Rotor Q Rings can be a great addition and upgrade for mountain bikers and for Gravel Bike users, helping those with knee pain issues in particular. The technology and science behind them is constantly developing. Time then for us to take a detailed lookat them with Scott Cornish.
Some riders swear by them, others aren’t so convinced. Oval chainrings can be a bit marmite, but are certainly here to stay, with Absolute Black dedicated to the cause.
Cyclists are always looking for ‘the next thing’ to give them that edge and to make them faster. It seems to be addictive with some people, who are looking for those same marginal gains that British Cycling has mastered.
Weird shaped chain rings are one of the current items that people are looking towards for help and performance improvement; so it’s refreshing to see a British company entering the market.
Absolute Black are absolute quality in terms of the items that they produce. We’re really impressed with the quality of the finishing, the machining and the anodising on their premium oval chain rings. The level of detail is superb, with obvious care and attention given to the finished item that carries their brand name.
Here at Moonglu, we specialise in custom builds, and have done so for many years, and can honestly say that if you want you bike to look the biz, these chain rings from Absolute Black will do the trick; but for me as a mechanic and a rider, the ultimate test is in how they perform. Time to fit them to a bike …
Fitting was as simple and straightforward as any normal set of chain rings, and the bolt covers are a classic finishing touch. Consumers will however need to adjust and raise the front derailleur to accommodate the rings. Once fitted and in use, we wondered if the quality of the shifting in relation to the usual Shimano rings would be as smooth, but this was unfounded. It was at least as good and as smooth as the global brand. This smooth transition was particularly noticeable between the small and big ring under load.
In terms of speed and performance, that golden nugget that riders seek, I can’t say that I noticed a change when in the outer ring, but I did notice a slight performance gain in the small ring. On some of the steeper gradients, of which we have plenty here in the Yorkshire Dales, and when in a lower cadence, the performance is there – not bad then.
They do seem to take on the issue of the dreaded dead spot reasonably well, and can produce something for you. If you’re the type of cyclist that’s looking for a high quality performance driven upgrade, then these could be just for you – and they do look very smart too. It’s great to see British design at the forefront of cycling technology, and Absolute Black are definitely a brand worth looking at for that special customised bike.
Some cyclists will clearly get that marginal gain and performance benefit from these oval chain rings from Absolute Black.
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Scott Cornish
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When you ride a mountain bike in the north, you take any assistance that you can get on the hills. They’re steep – really steep; great fun coming down, but a real sod to get up at times. Mix that with some loose gravel, slippery mud or damp grass and it makes things really interesting. Then of course you’ve got hills such as Park Rash and Fleet Moss on the roads adjoining – you get the picture.
Q -Rings from Rotor are not wholly new. Some of you will recall the Bio rings of a few years ago; but what Rotor have done is to research and refine things to get what they believe is the ultimate chainring. Question is then: ‘how do they perform off-road?’
Fitting and setting things up was left in the capable hands of our technical editor and fettling guru, Simon. All that was left for me was to jump on board and take them for a spin…or two or three. If you want to test a mountain bike upgrade, there can be no better starting point that Swaledale. The place is full of some of the best and the toughest trails in the Yorkshire Dales, so the Apedale route was an obvious choice; and for round two, the Nidderdale Loop was the trail to test things on. Off we go then.
Those of you who know Swaledale and the Apedale will know that there are some tough climbs to tackle. Not least of which is the testing ascent from the ford at Grovebeck Gill, with loose gravel and steep gradients that fail to ease until they peak at Harkerside Moor. Ordinarily my buddy and I would be side by side on these climbs, but the Q-Rings did actually seem to be giving me an edge that allowed me to keep a flowing spinning action going, biting into the loose surface and ascending with comparative ease – for Swaledale. The ride generally followed a similar pattern, with the pedal action being steady and constant, with no adverse feelings in the calf muscles or elsewhere. There was no discernible knee pain, which can plague me at times, and fatigue wise I felt far better at the end of the ride than I deserved.
The addition of the rings seemed to be working – on to Niderdale then. A few weeks later the weather and commitments allowed me time to revisit the classic Nidderdale Loop, starting from Dallowgill just to make it more interesting and a better ride. Steady climbs came and went with ease, and some short rocky technical sections came and went in a better gear than usual. In fact, overall the gear changing was smooth and precise, with the rings working well alongside the Shimano XT set-up; and at Twizling Gill where the gradient becomes about 20% off road gravel, the rings did their job, spinning and driving constantly, with the result being an easier ascent that I could have hoped for. On the ascent of Scar House Pasture things remained user friendly, and the overall feeling was of a rhythmic pedal action with no dead spots or adverse spinning action on these testing trails. My acceleration was improved when it was required, with the more efficient pedal action transferring to power when called upon.
It’s early days I know, but the feeling at the moment is that Q-Rings do seem to work well on mountain bike trails, allowing you to keep that necessary drive at crucial moment of the trail. They slip from inner to middle to outer with ease, and seem to allow you a few extra gears to call upon, ensuring a more efficient pedal action – all good news. The quality of the product engineering is not in doubt; they’re extremely well made and well finished. The shape isn’t too extreme to the eye, and as this test seems to show, it serves its purpose. Weight wise, there was no actual difference; after all, I’d be using a set of rings anyway and these rings are made of high grade lightweight materials.
If you live in the Yorkshire area, Fulford Cycles will fit your Q Rings for you. For others, pop along to your local bike shop and get them fitted expertly.
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Pedalnorth Website2021-01-13 14:42:412021-05-28 13:38:12Rotor Q Rings on MTB And Gravel BikeScott Cornish
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I’ve been lucky enough to work in the cycling industry for some time, so I’d come across Q Rings before, a few years ago, but it was good to use them again. Having them fitted to a good Italian Sarto frame should do the trick for testing, and during the ride my legs felt great; they turned the cranks over nicely and didn’t feel fatigued at all. Crucially, it was when I got home that I really noticed the difference though. The feeling in my legs after a ride is normally tired but ok, and they recover quite quickly. However, this time I could feel the different muscle groups in my legs had been worked as if I’d been to the gym, and walking up the stairs to grab a shower was quite interesting, feeling like I’d climbed in the Dolomites that day and not the Dales.
This wasn’t because of a very hard ride I might add, but just my legs getting used to the movement of the Q-Rings. That said, the feeling quickly goes the more you use them. They’re very stiff and the motion is comfortable, but you don’t have to go like the clappers while riding up hill, as the Q-Rings make it more efficient to just tap out a steady rhythm and munch the hills away.
On the flat is where they come into their own, as they assist in reducing the negative effect of the “dead spots at 12 and 6” and it really smooths out your pedal stroke if you jerk a little while pedalling. All in all a really nice product to test, but I’m not sure that they would be for the Sunday morning club run. They’re more suited for riders that like to compete at club level or do a triathlon. In this arena, they’re a good investment. They’ll also help you if you suffer from Knee issues the Q-Rings imitate a circular (but smaller) chain ring around the Dead Spots. I look forward to my next ride with these on!
I’ll be continuing the test over the next few months, seeing how it helps to improve my overall rides in the Dales and Moors and across the Vale of York. In the meantime, Q-Rings are available from Fulford Cycles in York, who will happily fit them for you.
Alternatively, take a look at our developing technical section, where we’ll be showing you guys how to do the deed for yourself, along with some other useful skills.
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Pedalnorth Website
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Pedalnorth Website2021-01-13 14:42:412021-05-28 13:38:12Rotor Q Rings on MTB And Gravel BikeScott Cornish
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Pedalnorth Website
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Pedalnorth Website2020-01-22 11:35:392021-05-28 13:39:12Absolute Black double chainrings
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Pedalnorth Website
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Pedalnorth Website2019-03-11 14:40:032020-05-30 21:00:05Absolute Black Road Chain Rings
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When I received two yellow packets of Osymetric chain rings, both displaying that they have wins at the Tour De France, I was looking forward to fitting and trying these chain rings. The fitting, though daunting for some, seemed to be very easy to set up once I’d come to terms with the fact that there is no way to have chain clearance on the front mech when in the high end of the cassette and on the inner chain ring! With that in mind and the chain drop catcher fitted I was looking forward to getting on the saddle and trying them out.
When I finally got on the road with them, the difference from using these to your standard round chain rings was amazing; the rings almost propel your foot forward, keeping the steady motion of a smooth cadence. It was deliberate and noticeable, both in terms of the action and the result. After around 2 months of usage, with my legs getting used to them, I’m sold on using these strangely shaped rings— they are really great to use.
The science says several things, but the basic thing is that they stop your legs from feeling as tired as they used to get and are even better while climbing uphill—and in North Yorkshire we have a few!
The look of them is ok; its no classic Campagnolo chain ring look but its quite nice, with matt black and the white writing across the front of the outer chain ring. Aesthetically they don’t look out of place, and they even add to the overall look of quality on a good bike. I haven’t had any technical issues with the chain rings, despite some testing rides in the Dales and across the Vale of York. I’ve had no chain throw or problems changing gear; they can sound a little noisy, but so can most chains and chain rings when not lubed correctly. And in operation they do what they’re designed for, so a little noise is worth it.
In conclusion, they have made my cycling more enjoyable and my average speed has increased a little. The cost of the chain rings are expensive at £115 for the outer and £95 for the inner, but if you fancy trying them and have the spare dosh then I’d give it a go you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Keep Riding and Keep Smiling!
P.S. Don’t forget to wave at other cyclists — it’s obligatory!
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Pedalnorth Website
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Pedalnorth Website2021-01-13 14:42:412021-05-28 13:38:12Rotor Q Rings on MTB And Gravel BikeScott Cornish
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Pedalnorth Website
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Pedalnorth Website2020-01-22 11:35:392021-05-28 13:39:12Absolute Black double chainrings
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Pedalnorth Website
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Pedalnorth Website2019-03-11 14:40:032020-05-30 21:00:05Absolute Black Road Chain Rings
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Crank it Up!
Scott Cornish