better in person and not so boring and tan. Hopefully they expand the options next year whenever Shimano decides to update GRX Di2 to 12 speed. That and actually make all the accessories (pro handlebars, bags, computer mount, etc) available haha.

If you go from a 10 speed to an 11 speed cassette do you need a new hub?

Alex are you short of grease?

The problems normally occur when going to a larger cassette such as the cage length and what is too big etc. Can you do a reverse video?

When you undo a cassette lockring you find out how bad a mood you were in when you did it up.

Helpful and timely. Thank you. My winter project is to change my rear cassette from an 11-32 to an 11-34 and I need to change the front derailleur. Long story. Anyway, this video helped fill in the gaps in my knowledge re chain length and that b limit screw. Thanks 🙏

Can you buy individual gears of certain sizes for the cassette, mine is a Shimano 105 cassette in this instance.

Reason for asking is that there is a jump in mine on my Zwift setup that drives me crazy. It's right on the middle of my most used gears but drops my RPM by about 10 which at the wrong time is a complete mare!

Thank you for yet another ( which I need) but much clearer explaination of adjusting the rear derailleur… that thing seems impossible for me.
Bravo!

Asking me if Alex is noticing that he should use the E-Tube App to re arrange the new settings for the DI2 features like synchronized shifting etc? Just asking 😅

This video is a classic example of GCN's "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" philosophy. There are literally HUNDREDS of things you have to get right, across the whole spectrum of gears and gearing from 8 to 13 speed, in order for your bike to function as well as it did stock, and a quick glance at a compatibility chart ain't gonna cut it. Use this video with a large pinch of salt, or even better, get someone who know what they are doing to help you. Alex really doesn't.

Skipped over the part that's most stressful for me, namely whether my new cassette will be compatible with the rest of my bike.

Thanks for the great advice. GCN you will be seriously missed
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I'm glad you removed one full link since it was over sized before you went to a smaller cassette.