Rotor Q Chainrings or ovall Chainrings any good?

baileyjb
baileyjb Posts: 41
edited February 2013 in Road buying advice
I was at my local cycle shope this weekend talking about upgrades and the sales person was pushing Rotor Q oval chain rings as a good performance upgrade. I wondered if anyone has tried oval rings and how much of a difference they actually make.

Would be interest to here from anyone who has some.

Cheers

Comments

  • ajb72
    ajb72 Posts: 1,178
    I fitted Rotor rings to my Campag compact chainset. I was curious as to the benefits but an added draw was the fact I found them cheaper than I could get Campag original rings for.

    The strangest thing about them IME was that they didn't feel odd at all! The sensation I had was of a more rounded pedal action, but this felt natural and not as I had expected at all. I started in the default setup and have had no reason to change it (no dead spots etc). It now feels odd to me to ride standard chainrings as it feels like a choppy action. I tried the Shimano ovalised rings many years ago and they were quite foul to ride, the Rotors are much smoother.

    An added benefit was the fact there was no 34T ring for Campag compact at that time, so I went for 50/36. I would now always go for this setup as I prefer the closer drop from large to small ring.

    Do they work? Well, that's so subjective without power monitors etc it is hard to say. Shortly after fitting them I set pb's on a couple of climbs, but no idea if that was a placebo effect, having a larger gearing to push or the shape of the rings. What I would say is that I don't want to go back to standard rings as I feel like my pedal action has improved and I find them so lovely to use.
  • I used them last summer for some big sportives - the Fred, La Marmotte etc, using O-Symmetric oval chainrings on my compact chainset. I am sure there was more power (but no power meter to prove it) - c 5% - but frequency of chain slipping off when using the front mech meant any gain often lost. I only sold them as I switched to a double rather than compact but did not buy new ones, so that says more than anything I guess.
  • Have Rotor Q's on my Felt using Sram Red & they work well.

    The feeling does take a little getting used to but not in a bad way its just got a good rhythm is all & is hard to notice any difference. However I find when I'm at speed on rolling hills I can really push that bit harder and get some power down.

    Been using mine for a about 3 years and if given the choice I wouldn't go back.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • ajb72
    ajb72 Posts: 1,178
    flynnpa wrote:
    I used them last summer for some big sportives - the Fred, La Marmotte etc, using O-Symmetric oval chainrings on my compact chainset. I am sure there was more power (but no power meter to prove it) - c 5% - but frequency of chain slipping off when using the front mech meant any gain often lost. I only sold them as I switched to a double rather than compact but did not buy new ones, so that says more than anything I guess.

    You've raised a very good point there - crucial to get your front mech set up absolutely spot on with Q rings, but it is perfectly possible and I don't have any issues.
  • I think the O-symetric are more Oval than Q rings and chain slipping can happen to best - even one Bradley Wiggins. Even with good set up, you have to time your shifts and low speed shifts are to be avoided.