Oval Chainrings

NoNameNoNumber · 16 Oct 2019 at 19:11

I've been using them for a few years now, time for a new pair 52/36 110/5 hb and it seems the only available are Absolute blacks... They're for Quarq Red cranks, I always though Rotor made them too.

They seem to have gotten hellishly expensive, so I started looking for regular round rings... Well over £100 for those too!

Can't bare the though of going back to rounds so it seems my only choice is Absolute... Any experiences with them?
Anyone ridden them and gone back to round?

Cheers

SoliD · 16 Oct 2019 at 20:11

Rotor still do q rings. I use them for my tt bike and cx bike and don't really notice a huge difference and sort of forget they're there.

NoNameNoNumber · 16 Oct 2019 at 20:16

They only seem to make them for Dura-ace/Ultegra 110/4 though or direct mount.
https://rotorbike.com/catalog/default/rotor/road/chainrings/oval/q-rings-110.html

I find going back to round rings feels lumpy.

SoliD · 16 Oct 2019 at 20:22

I just did a quick Google and seem to be loads available. I wouldn't trust rotors website.

Bikeinn.com seemed to have a fair few.

Beerbaron · 16 Oct 2019 at 20:25

I've only used BLACK by Absoluteblack Narrow Wide Oval so have nothing to compare them to. I've had no issues with them on my hard tail or full sus.

NoNameNoNumber · 16 Oct 2019 at 22:16

SoliD said:
I just did a quick Google and seem to be loads available. I wouldn't trust rotors website.

Bikeinn.com seemed to have a fair few.

Never heard of Bikeinn tbh, but you're right, they have everything in stock I'm after

DereksDontRun · 17 Oct 2019 at 18:47

I've only used BLACK by Absoluteblack on my old MTB too. It seemed good, to the point I'm tempted to do it again. My only concern was reading stories of ovals causing more movement and premature failure to derailleur clutches.

I think oval chainrings have had a mixed history, as I seem to remember the early ones had the oval in the wrong part of the stroke.

randomshenans · 17 Oct 2019 at 21:17

I have them on my road bike and really like them

xdcx · 18 Oct 2019 at 11:06

I've just bought a 42t single AbsoluteBlack and build quality is great. Round, not oval, but workmanship is excellent.

My mate uses AB ovals exclusively on his road/gravel and CX bikes. He rates them over Rotor which is what he moved from when he first started with AB's.
For reference he is top 3 in CX for North of Scotland and he won the Pan Celtic race this year. All on AB's and he has not a bad word to say about them. Loves them.

Regards oval rings, I've tried to love them but I really did not get on well with them at all so went back to round.

DereksDontRun · 19 Oct 2019 at 17:37

as if by magic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apAPzrA19v0