Quote Originally Posted by tzvia View Post
There is so much overlap in gears that you only loose a couple of the highest gears if your 44 gear fell off and left you with 32/22. No biggie. 2x10? If you already have a 3x9, you don't have to go the full 2x10 route (cogset, shifters, crankset), you can do a 2x9. I did so on both my MTBs, by removing the 32 and 44, and putting a 36 on the middle position. I then chose to put a bash guard on in place of the 44 but that's optional. I still have all my low gears, and lost the highest gear (which I can't remember ever using). I then adjusted the front derailleur stop to prevent it from going far enough to throw the chain to the now missing 44 chainring. Tada! 2x9 for a little elbow grease to remove the crankset and remove chainrings, a bashguard and chainring.

So now I am either climbing or I am not, just two choices up front. The chainline is improved, there is less slack chain in the lower gears as I removed two links (no longer need to wrap around a 44 ring) and there is a bashguard protecting my calves from being sliced open by a spining chainring in a wreck. I've been riding this way since about this time last year and I will never go back to a triple.
This is exactly what I'm thinking about doing, but I'm still debating 34 vs. 36 for the "big" ring. I wonder if shortening the chain as you describe would help with my funky shifting in the 22.....you've given me hope, Tzvia!