General comments on Absolute Black oval chainrings

[LouisN]

Just like the title says.
I'm looking for oval chainrings and am seeing a lot of advertising for Absolute Black, but little feedback.
Anybody had a sensible run on the rings ?
Thanks for the heads up
Louis

[gazrichards]

Had them 6 months. Build quality as good as rotor but they look way cooler.
Shifting is spot on (once adjusted properly - as with all oval rings).
5 stars *****

[TheDarkInstall]

Yeah I would like to know about these as well

Anyone running an AbsoluteBlack oval inner with a standard round outer (of whatever brand)?

[mr4fox]

I've had them on for about 8-10000km now. I've had much (MUCH!!) better luck with the shifting than I ever did with a Q rings. Still not dura ace standards but pretty good. Good enough that I've bought a second set in different ratios.

I laid them flat against my old q rings and the ovality looked identical to my eyes


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[Hexsense]

Yeah I would like to know about these as well

Anyone running an AbsoluteBlack oval inner with a standard round outer (of whatever brand)?

I do. i like oval inner ring. I ride on an almost completely flat area so i don't actually need inner chainring. I mount oval chainring just to use now and then to refresh my leg feeling. It also make me accelerate from a complete stop very noticeably faster if i decide to go down to small ring on a stop. It actually shift better in some position where i do the shift (and worse in some position which i don't) because 36t oval become like 38 or 39 in that certain position so it is easier to shift to 52t round ring there. My outer chainring is Praxis Buzz road chainring.

EDIT: Typo "refreash" -> "refresh", "noticeably" with e

[audiojan]

I switched to Absolute Black after 10+ years with Q-rings. Definitely improved shifting and quite a bit stiffer (and that's compared to the aero Q's). Very happy!!!!!

[TheDarkInstall]

Thanks for the feedback.

How does using an inner AbsoluteBLACK and a round outer, compare to using round-round?

[Hexsense]

Thanks for the feedback.

How does using an inner AbsoluteBLACK and a round outer, compare to using round-round?

round and oval are just different for me.
I can exert more power on short burst using oval. The timing of chainring just allow me to do so more than round ring. However, when used oval as big ring i found my leg fatigue faster because certain part of my leg work harder than other like i push harder for shorter part of pedaling circle so force are more concentrate and less distribute through pedaling circle. I put some force in slicing motion on top and bottom of round ring but i don't on oval because my leg fly through the area too fast to do so (or i don't get used to do it so fast).

Hence round outer for sustained effort in long ride. Small ring for short hill punch and quick accelerate from a stop. They compliment each other very well in my use case. I think if your leg work different than mine and doesn't suffer from fatigue from oval ring, oval+oval maybe even better. Just buy oval inner first as a sample to see if your body like it or not.

PS. using it in mixed mode give another benefit of never be in doubt of whether you are in the big or small ring. No need to look down or try to shift. Just pedal half a round and you know it.

[TheDarkInstall]

Sorry... I meant in regards to shifting.

[toiyuet]

Set-up 1, 7970 system DA original 50/34 : perfect

Set-up 2, 9070 system DA 9000 original 52/36 : little bit slow, near perfect

Set-up 3, 9070 system DA 9000 round 52/34 : sometime chain drop to B.B. when upshift

Set-up 4, 9070 system DA 9000 round 52/Absolute Black 36 : worst

If you realy want to give it a try, Shimano 4 arm 50T should be more suitable than 52T.

[Broady]

Set-up 1, 7970 system DA original 50/34 : perfect

Set-up 2, 9070 system DA 9000 original 52/36 : little bit slow, near perfect

Set-up 3, 9070 system DA 9000 round 52/34 : sometime chain drop to B.B. when upshift

Set-up 4, 9070 system DA 9000 round 52/Absolute Black 36 : worst

If you realy want to give it a try, Simano 4 arm 50T should be more suitable than 52T.

Interesting to read, I was debating Set-up 4. What in particular was bad about it?

[Hexsense]

Sorry... I meant in regards to shifting.

Sram red crank arm +Praxis Chainring (mainly)+ DA 9000 front derailleur and 9001 shifter.
Up and down shift:
round 52/39 (rotor noQ inner ring 39 110bcd) best.
round 52/36 pretty good.
round 52/34 pretty bad.
Up shift:
round 52/ oval 36 shift when crank arm is at 12 o' clock and 6 o' clock: almost as good as round 52/39 on my Frankenstein setup!
round 52/ oval 36 shift when crank arm is parallel to the ground: about as bad as 52/34 round ring but it will go up once you pedal past the area.

Down shift:
i found it perform best slightly before 12 o' clock (maybe 11 or 10). But never have any problem at any other places because i have a chain spotter.

[RussellS]

http://www.roadbikereview.com/reviews/a ... ngs-review

An article/advertisement for these chainrings.

[toiyuet]

Set-up 1, 7970 system DA original 50/34 : perfect

Set-up 2, 9070 system DA 9000 original 52/36 : little bit slow, near perfect

Set-up 3, 9070 system DA 9000 round 52/34 : sometime chain drop to B.B. when upshift

Set-up 4, 9070 system DA 9000 round 52/Absolute Black 36 : worst

If you realy want to give it a try, Shimano 4 arm 50T should be more suitable than 52T.

Interesting to read, I was debating Set-up 4. What in particular was bad about it?

Always chain drop to B.B. when upshift, perhaps it's only in my case, my 9070 system was worn out?

[kode54]

i had on my AX Lightness Vial Evo, a Praxis 52T outer with AB 36T oval inner. its not that noticeable to me, but the fact that i seemed to get less lactic acid build up when doing long climbs...it worked. subliminal? maybe? i do think it improved my pedal stroke which is one reason why i got them in the first place. shifting was fine with no issues...with the exception of going into turns while on rough roads...i dropped a chain twice. ironically, same location twice. its a right turn, rough road into a climb.