Round vs Oval Chainring

[eala]

Sorry wrong image .Bikehub is broken on my side 

[Skubarra]

 

2. I see many guys on here suggesting they spin out on 1x12 setups with anything less than a 34t chainring. I simply cannot believe it. It is like when you are at a braai....Every guy is the best driver, the best braaier, has the hottest chick, car's the lightest on fuel etc. Are we talking about a road bike or a mountain bike here??? The last time I checked, when doing your normal XC / trail style riding, you normally average anywhere from around the 14km/h - 22km/h mark per ride from start to finish depending on your fitness. The time on the trail when you will exceed these speeds and spin out, is probably less than 5% of your ride. So why the fuss about spinning out? This is why I commented that I can comfortably spin at 50km/h with a 32t, 10 - 50 setup. My legs still turn and I still apply pressure down on the pedals at these speeds, but this is on 5% or less of my ride. I am by no means suggesting I ride at 50km/h from start to finish. Once again, why the hell are so many okes fussing about spinning out??? Where do you ride that you spin out so much during your XC / trail outing? Or are there just so many pro riders on this forum.

 

If we all used our mtb's exclusively for trail riding you would be 100% right.

 

But many of us also ride gravel roads and the occasional tar road where it's nice not to spin out as soon as the speeds pick up.

[Quagga]

To the guys who say they "spin out" at what RPM do you "spin out" ?

 

In the groups I ride, we are doing the same speed so either we all "spin out" or we are in the 32 x 10 or 32 x11 (me in this have to do 8rpm more than the others)

 

So I am not sure where this "spinning out" happen you are talking about ?

[Quagga]

If we all used our mtb's exclusively for trail riding you would be 100% right.

 

But many of us also ride gravel roads and the occasional tar road where it's nice not to spin out as soon as the speeds pick up.

Who are you riding with and what gearing do they have?

All my rding buddies (all 4 of them  )  run 1 x systems and I am yet to "spin out" but then again I can sit at 115 rpm for a while

[Jbr]

 

2. I see many guys on here suggesting they spin out on 1x12 setups with anything less than a 34t chainring. I simply cannot believe it. It is like when you are at a braai....Every guy is the best driver, the best braaier, has the hottest chick, car's the lightest on fuel etc. Are we talking about a road bike or a mountain bike here??? The last time I checked, when doing your normal XC / trail style riding, you normally average anywhere from around the 14km/h - 22km/h mark per ride from start to finish depending on your fitness. The time on the trail when you will exceed these speeds and spin out, is probably less than 5% of your ride. So why the fuss about spinning out? This is why I commented that I can comfortably spin at 50km/h with a 32t, 10 - 50 setup. My legs still turn and I still apply pressure down on the pedals at these speeds, but this is on 5% or less of my ride. I am by no means suggesting I ride at 50km/h from start to finish. Once again, why the hell are so many okes fussing about spinning out??? Where do you ride that you spin out so much during your XC / trail outing? Or are there just so many pro riders on this forum.

 

Chill bud

 

our bikes are called Marathon / XC bikes, and it's very common for marathon races to have tarred sections or gravel roads where it can get very fast.

 

Also some do their workouts on their MTB so that they spend less time on the roads, and sometime you have to finish an interval even if there is a little bit of a downhill. 

 

Thing is I don't believe going from 34 to 36 will make a massive difference on downhills spinouts, it's not the same gap you would get on a 2x, but it will affect the way you climb 95% of the time.

 

It's all about personnal preference, at the moment I think 34T is for me still the right blade, but might go 36T if I ever get a bit stronger.

[DieselnDust]

Walking Gait 'The shape ones foot travel ' is oval and not round .Round rings are alien 

 

 

 

your legs are still going around in circles, its just your chain that isn't....

[Jbr]

your legs are still going around in circles, its just your chain that isn't....

I really hope that if anyone suggested your feet where spinning oval on oval rings it was a troll     

[DieselnDust]

I calculate that to ride at 50km/hr on a 29x2.25 tyre driven through a 32x(10-50) drivetrain, I would need to spin at 113rpm .

 

I can't sustain that for very long as I don't train at that sort of cadence much. Perhaps if I shifted my training workouts to include high cadence I could but being a working stiff with 12hrs per week to train,...that's not going to happen.

 

I understand the sentiment of gearing the bike to suit your riding which is of course the most valid reason, your riding , your ability, your strengths and weaknesses. At the end of the day the gearing that's most comfortable for you will deliver the best performance.

[DieselnDust]

I really hope that if anyone suggested your feet where spinning oval on oval rings it was a troll     

 

 

not directly but comparing a walking gait to turning a crank I wasn't sure LOL

[PlemPlem]

Good day hubbers. I am in the process of upgrading my chainring. Currently im running a Lyne Pulse crank with 32T round chainring and 11 42 Cassette. I am strong on the climbs so the combination is good. What i found out is im out of gears on the flats and the slightest of downhill. I want to get a 34T chainring to remedy this. I now am stuck at getting a Oval chanring or a Round chainring. Any input would be much appreciated. Oh i'm on a hardtail.

I have been using Rotor Q-Rings  since 2004 and will not go back to round. If you are strong on the climbs but spinning out on the flats than these might be for you as I tend to push bigger gears for longer.

I would recommend to give it a go and try and give it at least 4 - 6 weeks of before making a final decision whether to keep them or not.

[eala]

Good day hubbers. I am in the process of upgrading my chainring. Currently im running a Lyne Pulse crank with 32T round chainring and 11 42 Cassette. I am strong on the climbs so the combination is good. What i found out is im out of gears on the flats and the slightest of downhill. I want to get a 34T chainring to remedy this. I now am stuck at getting a Oval chanring or a Round chainring. Any input would be much appreciated. Oh i'm on a hardtail.

By using a 32 oval you will get a 34 in half your stroke and 30 on the other half .Works great for flats and climbing .I use 32 oval with a 11 x 46  11 speed cassette and find it perfect for 99% of mtbing

[Dicky DQ]

so you're spinning along at around 110-115 rpm cadence all the time? I think thats going to cause more knee injuries especially when producing enough power for 50km/hr

Donder where do these guys ride that they can maintain 40 to 40 kph for more than a minute. These must be serious UCI demons.

 

I now free from 40kph and up as it can really only occur on a downhill so I am either way worse than I tought I was and these guys are in BEAST mode.

[eala]

your legs are still going around in circles, its just your chain that isn't....

True ! .But you only lift the weight of your leg on the recovery back stroke and all your weight again in the forward stroke when you walk. When you cycle with a round ring you are forced to use comparatively more power in the upstroke  than you would when walking .Round rings certainly make the hamstring muscles stronger .I alternate between both chainrings regularly .Oval rings always feel less heavy than the round ones .Probably because the power distribution is closer to walking .So round ones are really for aliens like Chris VROOOMmmm 

[Dicky DQ]

If we all used our mtb's exclusively for trail riding you would be 100% right.

 

But many of us also ride gravel roads and the occasional tar road where it's nice not to spin out as soon as the speeds pick up.

I see but 50Kph? Really. If you can do 40kph on a flat gravel road for more than a few minutes you are also one of those elite UCI pros.

[Skubarra]

I see but 50Kph? Really. If you can do 40kph on a flat gravel road for more than a few minutes you are also one of those elite UCI pros.

 

Who are you riding with and what gearing do they have?

All my rding buddies (all 4 of them  )  run 1 x systems and I am yet to "spin out" but then again I can sit at 115 rpm for a while

 

Sure not 50km/h and its rare to completely spin out but on tempo rides on gravel/tar I found I was missing the bigger gear and pedaling at a much faster cadence than what was efficient.

 

The 36 gave me a top end on my gearing that was much closer to what I had on my previous 2x10

 

If I manage to add a gravel bike to my collection sometime in the future I will go back to a 34 on the mtb.

['Kaze Pete]

With a 34 round ring, I tend to only use the smaller 3 gears. With a 36, i might use half the cassette on the flat gravel roads around town. Doubt I’ll puke my brains out on the few hills around.

 

MTB riding here is mostly dirt-roadie stuff.

 

But then, when I stayed closer to Suikerbosrand I could go around on a 52/42 x 11-25.

 

We are all different, and the roads are different as well