Oval chain rings experience

[wltz]

Just my opinion but I would not mix oval and round rings, your legs need time to adapt to the oval shape and it takes usually a few rides after which you don't notice them at all anymore. With this mix of shapes on your crank you never allow for this adaptation to take place, actually you have to adapt at each front shifting.

I run oval inner and round outer, and to be honest both feel natural, I don't notice anything changing from big to small ring. The adaptation took maybe 5-6 rides instead of 2-3, but now I couldn't tell if I didn't know, all I notice is I'm usually one cassette cog up from where I would be with a round inner.

[bas]

First ride outside with 39 Absolute Black and standard Dura Ace 53.
Oval feels really good out of the saddle on any hill and good on steeper climbs seated, not good at all spinning on the flat.
Also when I shift from big to small and vice versa the first few pedal strokes feel really off as the legs have obviously adapted to the other shape.
I’ll give it a few more rides before deciding whether to keep it.

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Just my opinion but I would not mix oval and round rings, your legs need time to adapt to the oval shape and it takes usually a few rides after which you don't notice them at all anymore. With this mix of shapes on your crank you never allow for this adaptation to take place, actually you have to adapt at each front shifting.

I think you may be right. I’m liking the oval on the small but after a week and about 15 hours on the bike it still feels unusual on every chainring shift.
Does anyone use oval big ring who race? Not sure it’s suitable for sprinting, etc.
Also when I read an interview with the AB founder he speaks to them being good to smooth the pedal stroke. As someone who has ridden/ raced at most levels I think my pedal stroke is fine


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[planitearth]

Keen to get some Absolute Black chainrings and wanted to get some thoughts / suggestions on cranks to go with them.

I currently have 172.5 cranks and want to move to 165mm at the same time as the oval chain rings (52-36).

Which cranks would you go for to mount the AB rings? The default would be to buy an R8000 chainset in 165mm and swap the rings over but there must be a more interesting option. Maybe Rotor?

[cajer]

Does anyone notice that non round rings are allot louder to the point where it sound like you have front derailleur rub? It's only quiet in the middle of the cassette range. I have checked in gear combo and haven't found any tub.

I think it might have to do with a rapid change in chainring size as I'm running rings with 25% ovality

[Sammutd88]

Does anyone notice that non round rings are allot louder to the point where it sound like you have front derailleur rub? It's only quiet in the middle of the cassette range. I have checked in gear combo and haven't found any tub.

I think it might have to do with a rapid change in chainring size as I'm running rings with 25% ovality

Only very marginally. Setup correctly, they are fine. Just gone back to round and don't notice much difference.

[cajer]

Does anyone notice that non round rings are allot louder to the point where it sound like you have front derailleur rub? It's only quiet in the middle of the cassette range. I have checked in gear combo and haven't found any tub.

I think it might have to do with a rapid change in chainring size as I'm running rings with 25% ovality

Only very marginally. Setup correctly, they are fine. Just gone back to round and don't notice much difference.

What amount of ovality are you running?

[Sammutd88]

Does anyone notice that non round rings are allot louder to the point where it sound like you have front derailleur rub? It's only quiet in the middle of the cassette range. I have checked in gear combo and haven't found any tub.

I think it might have to do with a rapid change in chainring size as I'm running rings with 25% ovality

Only very marginally. Setup correctly, they are fine. Just gone back to round and don't notice much difference.

What amount of ovality are you running?

Just checked, only 10%....looked up the chainrings running 25%, Poweroval i assume? Can see how they'd run like crap....they are pretty extreme.

[cajer]

Yea poweroval I used to run 14% ones which were fairly quiet. The power ovals are on a different level of loud unless I'm in the middle or smaller cogs of the cassette

[okx]

Last year I was using rotor aldhu3d crankset with q-rings 50x34 and loved them, but only after finding ocp position which worked for me.
Now moved to campy 12speed, so no q-rings

[LanceLegstrong]

I'm currently using an oval inner with round outer. To me it feels great. Climbing on the oval inner feels very natural and I love it. But I agree with the sentiment above, that shifting up to the big ring leaves a weird feeling going back to round. It doesn't last very long, maybe a few minutes at most, and usually only after a long climb, 10-15min or longer in the small ring. With that said, I'm considering making the jump to full oval. I'm running Dura-Ace cranks right now so I can just buy an outer ring, Rotor to match the inner, or Absolute Black. Or I can overhaul the whole crankset.

So, what would be the lightest option out there? Rotor just released the carbon Aldhu cranks, which would allow a more adjustable setup with the oval. But as of now, that would mean swapping out the BB as well because I don't think they have the carbon cranks with a 24mm axle yet. Or I just swap the outer ring with a Rotor Q-ring; cheap and easiest solution. Or I was thinking SRAM Red cranks (GXP) with a Quarq Dfour PM with Rotor rings, which would give me a power meter as well. Thoughts?

[Neocat]

Only thing is bothering me is hearing about the shifting

Was thinking the same as well, to replace my Praxis Zayante Turn compact 34 inner ring with AB oval to help with climbing. Am worried about shift quality oval to round and vice versa. Wouldn't want to introduce shifting issues that aren't there in the first place. Soooo did you jump to ovals?

[milanv]

Don't worry, shifting is not a problem, better from Absolute Black oval to Dura-ace round than Rotor Qrings to Ultegra round, my short experience...

[Neocat]

Don't worry, shifting is not a problem, better from Absolute Black oval to Dura-ace round than Rotor Qrings to Ultegra round, my short experience...

Thanks, that's very reassuring.

[Mcdeez]

I have AB now, shifting is good if #1 you know how to shift #2 dereilleur is ajusted perfectly

Dropped chain a couple of times in the beginning, re-ajusted, now i dont drop it unless i shift like a dummie aha

It will never be like shimano, but its still decent.

As for difference, i dont see much, it was weird in the beginning, now i got used to it.Got some Climbing PRs but its Very probably that i got stronger,not the rings.

When i use my xc bike,It feels sluggish, it doesn't have an Oval ring, but gravel tires.Again its probably because of the tire and not the rings lol

[MaxPower]

+1 for the above comment. That's my own experience as well