I've been riding the absolute black chainring on my Jeffsy for about a year now. I share your impression that they help to put down the power more evenly in steep terrain, so when I ride with very low cadence and high power. So especially in technical parts of climbs I feel they help to keep a steady pedal stroke and keep the momentum over roots and rocks more easily. I have to say I noticed a slight "pedal wobble" on my first few meters in the flat on my first ride, but that feeling went a way in a few minutes of riding. I used a rotor oval chainring for a while on my XC bike but went back to the original round ring because the rotos chainring was quite noisy and didn't engage the chain smoothly. The absolute black in comparison is just as smooth and quiet as the original chainring.
Thanks for the input. I actually lent my bike to a friend for a couple of weeks while his was being repaired and he never noticed it had an oval ring until I told him afterwards.
I can agree with you first few days you could notice the difference but now wouldn't go back started on a 36t was ok till winter came then put a 32t on and now got easy into hardish gears makes going up hill a lot easier
I have an AB oval on my Norco. I ride punchy climbs with lots of rocks/slabs lots of power moves. I have no idea if ovals would help with speed but it definitely helps give you an extra crank through at the end/top of the climb (usually at the point of fail). I noticed this on my very first tech climb after installing it. I had that same experience a few more times during that ride and subsequent but it's a subtle change but in the positive direction. A year later I still fail on climbs that my riding buddies are clearing without oval chainrings but I'll take whatever bonus I can get.
Trail Tracker Absolute Black should pay you commissions! Following on your video I have now ordered at 32T model to try out. Wondering whether I should install it on the Enduro full suspension or on my Hardtail? Thinking of if probably the enduro the added efficiency could be really helpful.
I run round on my road bike and oval on my MTB's. It seems to me that the rounds are better on the road even with some climbs, whereas the oval is better in climbs on uneven terrain and going over roots and rock gardens.
Good comparison and I liked your choice of music when changing the rings!!! ;-) I've been wondering about an oval chain ring for sometime. May well give it a go.
Thank you! More thought goes in to these videos than many people realise 😉 I know a few of people who use them now and they all say they notice the difference.
Idk if its placebo effect but honestly you just get better in climbing the more you do it. I would train on steep long road climbs between trail riding.
There is certainly no better way to improve your climbing than by doing more of it. There's only one way you'll get me on a road climb though - if there's a trail at the end of it!
My other xc bike has an oval ring for 4 years now. Ovals for me feels weird on paved uphills. But it definitely helped me on technical climbs or uneven terrain. Who spends so much time in flats and paved roads on a MTB anyway?
@@TrailTrackerSwitzerland It Will Be Awesome I Live in Vancouver I Live 6 km from Knolly And Work 2 Blocks From Them lol . I Ride My Warden To Work 10 months of the Year . Pavement To ST Home 😎 Its Awesome 😃
Quite a difference in times there, may not be in depth scientific but it was a real world test and that is what counts 🤙🏼 Check you out getting freebies now 😃
This is my biggest issue l am having. On our hardest climbs I pretty much now only go down to 1st gear (1by12 (30,10/50) for the worst part of the hardest climb. I want to try and run the shifter in say 4th,5th,6th rather than 1st,2nd,3rd so was going to go to 28t oval. Most saying say same or go bigger (32t). What advice would the majority give?
The size depends heavily on a combination of the terrain you ride and you as a rider. In areas with fewer long steep climbs, and more cross country style trails, people might want the gearing to be harder because they never use the lowest gears. Absolute Black recommend using the same number of teeth as before, which is what I did (28T - there are only 2 directions where I live - up or down!!). However, if you want to make the gearing noticeably easier than it is at the moment, I would go for a chain ring with fewer teeth.
Well you won't have much of a choice if you are using the most common 104 bcd a 32 is the smallest you can go. I was running a 30 round on my 1x11 went to 32 oval works great for me I am 270lbs in live in the northeast where its uphill both ways lol.
Did you make sure the chainrings were similar sized and that you switched gears identically on both tests? Otherwise too many variables are in play to make it a decisive conclusion
Same number of teeth on the chain rings and it’s a one gear climb all the way - the easiest one! Irrespective of that, there’s still a ton of variables at play. It does give a bit of an idea though.
I changed to an oval chain ring about a year and didn't notice when riding but I then found I was getting strava pr's on climbs so I've stuck with it .... in fact recently bought a new won & a bash guard so I don't break a tooth 🤦
I am always tired after climbing hills! But the evidence would seem to suggest that for the same effort you get up the hill quicker. Where I really noticed a difference though was my ability to put down more power in steeper technical terrain.
It really depends on the terrain you will be riding and how strong your legs are. The smaller the chain ring, the easier your lowest gear will be. A smaller chain ring will also reduce your max speed in your highest hear though, so you need to find the right balance.
Probably because they have much more power than us mere mortals, which results in a much more even pedal stroke. I think the oval really helps when the going gets tough and I'm struggling to maintain an even cadence, eg. tech climbs
you didn't say how may teeth each chainring had, if they were both the same count of teeth the oval would have a big advantage, the oval is taller, a test of a 32 oval vs a 34 round is a much fairer test..
@@TrailTrackerSwitzerland the oval was the same as using a 30t is the point..put one on top of the other and you'll see the oval is equal to a 30t thats what makes the difference..
wow this helps me a lot decided ill get one for my e-bike my mechanic friend said they won’t make any difference on any bike but seeing this video made me see they do make a difference think he just hates oval chain rings lol
If you’re offering free blueberries and aubergines, I’ll say anything you want for the blueberries, you can keep the aubergines though - not really my thing!
