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Osymetric Rings

Jun 16, 2011
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I'm considering buying a set of Osymetric Chain rings. Is anyone able to provide a review on them and the effectiveness of them?
Which pro's are using them?
Anyone able to say if they work or not?
Or do they only help psychologically..
Rotor's seem more popular, Osymetric's are strange as hell.

Thanks.
 
Aug 4, 2009
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In 1995 Shimano made the Bio pace but it didnt take off then rotor come up with similar all therory and little evidence ,
save your money
 
Apr 29, 2010
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brianf7 said:
In 1995 Shimano made the Bio pace but it didnt take off then rotor come up with similar all therory and little evidence ,
save your money

I'm assuming then that you've used forms of oval chainrings to base your certainty on. Hours of logged miles???? Power tests before and after????

.......thought not

Just so we're all aware - Rotors are 90deg out of synch with biopace, which loaded up the dead portion of the stroke. Rotors load the power stroke and make the dead point easier to pedal through.

It is certain that the benefits (or perceived benefits) vary from rider to rider. There have been tests done that show no improvement at all....but these are often done with athletes who have never used oval rings before - and there's certainly a requirement of quite a few K's to be done before you train your muscles to adapt to the sometimes unusual feeling.
The best results tend to happen with those whose pedalstroke is naturally weaker through the top. For the better pedalers - pros amongst these - the benefits tend to be less apparant

I just recently did some testing myself - very unscientific of course. I use rotor rings and do find them to be beneficial (or a good placebo for those like brian here) as I'm weak myself through the top of the circle. I swapped bikes for the end of a ride with a mate who has round rings. My first though was that the powerstroke had become weaker, and the pedals a little harder to turn smoothly. His first impression of the rings (having never pedaled 1 stroke with oval rings before) was that the hill became easier to get over.
I've also been doing 1-leg intervals of late, and these are noticably harder with the round rings.

There you are.....rant over:D
 
Mar 10, 2009
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I recently turned to Rotor Q Rings in a hope to help with my knee problems. Have now done about 1200km's on them I think.

At first I wasn't convinced and if anything felt slower in my sprinting and accelerating. But then I changed from setting number 3 to 4 and now they are perfect. I notice I don't build up as much lactic acid, my recovery in between intervals is quicker and my sprinting is back to normal. Not sure about climbing longer mountains yet, not enough testing. My pedal stroke does seem a little smoother. Won a big race on them. That guy from Garmin won the Paris-Roubaix on them. I think I will stick with them. I think they suit my pedalling style as a bit of a masher.
 
Jul 17, 2009
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brianf7 said:
In 1995 Shimano made the Bio pace but it didnt take off then rotor come up with similar all therory and little evidence ,
save your money

Rotor have very little in common with the Bio pace as I am sure you will be schooled in here soon.