Q rings????

[Boeing]

As for claims that elipticals reduce knee strain in the low power zone, it seems they would increase knee strain in the power stroke by effectively increasing the number of teeth in the power zone (e.g. making a 53T feel more like a 56T). So it would seem to be a trade off.

I had this conversation today. Someone actually mentioned that Shimano had a legal problem with this issue back in the day with Bio Pace. Not sure if that is legend or not

 

[StyrbjornSterki]

Eliptical/ovoid chainrings were described as early as 1896 in "Bicycles and Tricycles, An Elementary Treatise on Their Design and Construction" by Archibald Sharp. That they repeatedly have come and gone over the decades would seem to indicate either:

(a) no one yet has hit on the perfect design or implementation, or

(b) whatever advantage they provide -- on balance -- is so slight as to be inconsequential.


After more than 110 years without anyone capitalizing on the design, I'm hard pressed to believe Rotor finally have it sussed.

 

[orbeas]

Rotor Rings

My friend has just built up a 13 lb £8K Cervelo bike with Rotor Q rings, after a couple of weeks his knees were killing him, he has reset the Q Rings (do google search for advice) and now no probs !!!!

 

[fabianyee]

I have biopace and also Rotor rings.

Biopace was on my 20 year old Raleigh. the small 42T ring was biopace with 52T round rings. I don't feel different switching between big and small ring... And as mentioned before, the oval layout is different on the Biopace which is 'big' during the deadzone.

Then on my Cervelo R3 with ultegra 6700 groupset, I tried the Rotor 39T ring with the standard round 53T ring... I can feel the difference going from small (oval) to big (round)... I found that i can maintain >90rpm on the Q ring longer than if I'm using the round rings. Both at approximately same load by playing with the rear gears. So there is a difference going between the oval Q ring and round rings.

Then i come about this Taiwanese brand, Ridea which has their versions of oval rings called Power Rings. I got a good deal and decided to try that instead of the Rotor. It doesn't have adjustable hole but then I can only use the OCP3 big Q ring on the 6700 crank. This Ridea Power rings have a less aggressive +/- 1.5T (less oval)...

Then I bought another set for my other bike, and Ridea 52/36 oval rings with +/- 2T. I'm using this combo primary now....
BTW, the Ridea shifts well on both the 53/39 and 52/36 combos.
I can leave the rear at 28 and shift the front from small to big and the chain ramps up on cue... No loss of shifting smoothness changing out the ultegra chainrings. And Shimano's front shifting is aledi top notch.

 

[Boeing]

I guess there is something to the "different muscle group" or getting used to them

The majority of my riding this Spring has been on a mountain bike. This bike has the new SRAM XX1. There is no QRing option for this group. And I have been on the qrings for some time and swear by them. Mtn and road.

the jump to and from Q on Roadie and back to Round xx1 on the mountain bike has been very uncomfortable. Knees ache and hamstrings were getting real tight. Almost felt like your legs do after 6 months off a bike and first day hammer fest.

I didn't really put 2 and 2 together at first. As much as I feel the qrings helped (of which I can not measure or quantify for you all beyond that) I scrapped them and the discomfort is gone. However again had no issue on them alone.

Sorry I don't have quantitative data sported with miles of documentation. I just ride so feel is all I can give you.

Does anyone know if this is an accurate assumption or just me?