IME, it is the chainring that makes the system work more than the clutch RD.
I ran a 1x Ultegra RD on my gravel bike for 2 years without a dropped chain….and on some pretty chunky gravel, too.
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Not sure but Absolute Black does.
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I think one of the main reasons the companies offer 2x gravel bikes is that customers are willing to have just one bike for gravel and road.
The velonews article is quite old: it would be interesting to see comparison between more recent gravel groupsets. For example SRAM Force AXS (with the flat top chain and fluid clutch), Campagnolo Ekar, electronic Shitmano GRX, etc.
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That was certainly my case. I wanted a single bike for comfy long road rides and mild gravel. Chose a Specialized Diverge, and when the spec I wanted wasn’t even offered in 2x, I bought the 1x and had Mack Cycle swap parts until I had a 2x SRAM Force AXS setup with 46/33 and 10-36. Made that my only bike, and I’ve been happy as a pig in slop since.
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I don’t have a gravel bike, but I run 1x on my road bike and on my mountain bike (from 2x and 3x, respectively).
I went 1x, because I found using the front derailleur to be very disruptive. I never liked the feeling in the small chainring either. Most people I ride with tend to stay in the big ring whenever they can.
The “gaps between the gears” complaint is a non-issue: my 10-36 cassette feels identical to my 11-32 cassette. Ditto for my 11-46 cassette, save for the bailout gear. The first 9 ratios are literally identical to those of Shimano’s 10-speed 11-36 cassette.
Efficiency is a thing, but off-road that matters way less in practice. E. g. those tests assume a clean drivetrain.
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I run 2x GRX di2 on a Salsa Warbird. Race hard (4w/kg) on Oregon gravel and never drop a chain. Run 38-50mm tires no problem. I wax bi-weekly, clean daily, and micro-adjust the di2 when needed. I run 46/31 with the 11-34 (standard setup) and find steep gradients suitable for the drivetrain at my power output. Anything sustained over 15% is miserable whatever setup you have.
Secondly, I regularly ride with my buddies who run Sram gravel 1x setups with similar W/kg and there has never…and I mean not ONCE, where the drivetrains determined finality in a winning position in a race scenario.
Pick what you like.
PS, never once turned the clutch on on my derailleur.
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So everyone with a modern MTB is an idiot, or just those on gravel? 
Everyone knows quadruple chainrings are the next big thing
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It was until I saw that miniature TV screen on your stem/handlebars!
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Missed opportunity…rig an extra cassette to the cranks and go 10x10!
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Terrible aerodynamics…no wonder you were dropped.
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Ugh, the chain slap 
.
That’s the biggest reason to go 1x. Quiet bikes!
(That and obviously in MTB the suspension now has room to me more awesomerer)
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if you say so, what about in the little ring?
I may be over sensitive enough to noisy bikes to have ordered Onyx hubs
YMMV 
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1x and then you get to call your 34T the big ring 
#cheatcode
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Update: Area man calls others idiots, then posts pictures of his bikes in the small ring.
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Alternate take - 1x riders will never make the mistake of posting pics of their bike in the small ring.
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I’m more interested in hearing how people are justifying riding on gravel roads. Don’t have a graph to back it up but, anecdotally, rolling resistance has got to be through the roof compared to tarmac
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Vegan Cyclist has 2 videos of his 1x setup dropping his chain and ruining his results.
Also I am with you on 3x. My old mtn bike deore xtr still shifting strong!
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No one in any race, gravel or otherwise, anywhere in the world is spending 6 hours in the 53x11 or 48x10 combo.
The nice thing about electronic group sets is you can see how much time you are actually spending in each gear. And in the case of sram the power you are putting out in each gear. People will find they don’t spend as much time in their top gear as they think. Especially on non paved roads
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People will find they don’t spend as much time in their top gear as they think. Especially on non paved roads
Granny gear 4 life!
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