Oval Chainring VS Round Chainring | 20 min Power Test | Osymetric Chain Ring
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- In this video I do a power test between an Osymetric Chainring versus a Round Chainring. Which one will reign supreme?
Sram - 5 Bolt
Osymetric Chainring 5 Bolt 110BCD 52T: amzn.to/2UMki46
Osymetric Chainring 5 Bolt 110BCD 38T: amzn.to/2UV7Gb9
Shimano - 4 Bolt
Osymetric Chainring 4 Bolt 110BCD 52T: amzn.to/2P2hDjh
Osymetric Chainring 4 Bolt 110BCD 38T: amzn.to/31Nhe9x - Sport
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for a while now none-round chain rings have been at the back of my mind, but i think for the cost you have helped convince me to stay with round ones. Thanks
Hi Adam, yeah I ran them for 3 years in the past and saw higher wattage numbers but it was due to the Quarq power meters distorting the figures. The only area I see an advantage with them is possibly on the MTB due to obstacles. Knowing what I know now, I will just stay with round rings due to simplicity and compatibility. Thanks for watching man.
I use the Absolute Black oval chainring on my Tri bike primarily for the reason that it saves the legs for the run segment in a triathlon, esp long courses. Distinct difference. Tried and tested.
I think that is a great reason to use Oval rings. I think it can be great for comfort and for helping in other areas but not sure about the increase in power that is claimed.
I did a newer test with an Absolute Black Chainring you may find interesting. czcams.com/video/aeF3UF8blUY/video.html
@Reginald Ho 0876 Do you use oval chainrings for both the outer and inner, or just the inner on your tri bike?
Okay, I've got the Black Oval on one of my bikes with SRAM Red components. There's no adjusting it, have the Q rotor on another with Dura Ace. The Q is much more expensive. But, has far more adjustability for mountains and different terrain. It feels like it eliminates the dead spot. On group rides, I'm at the back of the pack speeding up, slowing down with the group, but not getting dropped. Oval rings put constant pressure on the chain, pulling up on the crank really accelerates the bike. Doesn't create more watts, uses your watts more efficiently.
Thanks for the input. I am thinking about using some Absolute Black Rings on my next test or some Rotor Rings. I would like to test all 3 but will see if I can get my hands on them all. I actually like the way oval rings feel. The Osymetrics that I used in this test I was not as much of a fan of because the dead spot almost dropped away too much. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Oval chainrings will not make you faster or produce more watts. What they do is make you more efficient. In my experience they reduce fatigue on my legs, my heart rate decreased by 4 to 5 beats per minute and my knee pain is gone. As a triathlete I feel fresher off the bike and my run times have improved. I also no longer get cramps on the bike or on the run but I have also improved my nutrition to prevent cramps
Yes I could definitely see a benefit when it comes to triathlons and keeping the legs feeling fresh for the run.
Maybe the proper test would be to put on the bike 2 front rings with the same maximum leverage (distance from center of the bottom bracket to the highest engaged chain link), one round and the other is oval. I suppose the maximum leverage defines maximum speed, so maybe we shouldn't compare rings with the same teeth count, but with the same maximum leverage.
Find a 30 meter section of a steep hill with rocks and roots and climb this section over and over with round and oval rings alternately.
The result should probably be less chance of slipping by over cranking as the torque *on wheel* should be smoother, less difference between highest and lowest torque. More time to react when you think its about to slip. Less chance of stalling in the dead spot.
I just installed AB oval chainring on my road bike and heres my experience:
Using my indoor trainer, I did 3-minute intervals, same gearing and resistance on both scenario.
I dont have a power meter so I refered to my average HR and cadence.
Round: 181bpm, 77rpm
Oval: 173bpm, 86rpm
Try it for yourselves, Im keeping my ovals.
That is great to hear! I'm currently waiting on my power meter to get back from Favero and then I'm going to do some more oval ring test videos.
Awesome Really Good For Mt.Biking as You Can Setup For a Obstacle 😎
Fundamental misunderstanding of Watts. The Watts come from your legs. The translation of that value to distance and speed is what is influenced by the oval ring.
Don't judge the efficiency of these via Watts at ALL.
It's like saying, My car has 200HP in first gear, and also has 200HP in fifth gear, so the gears make no difference.
Ah-ha, so you are saying even though the wattage is similar, the oval rings will cause you to ride faster and further due to the changing of gear ratio during the pedal stroke of the oval ring? That would be an interesting test in a velodrome to eliminate as many variables and do two rides back to back while the rider keeps the same wattage and time of effort to see if the distance is different. Thanks for the input.
@@BlackWaterCyclist Well, that's my understanding of it anyway.
But having said that, it may be a hard thing to test. I was just watching two guys compare clipless road pedals to flats and they both didn't like the flats. They had been cycling with clipless for years. So yeah, they were used to them, their legs had adapted. So the test (although the conclusion is probably right) was flawed.
The same thing may happen with this. Because you're activating muscles slightly differently, immediate benefits may not be apparent. But from what I've read, the ovals certainly help have a more constant power output.
As with human anatomy, YMMV.
@@CanwegetSubscriberswithn-cu2it Yeah from the research I have looked at (which isn't much) the change seems to be very small and inconclusive. I could see where it maybe beneficial in situations such as MTB when you need to get over a technical obstacle and you can pass through the deadspot a little quicker.
@@CanwegetSubscriberswithn-cu2it I subscribed to you lol
you can noticed the difference in uphill using oval, although round is still my choice because on my oval chainring, teeth are not equally consumed
Thanks for the input. That is the comment I hear most, that is helps on climbs.
Thanks for the input! :-) The first time I saw oval rings was back on the 80's with mountain bikes!
Yeah I think they had Biopace in the 80's which was clocked the opposite of what the newer oval rings are. Thanks for the feedback!
I just put on an AB oval on my single ring MTB. Went 2 teeth smaller than my round ring, as recommended. So far only one ride. Pedaling flat I noticed zero differences. Going up, I'm averaging 2 higher (smaller) gears on my cassette, and my cadence seems faster and smoother. Unfortunately didn't time it so don't know if I was faster. But traversing over obstacles without the herky jerky cadence (but still herky jerky body shifting) was somewhat a positive experience.
That is great input. I used oval on the MTB as well and I agree, I did like the smoother delivery of torque with the oval rings. I hope to do an Oval MTB test up a steep technical climb in the future and see if it actually is a noticeable difference or not. Thanks for watching.
There are "NO" power changes whether you use an oval or round ring. (unless you use a power meter that can't calculate oval chainring accurately. Only Assioma can calculate oval chainring accurately). Your power is your power regardless of what chainring shapes you use. The oval chainring isn't a magic bullet to suddenly increase your power. It's more about the effect after using it for hours and hours riding. People who love using oval chainring say that their leg feels fresher after a long climb or a long ride (like a triathlon). If you buy an oval chainring with the thought that you'll increase your power output, that's a false expectation. Some people love oval chainring because it helps eliminate knee pain issues. I switched to oval chainring for climbing. It doesn't suddenly make me a great climber or increase my power. My power is the same, but I like the feel on my leg after a long climb. I don't feel as tired as my round ring. Example: I just did 3 days back-to-back climbing challenge - virtual Haute Route. On stage 3, it finished on a 7.5 miles climb @8.5% average gradient. Even after 3 days of climbing, I'm still able to sprint to the finish line because my leg didn't feel that tired. And I'm not an athlete or have a strong legs either. And yes, this a very subjective result. Therefore oval chainring isn't for everyone. Because when you ride it, you don't feel anything different.
Yes great points and that is why I did a new test where I tested the distance covered with an oval chainring vs a round chainring. You may find it interesting. czcams.com/video/aeF3UF8blUY/video.html
@@BlackWaterCyclist Pioneer PM can also measure it. Last year I ran a few experiments with Osymetric 54/42 and DA 55/42 on a 6km 5% avg climb. Of course, watts were the same but I did find a few extra % on the pedal efficiency and the legs felt great with the Osymetric. I did not test it on flats, just did not use it as the chain will always drop due the big chainrings, but they are definitely a winner.
What was the distance covered for each ride? I would assume the oval chainrings test would have traveled further thus proving they are indeed slightly better? I think having close power outputs makes that a good constant variable to see if distance was changed thus proving once again the oval ring may be more efficient? Good video overall.
Thanks for watching. I will check the rides again soon but unfortunately the largest variable here would be the wind. I will also try to see what the wind conditions were for each ride to get an idea. The best test would be an indoor velodrome and hold the same wattage back to back to see if the oval covers more distance or not.
I ride 86 motioncraft with 105 groupset, and biopace rings im nearly 60 and my knees are great
well l have an old one on my mtb which is 2lb heavier than my old road bike both with 175mm deore cranks and 46T chainrings .AND the mtb feels easier to pedal as well as to keep up a higher pace ! l am going to try to swap them and see if it makes the same difference in feel on the other bike. :)
That is very interesting Richard. Would love to know your thoughts after switching.
Can you use a small round chainring and a big oval chainring at the same time? My friends told me the chain would drop just trying to clarify it
I've known of a lot of people doing this on forums. As long as your front derailleur is adjusted right, you should be fine. Won't shift as good as stock but shouldn't automatically drop the chain.
Irony I like them , for "steady state" tt style riding and really rate them standing when climbing . I have 5 bikes including a single speed "56 x18" and would like to try an oval on that but not possible,, Use osymertic ,,, qxl rings and different custom crank lengths from 155-175 mm ,, How did your heart rate compare please ?
Hi Mike, thanks for your input. The Heart rate was almost identical. It was only off by 1 beat between the round and oval rings.
You could maybe do oval chainring on a singlespeed with an extra chain tensioner, bit IMO it's not worth it as single speed is not efficient at all.
What about your heart rate for each test? You had both 320-323 watts. But at what HR ? Can you share that knowledge? Thanks
They were very similar. They were within 1 beat of each other. I don't remember the exact number but it was only 1 beat off.
Wow, this is really interesting and not what I was expecting, thanks for posting this. So from what I have heard from people using the Absolute Black oval rings is that they feel that they are able to push 1 or 2 cogs hard on the oval rings - I square this to a 34T cog feeling like a 36T cog on a climb. I find this interesting as I could run a 10-33 AXS with my current RD but I want a 10-36 cassette for those adventure gravel rides. In your opinion would a 10-33 with a oval rings feel like an 11-35ish
cassette? - I know there’s no such thing as an 11-35 but you know what I mean...
If you look at my other video where I compare the distance of an oval vs round ring, it'll explain some of those things. Check it out. czcams.com/video/aeF3UF8blUY/video.html
It will feel better in my opinion but it won't be better. I know that is an odd saying there but that has been my experience with oval rings and I've used them before for around 4 years straight. An oval ring won't add or take away any gearing that is already there. So 46t oval will be the same as 46t round on all the gears in the rear cassette.
Do I need to change both or can I just change the big ring and leave the small round
Yes, you can just change the big one if you want to try it without buying both. A lot of people will actually run that set up so the shifting isn't compromised as much.
Black Water Cyclist thanks ... I run AB oval on my mountain bike...
I think it would matter more on longer rides since the difference would accumulate
That is true. I have done two tests now that do not show a benefit with Oval Rings but I will say I prefer the way they feel and both test are based on power meters that are probably distorted because of the Ovals so it is hard to tell. I think the difference is so small, that someone should ride what is comfortable.
That looks Overkill. You can see the chain jumping.
Hi Marc, you mean this Osymetric chainring? Yeah they are a bit more extreme than some of the others out there. I have read from some studies that in order to see the most benefit from oval rings, you do have to go for a more extreme oval shape on the rings so that is why I went with the Osymetrics to test.
Hi guys! i’m on 11-28t 105 cassette, what oval teeth should i go with, 52t ? 50t or anything below..i’m on single 105 crank🙏🏼thanks guys!
It really depends on where you are riding? If you are doing some spirited group rides on flats where the speeds will be high, then I say 52T.
will you be testing this on a mountain bike?
I haven't really decided to but I think that's a great idea. I'll work on getting it set up if you are interested in me doing one.
@wacamac 100 its great on uphill buddy i've tested it, you dont have to stand when climbing.
@@fcku300 That is a great observation there because with the oval getting rid of that dead spot, you should be able to stay seated longer. I plan to do an Oval vs Round MTB test in the near future.
What do you think of oval chainrings?
hi, i come from jogja, indonesia.
What do you feel using oval chainring when sprinting in flat route? Is that good? Feel good?
@@BonangSetoaji I really think the oval rings are better for those who are doing steady state efforts like time trials. They did a study on BMX riders doing a sprint and they had a very slight increase in power but I think the issue with sprinters is getting those RPMs up really high and the oblong nature of the oval rings kinda disrupt that super fast spinning with on and off again torque. Another issue I had in the past was that when my legs were tired, the extra torque at the power zones were realy hard to push through after a long day in the saddle where a round ring allowed me to spin better because there isn't that on and off again feeling. I really liked them for long steady efforts tough. I rode them for about 3 years. Hope that helps.
@clean cyclist When riding I never had any issues with it but I am also in Florida where I rarely shift to the small ring. In areas where you are shifting the front a lot, I would not want to deal with the oval rings like you have stated.
@clean cyclist Can i say... Oval chainring good for Gravel, Cyclocross, XC, or another MTB? Isn't it?
been riding non-round chainrings for years now and they are great
Suntour Ovaltech seemed good, many years ago.
It doesn't have a huge ovalty to it but I have been talking with a few people who have done mechanical models of people and their legs with ovals and they are claiming that the problem with a lot of ovals is that they are dropping too much in the dead-spots not allowing some cyclists to apply power in an area where they actually could apply power. Very interesting stuff. I plan to do some more testing in the near future.
Yeah, and because of that i broke my personal top speed record on my bike
Lack of adaptability for oval testing physiologically. you need time to test both.
You are right, I do mention that in the video. I'm going to do a few more test soon that measures distance instead of power. Many are claiming that your power won't go up but your speed will so it will be interesting. I did this one on power because many oval claim their power will go up. I'm going to try to do a 3 month adaptation in the future and then repeat the test.
@@BlackWaterCyclist from our training most athlete that goes to oval was able to endure on much better longer threshold meaning speed and power is maximized(Which is normal due to training) once adapted to it. The thought of an increase in "Power" would not be an accurate measurement because once you adapt to it, the figures dramatically increase in "endurance" and "threshold"( Not really on power, Because Power will come on the LATER PART)since humans are born to stand, walk, and run. the downward force is therefore normal for us and cycling(90% pushing down)on oval translates to the more muscle Recruits on enduring muscle to use not basically on the power side since the athlete is the same athlete who will use it( and ANY INCREASE ON POWER was DUE TO TRAINING constantly and not on the item*).
Kindly note: The decrease in the figure on power using oval means you are still in the stage of adaptation, once you are adapted to it then your endurance muscles will normalize and "Maximizes your power potential"( Try using same"Training program you have been using" in a round ring, compare it with an OVAL chainring with the same program). Try it figuratively on fact because this would be the first time to see somebody doing it on endurance data because then you can see if there is REAL POWER improvement Using the Oval Chainring( I hope you can include this one). and Keep up, I love your thoughts and videos. pls, subscribe also to my small kids/teen world of Athlete- : GRSL on youtube : )
That oval is a part time bigger chainring, the power section is the next size or bigger chainring, TRICKNOLOGY LOL!! you are tricking yourself, try the same test with both chainrings being the same as the biggest size, not by the number of teeth.. then test oval wheels !!!
The yikes is the piece of shit that ran over th edeer, not the animal, minding his or her own business.
this is not a test
Hi Zed Gee, I agree that this is not scientific at all and I state that at the end of the video because there are way too many variables involved here. Thanks for watching and commenting. Do you run oval rings currently? If so, which ones?
@@BlackWaterCyclist so why post something meaningless because you don't understand the mechanics.
@@zedgee4514 Please explain to me the mechanics? You mean of the oval chainring or the mechanics of a test? I've looked at the legit studies that are out there and there really isn't much difference in the subjects and their power output from round to oval and I basically replicated that with my very unscientific "test". Do you sell oval chainrings?
Zed Gee - Why watch it and comment? You could just be an adult and, I dunno, move on to the next video and get on with life. This guy took the time to create and share this video, and I appreciate it.
@@ClockworksOfGL yeah. Seriously. Anyone who ever had to put a front derailleur on for osymetric.... respect to that man! It's no easy task because it loves to scrape. Mine works nice but it is not easy.
7 mins I’ll no get back 🙈 we need the times not the watts, watts will be pretty much the same
Hi Gary, I plan to do a test soon to eliminate all the variables to see if it is mechanically faster. I know several companies claim more wattage so wanted to just do a personal test to see if it was different for me and share my experience. Also in this situation the time would not be very accurate because of the variable of the wind. Sorry if you felt it was a waste of your time.
@@BlackWaterCyclist Oval chainring is good for climbing. At least that what I read from the AbsoluteBlack website. So, try to do the test on a long climb. Like 15 miles climb @4.5-5% average gradient. See how your leg feels like after the climb. Maybe the power increase claim is hmm ... logically if your leg fresher then you can keep the same power for a longer time = faster time perhaps?
Oval Chainring is bad for knees.