Rotor Q-Rings

FATBELLYME
FATBELLYME Posts: 258
edited October 2014 in Workshop
Could someone let me know in Lancashire terminology the benefits from these.....I am a happy as larry 16mph, 30 miler?

Comments

  • dilatory
    dilatory Posts: 565
    They claim a potential 3% increase in efficiency. That should be all you need to know. Are you at the point where you have nothing else to eek out from your training and spending money on marginal gains is all you've got? I'd wager not.

    That said they look nice and you might prefer them. If you want to try them try them. If you want to spend a bit of money and go faster then it's not the way...
  • FATBELLYME
    FATBELLYME Posts: 258
    ok cheers for that
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    Whether the science behind Q rings is true or it is merely a placebo effect, for me they work. There's supposed to be around a 4 hour transition period to get used to them, but I clicked with them immediately and have them on both road bikes. If the science is correct, it gives you an easier gear ratio in the dead spot of the pedal rotation and a higher gear ratio in the power stroke. Therefore a 53 Q ring will be around 50 in the dead spot and around 56 in the power stroke. Are they worth it? Only you will know from trying them. Many see them as something akin to the King's new clothes while others, including Froome prefer the feel of them, although he uses Osymetric rather than Rotor. Same thing though.

    http://youtu.be/3fBVkkPgwyg
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    dilatory wrote:
    They claim a potential 3% increase in efficiency. That should be all you need to know. Are you at the point where you have nothing else to eek out from your training and spending money on marginal gains is all you've got? I'd wager not.

    That said they look nice and you might prefer them. If you want to try them try them. If you want to spend a bit of money and go faster then it's not the way...


    3% gain at 300w is 9w. That's the difference between winning and not being on the podium is some events. Is that marginal? I don't think so. I spend all year training to try and gain 9w.

    I've been using Q-Rings for 4 years now. In simple terms - they CAN help you increase your overall efficiency and reduce stress on your knees. They aren't magic - but by making the ring biggest in the part of your pedal stroke where you are pushing down and can generate more force, they can allow you to produce more power.

    The take some time to get used to and not everyone likes them. I've found that (FOR ME) they definitely help. I have ridden with and without them and with them my power numbers seemed higher. I don't notice the ovality of them and it helps smooth out my pedal stroke.

    For the OP - for the type of riding you do, you probably won't see any benefit. If you judge your rides in terms of speed and distance, then just stick with what you've got.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Been on them about 18 months now. After 2 rides, adapted fine.

    Now can go from oval to non-oval and not really feel a difference in pedalling feel.

    is there a power / efficiency difference? Hard to say, but I feel like I have more clout out of the saddle.

    Shifting is still excellent.

    I am using Position 2.

    I've noticed that a lot of the pro-peloton seem to have gone back to normal rings though.....
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    bernithebiker wrote:

    I've noticed that a lot of the pro-peloton seem to have gone back to normal rings though.....


    Partly due to sponsorship. Shimano likes their riders using Shimano rings, etc.

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