Oval Rings Are The Future?

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

So today I finished up my upgrade for the season (and future off-winter convert) for my GT Tempest. Swapped out the silver Jiankun iXF for an oil slick one, and got a Deckas 44t oval chainring to go with it (up from the generic 38t that was on there). For this winter, I bought a Sram Eagle X-Sync II 38t for the improved chain control needed for biking in the snow.

On my first test of the oval chainring, it feels about the same, but it feels better in ways. I've heard a lot of people complain that it felt weird for the first few rides, but I can't say it felt the same for me. Is this a strength issue maybe? If you have more, it feels like it enables you to give more. Definitely felt improved on the climb up the street too. Maintaining cadence at low rpm will likely be the same.

Any oval fans out there?

I would definitely recommend you all try one if you haven't yet.

[Jason @ect]

(09-06-2021, 12:52 AM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  So today I finished up my upgrade for the season (and future off-winter convert) for my GT Tempest. Swapped out the silver Jiankun iXF for an oil slick one, and got a Deckas 44t oval chainring to go with it (up from the generic 38t that was on there). For this winter, I bought a Sram Eagle X-Sync II 38t for the improved chain control needed for biking in the snow.

On my first test of the oval chainring, it feels about the same, but it feels better in ways. I've heard a lot of people complain that it felt weird for the first few rides, but I can't say it felt the same for me. Is this a strength issue maybe? If you have more, it feels like it enables you to give more. Definitely felt improved on the climb up the street too. Maintaining cadence at low rpm will likely be the same.

Any oval fans out there?

I would definitely recommend you all try one if you haven't yet.

Any phots? ...let's have a look at this bad boy...

[Nikko]

I have been looking at oval chainrings from First Components in the past: https://www.firstcomponents.com/cranksets/chainrings/
Never tried one but you made me more curious now. Please get back with updates once you have done more rides.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Just took a ride through the parkway and I can confirm the gain is very noticeable.

I did a tremendous climb at the end, and was able to grind it out with the 44t chainring in the pro gear on this 11-21 Dura Ace cassette.

All the climbs on the parkway hills were handled very well (at low RPM) as well.

[ChaseCal]

I built up a road bike and put on an oval chainring cause it looked cool, and I couldn't tell a difference, but recently I moved and took a different bike with me that doesn't have an oval chainring on, and for the first couple of rides it felt really weird. like there was a gap on each downstroke of the pedal.

[Criminal]

The new "oval" (most are somewhat eccentric) are different than the old biopace rings I had in the late 80s. I would like to try them simply to see if they would ease the stress on my aging, injured, and operated on knees (but no artificial stuff in them; yet!). It does not matter much to me if I gain power efficiency if they make my knees feel better at the end of a long ride. I have seen various versions so I would need specific feedback from others on how they seem to like them, I took the biopace rings off my bike fairly quickly back in the day.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

I actually got to ride a biopace ring recently, I have to say that I did notice the difference before I noticed the chainring was a biopace.

I would pretty much describe it as the same, but more acute than the oval ring such as I have now. it enables those with more to give more, and you feel the driveforce more significantly.

[Criminal]

(09-08-2021, 02:27 AM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  I actually got to ride a biopace ring recently, I have to say that I did notice the difference before I noticed the chainring was a biopace.

I would pretty much describe it as the same, but more acute than the oval ring such as I have now. it enables those with more to give more, and you feel the driveforce more significantly.

Thanks for that input! I have heard that many of the newer styles place emphasis at a different point in the pedal stroke than the biopace, as well as evening it out more through the entire stroke. Just anecdotal remarks I have seen in reviews. One of my shops that used to have a lot of used stuff went out of business a year ago before I could rummage through their old stock just to try something out on the cheap. I am getting ready for a century ride and wanted to install a set (and carry my standard rings as a back-up) just to see how I would feel after hours of riding.

[Nikko]

(09-08-2021, 02:27 AM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  I actually got to ride a biopace ring recently, I have to say that I did notice the difference before I noticed the chainring was a biopace.

I would pretty much describe it as the same, but more acute than the oval ring such as I have now. it enables those with more to give more, and you feel the driveforce more significantly.

Oh nice, I've never had a chance to ride Biopace chainring.
So your initial opinion is Biopace > Oval chainring?