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.

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.

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.

What makes them special? They start with high quality ceramic balls, and then polish them for 45 days to enhance the smoothness and roundness, which minimizes surface contact area. Then, they use a tougher, lighter polyamide carrier to position the bearings between the races. For the bottom brackets, which see higher forces than the other parts, they developed a special hardening process for the races to improve durability, overall smoothness and resistance to corrosion. Lastly, they developed their own seals that maximize the “fluidity” of the balls’ movement inside while keeping contaminants out.

It’s all hand assembled in France in their own facility, so they have control over the final product.

Cycling Ceramic Jockey Wheels and Bottom Bracket are reported to transfer power better and reduce rolling resistance, and I can honestly say they do that very well. I’m very happy with how they feel and roll plus the upside is as long as they are looked after they will last ages. I’ve been using these on some tough roads over the winter, in some ‘not nice’ conditions, but the power transfer has been noticeable enough to at least make the rides less arduous. The spin is smooth and effortless, allowing the cranks to do their thing, and the jockey wheels ensure that all of that effort is efficiently used when transferred to the chain.

Coupled with a good groupset, these products from Cycling Ceramic do what they’re intended for – they make the ride more enjoyable, easier and faster without the pain. It’s fair to say that this small French company are going places, and rightly so with such well-engineered products.

They’re priced at around £95 for the Jockey Wheels and £144 for the Bottom Bracket; so, if you have some spare cash and you are after a bit of bling with a slight advantage of a few Watts for your bike, then these are what to go for.