Shimano BIOPACE is back

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Comments

  • Kaise
    Kaise Posts: 2,498
    just spotted this, i have been using Q-rings and normal rings across two different bikes and i can say i prefer the Q-rings. I kind of understand the physics behind it but i just find them more comfortable and i can also produce more power.

    Now i measure my power by how quickly i can climb, both bikes are a 53/39 chain set with the same dura-ace rear casette and the same derailleurs. No the bike geometry might make a difference so i am i tempeted to swap them oevr for a fair test but the results at the moment are that i can climb dundry hill in somerset in 10-15 seconds quicker on the bike with q-rings

    oh and the bikes weigh a similar amount
    :)Ragley Blue Pig
    :twisted: Spesh Demo 8 II
  • stfc1
    stfc1 Posts: 505
    Still have Biopace chainrings on the turbo bike. So out its back in?
  • Hutch123
    Hutch123 Posts: 189
    As I remember biopaces bulge was 90 degrees off in the 90s which is why they never took off.

    You only need to see the amount of pros using obsolete rings to show there is potential benefit. I may well try some but not sure I will like the chain bouncing up an down.
  • troy2208
    troy2208 Posts: 46
    This is pretty simple to understand guys, and the people who have said that is doesnt alter your power output are correct. There is no evidence to suggest that they do and Osymetric are wrong to say that they do... after all there are no more teeth at their largest part are there (that is if you were to have the same ring size at the largest part.

    However i think the point that a few have tried to make is that they do make your pedal stroke more fluid.

    For example when a person hits their dead spot, the point where one pedal is up and another down, there is very little output and the power needed to restart the cycle is greater than that needed by one of these osymetric rings in that less power is needed to start the cycle and get it back to full power. Surely people notice that when they get to the top of their pedal stroke its harder and sometime a bit of a jerk in the legs (not much just a little) to get the power down fully....

    i've taken some time to think it through and whether or not to get one. I definitely cant see that there is any more output, thats nearly impossible. However i do believe that it would be easier to pull out of the deadspot and upto full power again easier much like when you pull away from traffic lights youve geared down to accelerate away quicker and then you progessively gear up so that you gearing is equal to your speed... Hope that makes some sense...
  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    troy2208 wrote:
    This is pretty simple to understand guys, and the people who have said that is doesnt alter your power output are correct. There is no evidence to suggest that they do and Osymetric are wrong to say that they do... after all there are no more teeth at their largest part are there (that is if you were to have the same ring size at the largest part.

    However i think the point that a few have tried to make is that they do make your pedal stroke more fluid.

    For example when a person hits their dead spot, the point where one pedal is up and another down, there is very little output and the power needed to restart the cycle is greater than that needed by one of these osymetric rings in that less power is needed to start the cycle and get it back to full power. Surely people notice that when they get to the top of their pedal stroke its harder and sometime a bit of a jerk in the legs (not much just a little) to get the power down fully....

    i've taken some time to think it through and whether or not to get one. I definitely cant see that there is any more output, thats nearly impossible. However i do believe that it would be easier to pull out of the deadspot and upto full power again easier much like when you pull away from traffic lights youve geared down to accelerate away quicker and then you progessively gear up so that you gearing is equal to your speed... Hope that makes some sense...

    Holy post resurrection Batman :mrgreen:
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    troy2208 wrote:
    [...] i've taken some time to think it through and whether or not to get one. [...]
    I'm impressed that you've broken your 3 & 1/2 year "silence" since joining on this revived, but unremarkable topic.

    On topic, I thought BioPace was more an Eighties trend - still have a mid-range Saracen from '87/8 with such. Never found it a notable improvement.
    Location: ciderspace
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    I wonder if Shimano will produce them for a triple set-up?
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    As DrLex says above, they did a triple, albeit for MTB's, back in the late eighties, I had a Saracen Blizzard kitted out with a Shimano Biopace Exage chainset back then. Can't say I noticed much difference tbh.
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    Was it for all 3 rings, or just the outer (big) ring?
  • DrLex
    DrLex Posts: 2,142
    RonB wrote:
    [...] I had a Saracen Blizzard kitted out with a Shimano Biopace Exage chainset back then[...]
    Dude! I have the same one; in garage with spiked tyres as my "ice bike". Sold to me as a city bike, not MTB, though.
    De Sisti wrote:
    Was it for all 3 rings, or just the outer (big) ring?
    All three, chap!
    Location: ciderspace

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