{"id":51857,"date":"2023-07-24T18:00:50","date_gmt":"2023-07-24T16:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=740202"},"modified":"2023-07-24T18:35:47","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T16:35:47","slug":"why-was-1x-used-at-the-2023-tour-de-france-and-what-does-it-mean-for-the-future","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/why-was-1x-used-at-the-2023-tour-de-france-and-what-does-it-mean-for-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Why was 1x used at the 2023 Tour de France \u2013 and what does it mean for the future?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Does 1x have a future in road racing after all? Joe Laverick investigates for BikeRadar <\/p>

By Joe Laverick\n \t\t<\/p>

2023-07-24 16:00:50<\/p>

\n\n

When the reigning yellow jersey and the best all-round bike rider in the world start the Tour de France with a 1x drivetrain on the hilly parcours of the Grand D\u00e9part, the whole sport takes note.<\/p>\n

It had been coming. Wout van Aert rode to a Milan-San Remo podium using a single-chainring drivetrain<\/a> in March, 1x was prevalent at Paris-Roubaix<\/a> in April, and then Jonas Vingegaard won a mountainous stage five at the Crit\u00e9rium du Dauphin\u00e9 using a 1x drivetrain<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Granted, hearing of riders, especially SRAM-sponsored riders, using a single chainring is nothing new in 2023 \u2013 but it is at the Tour de France<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And, seeing it in action with van Aert and Vingegaard \u2013 with the latter going on to defend his Tour title \u2013 on non-flat stages was enough to raise a few eyebrows.<\/p>\n

Later in the race, Lidl-Trek rider Mads Pedersen would win stage eight on 1x, once again using a SRAM Red AXS setup, while Vingegaard rode into Paris with his Jumbo\u2013Visma team-mates as Tour champion on a yellow, 1x-equipped Cerv\u00e9lo S5<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\""Jonas\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Jonas Vingegaard used a 1x drivetrain for the first and last stages of the 2023 Tour de France.<\/span><\/figcaption> Marco Bertorello \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

After a false start, is the tide turning on 1x? Having left its mark on the Tour\u2019s road stages for the first time, is a single-ring drivetrain likely to become a popular option for riders at future Grand Tours?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve spoken to SRAM and Shimano \u2013 the two groupset giants with opposing views on 1x for the road \u2013 as well as Uno-X Pro Cycling, one of the early-adopters of 1x in road racing, to find out.<\/p>\n

How did we get here?<\/h2>\n
\""Adam\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Aqua Sport Blue used the 1x-specific 3T Strada in 2018.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The history of 1x drivetrains on road bikes is hardly positive. \u201cIt\u2019s just a track bike with gears,\u201d said Adam Blythe about his team-issue, 1x-specific 3T Strada<\/a> back in 2018. The pro-cyclist-turned-commentator was one of the original critics of a single chainring for top-level racing, citing a lack of gear options as one of the reasons his then team, Aqua Blue Sport, folded.<\/p>\n

Looking back, you could say the 3T Strada<\/a> was ahead of the curve \u2013 1x has become a bigger part of the conversation across road and, more significantly, the booming gravel scene, in the five years since 2018.<\/p>\n

\""3T\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The team\u2019s downfall was, in part, blamed on equipment choices.<\/span><\/figcaption> Kei Tsuji \/ Tim de Waele \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

But, realistically, the technology just wasn\u2019t quite there. At the time, 11-speed rather than 12-speed was the standard, and gear ratios have increased, too. Back in 2018, Blythe was right.<\/p>\n

Since then, the use of 1x drivetrains for racing has largely been limited to time trials<\/a>, which is no great surprise. There, it\u2019s a controlled situation, on a much more predictable, shorter course. Coupled with the aero and chainline benefits, as well as the fact that non SRAM-sponsored teams are more willing to bend contracts for time-trial tech, it\u2019s often a no-brainer on an appropriate route.<\/p>\n

\""Caleb\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Shimano doesn\u2019t offer a 1x option for road riding.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Speaking of sponsorship, neither Shimano, who we\u2019ll hear from later, or Campagnolo offers groupsets engineered for a single chainring on the road. By our reckoning, only one Shimano-equipped team, Uno-X, used 1x at the men\u2019s Paris-Roubaix, swapping in PCD chainrings in place of the standard, 2x Dura-Ace arrangement.<\/p>\n

As you\u2019d expect, no Shimano or Campagnolo team used 1x at the Tour de France, and while Jumbo-Visma and Lidl-Trek experimented, SRAM\u2019s third sponsored team in the men\u2019s WorldTour, Movistar, stuck to the traditional 2x system.<\/p>\n

How does 1x for the road work?<\/h2>\n
\""Jumbo-Visma\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A 1x drivetrain requires a specific chainring and rear derailleur, plus a chain guide.<\/span><\/figcaption> James York \/ Matt Grayson \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

On paper, it might seem that ditching the inside chainring and front derailleur<\/a> would make life easier, but it can, in fact, complicate things more.<\/p>\n

First, you can\u2019t use a standard chainring when moving to 1x. It has to be re-engineered in favour of a \u2018narrow-wide\u2019 design. This pattern limits the lateral movement of the chain and, in turn, reduces the chance of dropping the chain \u2013 although, as Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d, using SRAM\u2019s 1x-only XPLR gravel drivetrain<\/a>, found out at the Giro d\u2019Italia, this is still a possibility.<\/p>\n

\""Primoz\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d used SRAM\u2019s XPLR 1x gravel drivetrain for the stage 20 time trial at the Giro d\u2019Italia.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Looking to overturn Geraint Thomas\u2019 overall lead on the stage 20 uphill time trial, and having switched from a time trial bike<\/a> to a 1x-equipped road bike at the foot of the steep climb, Rogli\u010d\u2019s chain dropped after he hit a crack in the road. Rogli\u010d\u2019s chances of pulling on the maglia rosa flashed before his eyes.<\/p>\n

But a quick-fix and push from his mechanic saw the Slovenian soon regain momentum to overturn Thomas\u2019 lead and, in effect, win the race.<\/p>\n

\""WolfTooth\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Jumbo-Visma riders have been using a new aero chain guide from Wolf Tooth.<\/span><\/figcaption> James York \/ Matt Grayson \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

When we questioned SRAM as to what happened with Rogli\u010d\u2019s chain, Sam Watt, a race technician for the American brand, said: \u201cWe honestly don\u2019t know, racing incidents happen. What happened to Rogli\u010d was highly unusual.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to the narrow-wide chainring, a chain guide is often used as a fail-safe, to prevent the chain from bouncing or falling off the ring. The chain guide is arguably the most important part of the whole system (Aqua Blue didn\u2019t use a chain guide back in 2018).<\/p>\n

The final part of the single-chainring setup is a rear derailleur<\/a> that has a clutch system to maintain chain tension. This can, depending on the design, add some drag to the drivetrain system.<\/p>\n

Enter, Uno-X<\/h2>\n
\""Rasmus\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The Uno-X men\u2019s team switched to 1x for Paris-Roubaix.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Jumbo-Visma and Lidl-Trek aren\u2019t the only teams to have used 1x in 2023.<\/p>\n

Casper von Folsach is an Olympic and World Championship medallist on the track. He\u2019s also currently a performance coach at Uno-X Pro Cycling, a team not afraid to push technical boundaries, having adopted 1x in the Classics and also experimented with the use of Classified\u2019s front-derailleur-replacing, hub-based system<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\""Classified\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Could the Classified rear hub also put an expiry date on the front derailleur?<\/span><\/figcaption> Tom Marvin \/ OurMedia<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

His main role is product development and equipment selection for the team. Talking to BikeRadar, he tells us that Uno-X uses Shimano products, but is not a sponsored team, which enables greater freedom in component selection.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith an appropriate chainring and a well-designed chain guide, it is much less likely to drop your chain than with a double setup,\u201d says von Folsach of the improved chain retention of 1x. \u201cI\u2019ve tried myself but I cannot get the chain to come off the bike, even with your hands it is nearly impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why now?<\/h2>\n
\""SRAM\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
SRAM introduced Force 1 and Rival 1 in 2015.<\/span><\/figcaption> James Huang \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

1x for the road first arrived in 2015 with the launch of SRAM Force 1 and Rival 1<\/a>, which followed the Force CX1 cyclocross drivetrain<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While uptake was quick on the cyclocross scene, with the same later applying to gravel riding<\/a>, road adoption, as we\u2019ve learnt, has lagged behind. That, however, hasn\u2019t stopped the technology from maturing significantly.<\/p>\n

In recent years, improved technological development and a greater understanding of drivetrain performance have given 1x drivetrains a fresh start. Uno-X\u2019s von Folsach tells us that growing demand has also pressured manufacturers into making better equipment.<\/p>\n

\""Pinnacle\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Shimano offers 1x options for gravel and mountain biking, but not road.<\/span><\/figcaption> Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cThere has been a lot of change,\u201d he says. \u201cIn the past, you saw a lot of chain drops due to less than ideal setups. Before it was as widely adopted, a lot of manufacturers didn\u2019t make these wide-narrow chainrings, that has now changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

1x can be lighter and more aerodynamic than a traditional system, even if the differences can be small, and the theory says they can offer greater chain retention and efficiency.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really hard to measure aerodynamics on a moving bike, but on a stationary bike then it is advantageous,\u201d says Watt. It\u2019s impossible to put an exact figure on the aerodynamic benefit of a single chainring due to the range of speeds and yaw angles, he adds.<\/p>\n

\""Wout\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Like Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert used 1x on the opening stage of the Tour de France in Bilbao.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

But why van Aert and Vingegaard on stage one of the Tour de France? The opening stage of the 2023 race was one of the most challenging Grand D\u00e9parts in living memory, with more than 3,000m of climbing in the Basque Country on the 182km loop from Bilbao.<\/p>\n

After an attritional day, fireworks were let off on the C\u00f4te de Pike, a 2km climb with an average gradient of 9.4 per cent and ramps of more than 15 per cent. The Yates twins, Adam and Simon, escaped from a select group at the summit and descended as a duo, before Adam won on the uphill finish in the city centre.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has a different job in the race, and some riders finish their job with 150km still to go,\u201d says Watt. \u201cIt\u2019s not as if we don\u2019t supply enough products, the system is available to every rider and is the team\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cJonas [Vingegaard] is the prime example, they\u2019re riding full-gas up the final climbs. Whereas, someone like Christophe Laporte, who has done a lot of work early on, he just needs to spin up that final climb to make the time cut.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Mads\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Mads Pedersen\u2019s Lidl-Trek team, also sponsored by SRAM, used 1x on flat sprint stages.<\/span><\/figcaption> Michael Steele \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

By our reckoning, Jumbo-Visma\u2019s use of 1x at the Tour was limited to the opening and closing stages of the race, but Mads Pedersen used a 1x drivetrain on stage seven, when he finished 10th in the bunch sprint, and stage eight, when he won.<\/p>\n

Pedersen\u2019s Lidl-Trek team has been an early-adopter of 1x \u2013 Lizzie Deignan won the Paris-Roubaix Femmes<\/a> for the women\u2019s squad on 1x in 2021 \u2013 but Jumbo-Visma\u2019s use is key in turning heads, according to Watt.<\/p>\n

\u201cJumbo-Visma are a huge influence, they\u2019re the world\u2019s number one team,\u201d adds Watt. \u201cThey\u2019re not the first, Lidl-Trek have been using 1x since the first year that we had access to it, but as soon as you see Wout van Aert or Jonas on it, the media attention increases.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why aren\u2019t more teams using 1x?<\/h2>\n
\""Mads\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Pedersen won stage eight on a single chainring.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Pedersen\u2019s sprint victory on stage eight saw 1x leave its mark on the Tour de France. The former world champion overpowered the race\u2019s dominant fast-man, Jasper Philipsen, and van Aert, on the uphill finish into Limoges.<\/p>\n

But one swallow does not make a summer, as far as 1x is concerned. For the vast majority of stages, SRAM-equipped riders opted for 2x drivetrains, and, as we\u2019ve already covered, all Shimano and Campagnolo teams had 2x and 2x only at the Tour.<\/p>\n

SRAM got the jump in mountain biking, bringing the first 1x groupset to market in the form of XX1 in October 2012<\/a>, and single rings now dominate there. Shimano soon followed \u2013 but the Japanese brand has stuck resolutely to 2x on the road.<\/p>\n

\""Tadej\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Shimano says 2x drivetrains, used by Tadej Poga\u010dar and all Shimano-sponsored teams, offer a better gearing range, while also enabling riders to fine-tune cadence.<\/span><\/figcaption> David Ramos \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The key, according to Bert Roesems, Shimano\u2019s technical sports manager, is in reducing jumps between gears and enabling riders to maintain their preferred cadence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin our range, you have a better-divided gear ratio,\u201d says Roesems. \u201cBigger steps in your cassette make for less efficient pedalling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Jonas\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Vingegaard used a 2x drivetrain on most stages.<\/span><\/figcaption> Anne-Christine Poujoulat \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

That\u2019s particularly key in the mountains, and Jumbo-Visma and Lidl-Trek\u2019s use of 1x at the Tour was limited to the hilly roads of Bilbao or flat sprint stages, with 2x preferred in the Alps and Pyrenees.<\/p>\n

Von Folsach and Uno-X\u2019s approach is an interesting one. In almost every circumstance, Von Folsach says a 1x system is more efficient \u2013 but the team didn\u2019t use 1x on their road bikes at the Tour.<\/p>\n

\""Jonas\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
SRAM-sponsored riders seemed to prefer a double-chainring setup in the mountains.<\/span><\/figcaption> Marco Bertorello \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cOne thing is what looks correct in a spreadsheet, and the other is what can be carried out in practice,\u201d he says. \u201cThen there\u2019s the effort in changing behaviours,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far, we\u2019ve only used it in one-day races, apart from when using Classified, as there\u2019s more [time for] preparation both before and after. We\u2019re not at the point where mechanics would be happy to change 24 bikes from 1x to 2x or vice-versa in between stages.\u201d<\/p>\n

What about sponsor pressure?<\/h2>\n
\""Jonas\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
How much sway does a sponsor have in component selections?<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Uno-X aside \u2013 and, remember, that team uses Shimano groupsets, but isn\u2019t officially sponsored \u2013 we\u2019ve seen a difference in the approach of (or options available to) Shimano and SRAM teams.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, it\u2019s always difficult to know if riders are using equipment because they want to, or because they have to, whether that be through team or sponsor pressure. In rare cases, we see riders and teams go against what sponsors want, but otherwise, cycling is a sport that survives on sponsorship.<\/p>\n

However, when asked, SRAM\u2019s Watt is unequivocal in explaining the role of the component supplier, even if the final stage into Paris provided an attractive photo opportunity.<\/p>\n

\""Jonas\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Jumbo\u2013Visma made the most of the celebratory ride into Paris on stage 21, with Vingegaard back on 1x.<\/span><\/figcaption> Daniel Cole \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been absolutely zero pressure [to go onto a 1x system],\u201d says Watt. \u201cWe supplied the team with every option available in our catalogue, they tested and chose everything themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Shimano-sponsored teams, it\u2019s a different matter. \u201cOur sponsored teams don\u2019t have the option to use 1x,\u201d says Roesems. \u201cWe don\u2019t offer that technology and the derailleur isn\u2019t equipped to handle a single chainring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Bernal\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
\u201cOur sponsored teams don\u2019t have the option to use 1x,\u201d says Shimano\u2019s Bert Roesems.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The Tour de France is over, so what\u2019s next for 1x?<\/h2>\n

With the Tour de France over, and Jonas Vingegaard sealing an eventually dominant victory over Tadej Poga\u010dar, the shutters have come down on cycling\u2019s biggest shop window. So what now?<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think 1x is going anywhere,\u201d says Watts, although SRAM, of course, has skin in the game. \u201cThe feedback has been unbelievable and people are starting to realise its full capabilities. Jumbo-Visma have proved that if you get the gear ratios correct then it\u2019s versatile. I truly believe we will see more and more of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Jonas\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
1x is back after a stuttering start \u2013 but will it stand the test of time?<\/span><\/figcaption> Michael Steele \/ Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

New technological developments, such as the Classified system, may hasten the winds of change, too. The upstart\u2019s PowerShift hub replaces the front derailleur but offers the range of a 2x system. Classified is undoubtedly gaining momentum \u2013 and winning investment<\/a> \u2013 but there are drawbacks. What\u2019s more, neither Shimano nor SRAM directly endorses the new system.<\/p>\n

However, the Classified system has already been tested at the highest level. Victor Campenaerts rode it during the Classics season, and Uno-X trialled it in the Tour of Hungary. We wouldn\u2019t be surprised if Classified stepped things up with a bid to sponsor a pro team in the near future.<\/p>\n

As for Shimano, when pushed, the brand remained tight-lipped on whether any single-chainring options would be coming to its road range.<\/p>\n

\""Egan\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Will Shimano offer a 1x drivetrain for road racing in a future version of Dura-Ace?<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cWe are always developing new products and looking for new innovations, where we listen to the feedback we get from our sponsored teams and the market,\u201d says Roesems.<\/p>\n

No surprises there, either. The Japanese manufacturer rarely hops on trends, instead waiting to see how they play out. Remember how long it took for Shimano to respond to SRAM and Campagnolo\u2019s move to 12-speed?<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Shimano\u2019s next move, as the dominant player in the road groupset market, and the supplier to 14 of the 18 men\u2019s WorldTour teams<\/a> (to SRAM\u2019s three and Campagnolo\u2019s one), is key.<\/p>\n

However, if you\u2019d have told Adam Blythe five years ago that both the Giro d\u2019Italia and Tour de France would be won by a rider using, at least in part, a 1x system, we\u2019re not too sure what his response would have been. Perhaps 1x has a future on the road, after all.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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