Hey, biopace is back...

[Tom]

Excel Sports sent me a catalog and there's some character from CSC on the front with, and I swear I am not making this up, "O-symmetric" chain rings. They're not really oval, more like rectangular with rounded corners.

So I start laughing and open it up and in the 'new stuff' page is something I think called Q-rings or some deal. Oval. These are better than the old oval ones, they assure me, because the oval is not like the old oval but it's a better oval. And, besides they have The OCS System. OCS stands for Optimal Control Stance or some bull**** like that. See, instead of five holes for the spider they drilled holes all the way around it so you can switch it any way you want.

I'm telling you, they're gonna try to sell us self-extracting chain ring bolts one of these days.

[Fixed]

bro dust them off and resell to a bunch new cats cheers :beer:

[Serpico]

I read the original company went out of business, and Bobby J. (O-Sym devotee) convinced them to sell the rights to another company.

[William]

I can dig out the old Bio-Pace chain rings??? :confused:

OH MAN!!! EBAY, HERE I COME!!!

:rolleyes:

William ;)

[KKevin]

I believe that the company that Bobby J gets his chainrings from is still in business and uses a complicated process to produce the correct oval for the chainring. The rings listed in Excel sports are "pre-formed" and you orient the rings on the bolts depending on your pedaling style (cadence). the rings are made by the same company that makes the rotor crank.

[znfdl]

From the Excel Catalog, sounds like Biopace to me.... and at only $199 per set

Rotor Q-Rings do not eliminate the dead-spot, but help to reduce its negative effects, moving the legs easier through the dead-spot imitating a smaller circular chainring, and enabling the legs to remain in the power stroke for a longer period of time when compared to round chainrings. Q-Rings change the equivalent tooth size by decreasing it before the dead-spots and increasing it when the rider is in the power mode (when more power is available at the pedal down stroke).A 53T Q-Ring, around the upper dead-spot is equivalent to a 51T, but as the pedal goes down and more strength is applied (just passed the maximum power moment), the equivalent chainring tooth size reaches 56T.

The design of Q-RINGS comes from Rotor Cranks biomechanical technology more so than from any previous oval or asymmetrical type chainring. Non circular chainrings have been available in various shapes since the late 1890's. All of them attempted to avoid the negative affects of the dead spot. The most recent models that are well known are the Shimano Bio-Pace and the O.SYMETRIC "Harmonic".The ROTOR Q-RINGS are different from these two types, and all other previous types inasmuch as Q-RINGS:
A) Q-RINGS take into consideration the forces from your legs in static conditions in addition to the inertia of the bicycle, the rider and the legs of the rider.
B) Q-RING provide a smooth rhythmic pedaling motion instead of the high-gear-low-gear feeling and high accelerations at the dead spots.
C) Q-RINGS position the equivalent high gear about 20 degrees past the power-side-crank's horizontal position, which is the approximate place where you can obtain the maximum benefit of the higher gear.
D) Q-RINGS have the OCP (Optimum Chainring Position) enabling you to customize (fine tune) the position of the chainring for your personal riding habits and riding position on the bike.
E) Q-RINGS mitigate pain and damage to the knees that is usually caused by the dead spots.

[Dr. Doofus]

doof already told you guys how these work a while ago

biopace made the gear ratio smaller on the ovalized part

these things make the gear bigger. you line it up with the power phase of your stroke.

these things are good for pushing a big gear in a tt -- doof tried them on a crappy tt bike from the fat porn guy's bike shop. they work, but doof would not ride them all the time.

they are not the same as biopace, and the work. biopace didn't.

[Fixed]

bro they did a bunch of guys knees in the 80's .cheers :beer: :no:

[Grant McLean]

Since Bobby J has had some results in the TT
(bronze olympic medal) and his career has rebounded,
I don't think you can totally 'dismiss' the chainring as total bunk.
It's something he believes in very strongly.

http://www.bobbyjulich.com

-g

[Fixed]

bro sheldon brown uses them too . they are for cadence of 50-70 big gear mashers . I think you bros that have not used them should i might have some around I can send you if you want .cheers
oh yeah dont blame me when your knees give out oh yeah i have used them

[93legendti]

Since Bobby J has had some results in the TT
(bronze olympic medal) and his career has rebounded,
I don't think you can totally 'dismiss' the chainring as total bunk.
It's something he believes in very strongly.

http://www.bobbyjulich.com

-g

Yup, he's used them the last 2 years and his performances have been night and day since his forgettable T-Mobil days. And he is definitely not a masher.

[jerk]

he is on his tt bike 93.

as for the benefits, they will destroy your knees, they do work for long sustained hard efforts like a time trial, they look weird and the original biopace design mounted the wrong way was everybit as good and probably a bit better.
honestly, raising the saddle a few mm and lengthening the cranks by a size will accomplish the exact same thing as these stupid chainrings. the fact that bobby j swears by them not withstanding. you wouldn't believe some of the stuff these guys swear by.

jerk

[Grant McLean]

he is on his tt bike 93.

as for the benefits, they will destroy your knees, they do work for long sustained hard efforts like a time trial, they look weird and the original biopace design mounted the wrong way was everybit as good and probably a bit better.
honestly, raising the saddle a few mm and lengthening the cranks by a size will accomplish the exact same thing as these stupid chainrings. the fact that bobby j swears by them not withstanding. you wouldn't believe some of the stuff these guys swear by.

jerk

J,
As for destroying your knees, i don't know, but I agree that just
because a pro uses it that doesn't mean everyone should go
git' some. Personally, i'm not offended if someone wants to
use them, but just because they're in a catalog, doesn't mean
everyone needs them.

-g

[Grant McLean]

Yup, he's used them the last 2 years and his performances have been night and day since his forgettable T-Mobil days. And he is definitely not a masher.


maybe some should show that catalog to Jan....

-g

[Fixed]

bro grant if you want to try them i might be able to dig up one they only work on the big ring the small ring you can't tell any difference i.m.h.o. .cheers :beer: just let me know

[Grant McLean]

bro no thanks, if i had the ring on my tt bike, and i was still so slow,
what else would i have to blame?

g

[93legendti]

he is on his tt bike 93.

as for the benefits, they will destroy your knees, they do work for long sustained hard efforts like a time trial, they look weird and the original biopace design mounted the wrong way was everybit as good and probably a bit better.
honestly, raising the saddle a few mm and lengthening the cranks by a size will accomplish the exact same thing as these stupid chainrings. the fact that bobby j swears by them not withstanding. you wouldn't believe some of the stuff these guys swear by.

jerk

I was going by this pic and story:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2005/probikes/?id=julich_csc_cervelo