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As others have stated, if you are going to invest in your drivetrain you should absolutely go 1x. And given your concerns re: the granny gear go 1×12 and opt for a smaller chain ring. Anyone that’s been riding for 5+ years had a 2x set up. I don’t know of anyone that has ever gone back to a 2x set up. 1x can up/down shift multiple gears at a time. Both SRAM & Shimano have solid options. This is one you don’t need to overthink.