jog5000 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Biopace was around a long while back...then it disappeared because someone said that it was no good.....now there's Q-rings.....what makes these any different to Biopace?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazyTrailRider Posted August 30, 2011 Share what makes these any different...?? They're 10x the price, which means that everyone wants a set. Biopace was stupid, I hated the feeling. Somehow, I suspect Q-rings will be the same. But hey, Burry rides with them, so they must be the cat's whiskers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jog5000 Posted August 30, 2011 Share John Tomac used to DH with drop bars, didn't make much difference to the rest of the world I just don't understand why they are being used again, after shimano dropped them.....I thought it was for medical reasons that they were stopped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankman Posted August 30, 2011 Share Nope, they not the same. Can't find the article now, google... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTBmofo Posted August 30, 2011 Share I ride with biopace and love it! I enjoy the smoothness of each pedal stroke. Was also not blessed with much in the leg department, so I like all the advantage I can get! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomo Posted August 31, 2011 Share I think that Biopace and Q-rings are both based on oval shaped crank blades.The difference as far as I know is the positioning of the "ovaling" which is supposedly superior in Q-rings.This theoretically eliminates the "dead spot" in every pedal revolution.So perhaps it was pioneered by Shimano, and improved by Q-ring ... I dunno.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted August 31, 2011 Share They're both BS. If you study the development of the modern derailer bicycle, you'll notice that oval rings make their appearance every 25 years or so. It was first patented in the early 1900s and just keeps on making a comeback. Get a copy of The Dancing Chain by Frank Berto. There is no rule that says you can't repeatedly part a fool from his money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davetapson Posted August 31, 2011 Share What Rotor say: So why do Q’s work, when other ovalized chainrings didn't?Some of the most recent and infamous attempts at Ovalized Chainrings were Biopacein the 70’s and 80’s and O.Symetric in the 90's. These chainrings all tried to minimizethe effect of the “Dead Spots” in different ways. We at ROTOR respect these designsand the pioneering spirit of their creators, but none of them attained natural marketsuccess. Why was that? Biopace chainrings were designed to take advantage of leg inertia, but they placed thegreatest effective gear at the dead spots, requiring more effort to pass the thoughthem. The pedaling sensation was irregular and uncomfortable, and made a smoothspin impossible. Users frequently reported knee pain, which is logical given the factthat the maximum diameter was placed at the Dead Spots. The solution implementedto reduce these problems was to reduce the ovality to some degree, making itirrelevant in later versions, with the system eventually being removed from themarket. O.Symetric chainrings have a better orientation factor, giving a higher gear duringpedal down stroke; but are too difficult to use for the vast majority of cyclists becausethey don't conserve leg inertia (the large ovalization factor and the sudden diameterramping cause this). The O.Symetric system reduces the gear at the Dead Spots(which is good) but their shape causes sudden acceleration changes at and around thepoint of maximum stress for the knees, the Upper Dead Spot, where the likelihood ofknee damage is already high. O.Symetric’s approximate 90deg orientation is onlyuseful for a low pealing cadence, because most cyclists generate their maximumpower at a crank angle later, considering leg inertia. (look at a pair of well worn roundchainrings to confirm this theyare the most worn in the area we just specified). QRings have an intelligent, sublime ovalization free of damaging 'acceleration peaks'and 'loading peaks' that allow both professional and recreational cyclists to ride fasterwith less lactates. Their shape ensures both faster acceleration and a smoother pedalstroke, promoting natural joint movement as well as uniform muscle and tendonloading. The ovalization of QRingsstrikes the crucial balance between performancegain and spinning efficiency. Additionally, the orientation of QRingsis different fromany system earlier conceived. Because the point of maximum power varies betweencyclists, from when the crank is between 20 to 25º below the horizontal (as a result ofleg inertia, bike geometry, riding position and biomechanics), the necessity of aRegulation System to customize the chainring for each cyclist’s pedaling style isclearly evident. That's why QRingshave their unique 'OCP' (Optimum ChainringPosition) chainring hole ring. The QRings'shape, orientation and adjustability arewhat set them apart and ensures that they are here to stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goya-goya Posted August 31, 2011 Share I have used Q-Rings for about a year now... they are awesome! ...especially uphill where you do not have the luxury of being able to pedal circles because your hammies are not nearly as strong as your quads... so in pedaling with your quads - MASHING- uphill... you get to a point - with round rings - that your torque keeps alternating between force and then just turning... this is where I always used to slip out... no more! After using them for 7 weeks... 6 of my buddies and I went to do Sani pass... I am not the fittest or the strongest in the group, but I got to the top about an hour faster than the other guys! ..and I never really struggled! I guess if I actually raced up I would have struggled... but at just above touring pace, it was sublime... To all of you guys who say they are ***... sah-weeeet! ...stick to what you know... if you are already strong enough to turn circles uphill then dont even bother... Q-rings are for MASHERS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobbly Tire Boy Posted August 31, 2011 Share I have been using Q rings for neerly 18 months now right from XC to Epic. I recon they work quite well. Well, the Power Tap does not lie, so I would say they work and I am pretty chuffed. As far as I am concerned, the more people that dont use them, the better it is, as i still get the benefit that others dont. Food for thought - all those 29er obsesed people who point out that racers/pro won their races on 29ers. have you ever looked at the rings that they ran for the race? (Kulhavey, Sauser, Stander, George, Evans). As far as I can remeber, I cant remeber when I upgraded my car for bigger wheels instead of a better gear box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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