I’m considering using a Rotor-Q-Ring as my big chain ring for 2007. Anybody use these? If so what are your thoughts on them.
Also can I still use my current 39 tooth small chain ring if I use a 54 tooth Rotor-Q-Ring and have it shift ok?
Bump, because I’m interested, too.
pm gary, but i think so.
i love mine, i have both rings, and it’s a lot more comfortable.
lost some shifting quality over the ultegra rings, but better than the gossamer FSA rings. shift nicely for the most part
you can use only the big Q-ring (or just the small q-ring for that matter). You have to make a derailleur adjustment obviously if you decide to go with the big ring. - E
i found that i had to drop my front der. almost 1 centimeter to accomidate the changes, but it works great. almost smoother, but not quite as crisp as shimano, which can be reassuring, especially in a road racing environment.
overall function, to me, feels somewhat like a fixed gear in that it forces the stroke over the top and then through the downstroke. like them more than conventional rings in every application but criteriums, where they do not feel quite as snappy. probably all in my head, but the sensations are there. good luck,
seamus
hey tex - here is a little consumer impression i wrote a few weeks ago, after i got mine:
" hey-o. so, i went ahead and nabbed one of them Q-rings ya see up on the v-news forum banner. i needed a new 36 ring for the singlespeed, and had been curious about them. i do like to try new things out - and to me . . . . . looking at the gangly and convoluted human leg pedalling circles it makes sense that there might be a better way . . . . . i mean, you look at a leg going 'round and what in the human anatomy makes you think of a perfect circle ?? or, maybe i just wanted to spend an extra 30 bux or so. on the the review !!
the ring is really nicely made. i’d put it up there with a T.A. or old genuine campy from back in the day or something, very well finished and crisp - a nice touch from the crappy stamped stuff you tend to see nowadays.
you can set the oval in 5 different positions. they suggest the middle one, so naturally i put it in one of the extreme slots instead. that felt uninspiring, so , i put it in the extreme slot over on the other end, and continued with this back-yard experimentation until i put it in the suggested middle one and felt better. 
first impressions were . . . . . . . . . . . . counldn’t tell anything. ( !! ) honestly, i was very surprised to note that i couldn’t tell the difference from round. the thing is smooth. i rode bio-pace back years ago, and that stuff had your knees popping at the first pedal stroke. i had to squint my eyes and kinda imagine what i thought it should feel like, to feel anything. very surprising right off the bat in that way.
then i went out on a group ride on some really nice singletrack for a few hours. i was a little over-geared. riding out slowly with the group i again felt basically no diff. i normally would say i am a picky-*** mofo, and i like to fancy i can detect things like different tires, different frame ride qualities, and so on. i was really surprised still, that the q ring was so subtle.
but then, we picked it up some.
the ring comes more alive when you are jamming. you know those days when you are just “on”, and you are cranking alongso smoooth and hard it feels like your legs are going by themselves, the bike is surging and you are top of the gear and phil ligget is going " he’s dancing on the pedalls " ?? the ring kinda gets that sorta feel going for you. there is a subtle inertia surge, and brief jamming power surge, and then repeat. it’s fun, and inspiring, tho again pretty subtle. if you get tired, or go slower it kinda goes away - or even becomes a bit of a burdon, as you seem to feel the harder part of the ring as just being too tall. but rev it up again and hey-boy-howdy you are hitting the sweet spot again in no time.
for a bike that is used for fast-ish rides, and racing i can’t wait to try it some more. i’ll leave it on for that. i would not use it on anything else. i’ll put up more later, after iceman and such, if anybody is interested.
I have them both on my cross and TT bikes…
I Do like the ring alot, and shifting has never been a problem. If you take the bike into a good mechanic he’ll be able to sort it out properly…
I run a 54/40 set up and it’s a bit of a stretch… i think most folks recommend a 54/42…
either way… I really do like them and more and more folks are picking them up.
Are they magic… no!
It comes down to confort on your bike… i like the way they feel and you can only really tell the difference when sprinting. there alot more power there…
bt yes… Gary is the one to talk to!
run a 54/40 set up and it’s a bit of a stretch… i think most folks recommend a 54/42…
I run a 53/39, is the 54/40 comparable?
yes more or less… the downstroke i beleive is close to 57 on the 54… so no matter what if your hammering you will feel a difference…
I’ve heard of folks setting up the 54 40 with the large ring in the 3 poittion… and the small in the 4 for smoother shifting… but again… i’ve never had problems…
how does that work? wouldn’t the chain break on a singlespeed? do you have a tensioner?
ss4ever.
no - the ring holds even tension thru its rotation. it works on a SS, or a fixie ( i suppose ) without a tensioner. iam not sure how that works, exactly, but that is how it works.
I highly suggest you use a 42T inner round or Q-Ring if you are going to use the 54T outer Q-Ring. You can “technically” use a 39 or 40T inner chainring (Q-Ring or round ring) however when in the bigger cogs, while in the small chainring, you may rub the inside of the 54T outer AERO Q-Ring. For this reason, I always suggest ordering an inner 42T Q-Ring to go with the outer 54T Q-Ring. If you have any other questions or need help with set up, shoot me an email.