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Who's using them and why? How do they feel when riding a 1x11 system? I know the benefits are to even out your pedal stroke and forces put through the cranks but are those benefits tangible to mere mortals like me, a once a week I need of rider?
I've one on my 29er and one on my fat bike. You notice them for all of 30 seconds then you just pedal. You do notice the difference on steep hills, there isn't that puuush, ease, puuush, ease that you get with circular chainrings, there's just a smooth transfer of power into forward momentum. My knees definitely feel the benefits as well.
I've discovered that an oval chainring (Absolute Black) was the cause of my continued knee problems. Correctly fitted, but the way in which I move my knees, including a slight over-extension, is not compatible with the oval.
I've been in the lucky position to have two of the same bike, so have been able to eliminate every part of the setup, and it has only been the replacement of the oval 32T with a round 30T that the problem has gone away.
YMMV, but this is just to say that oval isn't the perfect solution for everyone
Hmm, so one likes it, one doesn't. Any more opinions?
I've got a rotor on my rigid and Czar. Do like them. You get very used to them quickly.
They don't seem to work standing up, but for seated peddling you feel like you have an extra bit of punch over the top of the stroke.
I can't say for sure whether they're better than regular but worth an experiment.
I was thinking about going egg shaped.
I ride a hardtail with flat pedals so when climbing I struggle with traction and resulting the wheelspins make me lose my footing.
Would an oval smooth out the stroke enough to make a difference to this?
I have just put an Absolute black on mine. Feels odd to start but I found it easier peddling over rough steep stuff and not having to work as hard. I also have a dodgy knee, not felt the difference either way to be honest. Time will tell on that one though.
I'd give it a go, I got mine off Tredz using the fiver off voucher. So not too much spent if it does not work out.
@sharkattack - an oval ring will help "circle the square" of your pedalling and (supposedly) improve traction which is what AB sell them on. As rone says, they don't seem to work when stood up, that's probably due to the lack of bending at the knee compared to seated pedalling.
I fitted one to my hardtail - it was sufficiently different and for me, better, that when I built up the fat bike I effectively forced myself into a corner as I wanted a 28T oval ring so had to go direct mount which limited my crank options. For a fat bike, especially in sand/snow they are ideal as you tend to ride seated and you don't get that variation in traction/pressure that causes the surface to give way.
If you get one and don't "get the lurve" then you've always got a spare chainring just in case to cover you should your circular one need replacing in a hurry.
Very steep and or techy climbs feel easier for me with an oval ring. It seems to get rid of that 'dead spot....I'm going to stall point in the pedal stroke'.
On flat, fast trails there is a noticeable 'pulse' when peddling.
As others have said, I think it makes more of a difference if you are the type of rider who stays in the saddle.
edited - it's early
Got an AB one on my Soul and on my Aeris, think they're great, especially on awkward / techie climbs when you need to keep powering through stuff. No more expensive than normal rings really if you get the Black by Absolute Black versions from CRC.
Had oval 1x10 on 29s - a FS and two hardtails.
Love it!
Just feels smoother peddling and will continue to use them in the future.
I've got some of the works component rings. Cheap as chips so worth a try in my opinion.
they don't seem to work when stood up, that's probably due to the lack of bending at the knee compared to seated pedalling.
Standing up/ steep climbs is when i notice it the most. I don't feel like i am try to use my hip to push over the top anymore so the traction is more consistant. I only notice the pulsing if i am standing up and pedaling an easier gear.
Give it a go. Works components do one for under £30 depending on your setup
and absolute black were offering to swap it for a normal ring if you don't like it.
I noticed that on the road on the way back my freehub was going slack on the off-power stroke which was weird and annoying. But I loved if everywhere else off-road, especially on climbs.
34t AB on my Trance. Feels ok, you can definitely feel the "oval" whether thats a good thing or not.
I perhaps didn't torq up the crank arm bolts on the non-drive side when I put it all back together - had a wobbly crank arm which was a blast from the past. I've not ridden any distance on it since re-tightening the arm with a dribble of loctite.
But the ring feels fine. Moved from a 32t Raceface to the 34t AB. No noticable knee pain (and not expecting any either!)
I was given one.
Feels good, don't believe it is any faster.
Makes all the difference on a single speed
don't notice the oval at all - only benefit I can feel is when you are putting the power down the strokes are a lot smoother. a 32t oval feels like a 32t round going up hill.
Got an absolute black oval on my 1x11
Difference is very subtle I think.
It felt a bit weird for the first mile or so but I don't notice it now.
Its worth a go!
I've got an unused one for sale if anyone wants.. sold the bike before I got chance to fit it! 33 tooth I believe with a "normal" bsd not sure what that is..
You have a 33 tooth narrow wide chain ring?
I don't think you do 😉
Don't even notice it anymore on the Jekyll or Trigger, but the oval on the Fatty seemed to remove a bit of pedal induced bounce. I'd buy one for the new SS but they don't do a Gates Drive oval. Yet.
Edit: and ^1 😀
Youre right its a 32tooth absoluteblack oval ring
cold lamb curry - Member
Makes all the difference on a single speed
Second that. I got an AB 32t oval for my Sherpa and it really does make climbing smoother, which is a must with SS. Right now I'm running a 19t sprocket but will probably switch to 18 when the trails dry out.
Running an AB 32 tooth ring with my 11 speed set up.
I think it's better, it's certainly not any worse so don't see me ditching it fir a round ring again. I've never really noticed a huge difference when sprinting. I don't notice the difference when swapping between my hardtail with an oval ring and DH bike with a normal round ring.
I think it's kinder on my knees, especially when climbing. After a ride my knees don't feel hot like they used to.
Makes all the difference on a single speed
I'd disagree with that.
I've gone back to round rings on the singlespeed as I found the oval felt awful when spinning at a higher cadence. When I switched back to a round ring I never noticed any issues with my climbing being or feeling slower.
I've got a OneUp oval ring - in fairness to them unlike others I don't believe they sell it as being easier/faster than round ones, it's sold as being for smoothing out power delivery.
I bought it through curiously, tbh I haven't noticed any difference.
It's well made, doesn't weigh much and is lasting very well, I'll certainly use OneUp again, oval? Who knows.
I've been riding one for a while and like it. For about the first 10 pedal strokes thought this is a bit odd but as soon as I hit the trail forgot all about it, now don't even notice it.
On the other hand mates got one and doesn't like it and is going back to a round ring.
Phil Burt says
"It is currently hard to say on the issue. In some ways it makes sense for an oval chainring because it decreases the deadzone area of the pedal stroke where you are not creating positive power ."
"Despite lots of research no gains have ever been demonstrated in a scientific study to date."
"We just do not know currently"
Geoff Apps says
https://crosscountrycycle.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/out-of-round/
I've tried an oval and went back to a round. For me it was to pulsey at low RPM and it felt wrong climbing. My friend however loves it and won't give it me back. The difference is that he is a pedal masher and I am a spinner. Size wise it felt like that I went up in size the front ring even though I got the same tooth count.