I doubt its that dramatic if measurable at all. You’d need to use your bikes power meter and measure the difference first between trainers in case one is reading higher than the other which would be more likely.

I also ride q rings FWIW and love them, but it’s a closed system. They “may” help muscle recruitment with quad engagement but once you get going after a few seconds, q rings likely do little more than change pedal stroke “feel”.

They do look cool though! And require touchier derailleur tuning.

---

________________________________________________

Any other thoughts on Rotor Q-Rings, including outdoor riding?

Testing has time and time again shown that trained cyclists don’t pull up in the pedals inspite of how it feels. It’s typical for pedaling asymmetry to increase as cyclist improved as they are generating more power but remain constrained on where in the pedal stroke this power is generated.

The above dynamic sets off a funny feedback loop when using smart trainers in erg mode. The trainer is trying to modulate resistance to keep power steady and eliminating variability in power output while you pedal. As a result erg mode doesn’t just feel different it quantifiable alters you form relative to outdoors. This is why it has become increasingly popular not to use erg mode for all workouts. Q-rings will amplify this effect creating the unnatural feeling you describe.

Hi,

I started using QXL rings a few years ago and love them. Now they are on all my bikes by default (I have a road bike for winter riding and my tri-bike). I wouldn't even consider riding a bike without them (but as I said I love them). That being said, they are not for everyone. Like many things triathlon, your results may vary so I suggest trying them first for a month and then make a decision. There are all kinds of debates over whether they are better or worse, give you more power or not etc. etc. but my suggestion is to try them and if they feel better then use them. If after a month to 6 weeks you feel they are of no benefit, sell them. Let your power meter or your more importantly, what your body tells you dictate whether you stick with them. It was easy for me, I felt like pedaling was easier and fortunately I was able to ride the same roads with and without them (started out with them on my road bike first) and that convinced me to stick with them.

I hope that helps, but feel free to ask me for more specific details and I will do my best to provide them.

---

"see the world as it is not as you want it to be"

I don't know if the trickery involved with on-road real power meters plays out the same in terms of the power reading high for a smart trainer. I would think the smart trainer isn't reading power in a crank specific pattern because it spins at whatever the chain and gears dictate. The crank meters and such have that power boost issue due to the q-ring altering the dynamics of where power is read from.

So, q-rings on a smart trainer should affect power nada. It may still "work" if you believe the physiology behind it. But shouldn't do anything. IMO.

Power generated at the pedal (where my Assiomas measure) will not mechanically have any loss other than friction by the time the system gets read on the trainer. Pushing down on the pedal still causes the internal gear to move in the trainer, and although the ovals May cause the trainer to feel a bit different due to the previously mentioned modulation, it will average out over time.

I’ve got a wahoo kickrv2 and favero assioma pedals

I’ve done the simultaneous “pedal to bike computer” compared to “trainer to computer” at the same time and the difference is negligible after I calibrate the pedals before riding. The only difference happens over time when there are acceleration, because the trainer is relaying a constant power but pedals are generating more power to overcome the acceleration.

To tell the difference between a direct drive smart trainer and a roller trainer or any other trainer, we’d need to do the simultaneous readings and compare the two I think.

I think any differences between q rings and standard rings, and power readings between trainers is simply an elliptical illusion :) watts are watts (in most cases)

---

________________________________________________

So I bought a used large Rotor Q-Ring on ebay and installed it this past week in the default position.
I have to say the pedaling motion feels great, incredibly smooth. It seems like it will definitely reduce knee stress and there is not as much emphasis on the quad.
I'm not sure if power will increase but the pedal stroke feel improvement is remarkable. It's subtle but definitely noticeable how much smoother the stroke is.

The front derailleur definitely took some fine tuning but, on balance, it functions well enough.