Why should I choose riding an oval chainring?

 

It is not necessarily that you use an oval chainring for bicycling as there are many world class riders using conventional rings and winning many races. But for those who are eager to try out something new and experiment, according to this table, there might be some advantages of using non-circular ring.

 

From our experience and tests, firstly, you need to get used to riding with it and it does not happen on the first day. You may need at least two or three days to feel comfortably enough riding the oval chainring. What does it mean - to feel comfortable with it? We assume it could be the point where you do not really think about the cycling and pedalling process, you do it automatically and your brain perceives it as usual. In the very beginning you may feel some strange movements in your legs, unusual and uneven cycling process and pedalling. That is usually because before you have done it with round chainring and your brain has got used to those movements. With the different shape chainring your brain has never dealt with therefore it does not understand initially why your legs and feet are moving differently.

 

Secondly - here are some sources you may want to look through that can give you some well reasoned data on the subject as well as sound opinions:

• A scientifically reasoned article (literature review) providing credible data and analysis on the topic. There is a great summary of all scientifically known non-circular rings put in table in page 4. 

• One more scientific article on importance of approriate non-circular chainring in improving crank power.

• A well written blog entry from a cycler, focused more on Biopace ring. 

• A short video comparing Doval, circle and Rotor Qring.

• A forum discussion in Russian.