Oval Chainrings...

The Northern Monkey
The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
edited July 2010 in MTB general
I seem to vaguely remember something in MBUK/WMB about oval(ish) chain rings...

Does anyone know what make the chainrings/crankset was?
Santa Cruz Butcher
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Comments

  • Dazzza
    Dazzza Posts: 2,364
    It was a biopace, very bizarre concept and very strange to pedal with, it didn't last long.

    Shimano were the creators of it.

    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/biopace.html
    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
    Giant Anthem X
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    I thought it had been tried by another company fairly recently?

    Remember the mag gave it an alright review.... either that or i'm having odd dreams about reading imaginary magazines :lol:
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Dazzza
    Dazzza Posts: 2,364
    No idea, if it's been re-released then it's odd as it never really took off.
    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
    Giant Anthem X
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    edited August 2009
    q rings i think or summat made by a company called rotor the difference between these and bio pace is that the oval is in the right orientation to the cranks so does work as opposed to biopace which were 90degrees out for some unkown reason :roll:
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    sheepsteeth
    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... ings-10654

    Good man, maybe I was reading the roadie mag :?

    Could have sworn it was MBUK..
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    egg rings.

    shimano copied some and put it 180 degrees out and got it wrong.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Dazzza
    Dazzza Posts: 2,364
    Ah yes so i see, mm interesting.

    http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/uan/2648
    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
    Giant Anthem X
  • Doombrain
    Doombrain Posts: 360
    ovaltech, if i remember
    LOL road riding.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    Thought i'd seen MTB specific ones... I swear I read a crankset review with these instaled..
    http://www.rotorbike.com/nueva/ingles/mtb_qrings3x9.htm
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    ive seen them advertised in the mtb mags but never read about them. i know the specialized world champ rider has some qrings fitted to his carbon cranks.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    nicklouse wrote:
    egg rings.

    shimano copied some and put it 180 degrees out and got it wrong.
    lol yea I just read they got it in the wrong position hehe.

    Interesting concept... especially for someone with dodgy knees (me).
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • CommandoBoy
    CommandoBoy Posts: 173
    Is it true that all chainrings are slightly oval?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    they look beautifully made, all nicely machined and whatnot.

    somneone linked to a custom chain ring manufacturer a hile ago, that manufacturer made custom oval rings, looked like a really good idea.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    I bloody found it :D

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... ring-34869
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    these guys make custom ones, ti a very informative site too:

    http://www.highpath.net/cycles/ovals/01.html
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    interesting... from my understanding it should reduce pedal "stomp" when climbing hills?

    Sounds like a thought out idea... different too!
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    aye, according to the site i linked that is exactly what they do. i find weighing too much helps enormously with grip levels :wink:
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Ben may i ask WHY?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    nicklouse wrote:
    Ben may i ask WHY?

    I was searching for "cure/prevention" of knee soreness for MTBers with dodgy knees and this popped up...

    I just remember seeing the article and not reading it properly... may have tried them if it wasn't £80 just for a chainring :lol:
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • joshtp
    joshtp Posts: 3,966
    your not imagining, i remember it being in MBUK a while ago too.
    I like bikes and stuff
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I used to love biopace - once they were rotated the right way. It definitely made it easier to ride long distances with less effort.
  • Rockhopper
    Rockhopper Posts: 503
    Bradley Wiggins was using biopace stylee chain rings in the TDF.
  • stuart_c-2
    stuart_c-2 Posts: 805
    I'm pretty sure my Claud Butler has got the Bio Pace rings. What's this about it being backwards? Is it easy to turn round?

    (I'm sure this must be why I struggle on climbs, once I have it sorted I will conquer all! Right?)
    "I ride to eat"
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Bio pace rings were the spawn of Satan. They might have worked on road bikes when being spun at 90 rpm by a pro rider but they were terrible for mountain biking. Front gear changes were slower and caused horrendous chain suck. When you were out of the saddle busting a gut to get up a steep climb it was almost impossible to put the power down smoothly.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • teulk
    teulk Posts: 557
    I used to have an oval chain ring on my bike about 15years ago............i dont even remember the make of the bike. It was a right shed of a thing tho'.
    Boardman Team 09 HT
    Orbea Aqua TTG CT 2010
    Specialized Secteur Elite 2011
  • RealMan
    RealMan Posts: 2,166
    Rockhopper wrote:
    Bradley Wiggins was using biopace stylee chain rings in the TDF.

    No, some of the riders were using Q rings. Theyre much more subtle.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    RealMan wrote:
    Rockhopper wrote:
    Bradley Wiggins was using biopace stylee chain rings in the TDF.

    No, some of the riders were using Q rings. Theyre much more subtle.
    Similar idea though - hence biopace stylee.

    Seriously, dude, have you been on the crack recently, or has your brain backfired or something?
    There seems to be loads of topics where you're totally unable to grasp the simplest of concepts.
  • RealMan
    RealMan Posts: 2,166
    Oops, missed the style bit. Sorry. :oops:

    Although Q rings are still very different to biopace.
  • rackgaki
    rackgaki Posts: 309
    fabien barel uses them
    Dont you just love Marin's...i sleep with mine
  • timthetinyhorse
    timthetinyhorse Posts: 163
    iv never even herd of these uintill now.....anything that helps with climbs is good in my book

    rob
    I recon im the tinyest horse you will ever see

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