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Rotor QXL Rings Reviewed

29 Oct 2013
By - In THE DOUBLE DIAMOND



Our friends at Peloton Magazine recently did a nice write up on the Rotor QXL Chainrings. Dig ! 

Rotor QXL Rings Reviewd – PELOTON

It’s a rare piece of equipment can be credited with legitimately helping win a grand tour. Lemond’s aero bars did it in 1989 and flash-forward to the 2011 Vuelta a Espana and it was Rotor Q-Rings helping Juan Jose Cobo secure his victory. Stage 15’s summit finish atop the fabled, demonically steep, Angliru climb saw Cobo spin a smooth cadence away from agroup of favorites that appeared to be pedaling squares. Q-Rings enhance the power phase and minimize the recovery phase through ovalization, and it makes perfect sense. Power is not created equally around the circumference of your chain ring so why not optimize the moments it is created?

 
Rotor has now upped the ante for all the riders Q-Rings have already won over. Called QXL, it radically increases the ovalization to pull even more chain in the power phase. The 53t QXL big ring rides like a 57t under power and a 49t in recovery. We mounted the QXL rings on a set of Rotor’s Flow aerodynamic cranks, with arms optimized for aero performance throughout the entire pedal stroke, it was perhaps the only time Rotor thought in circles.We shifted the rings with a New Red Yaw front derailleur, and while certainly not recommended by SRAM, we experienced surprisingly crisp shifting.
 
 
All Rotor rings provide multiple set-up positions to fine-tune where the rings affect your power phase. With QXL finding the right spot, out of five positions, is even more critical, but requires patience. Even veteran Q-Ring riders shouldn’t be surprised to experience a jerky pedal strokeat first, so becoming fluid with the QXL rings before making set-up decisions is mandatory.
 
Where the QXL rings undoubtedly shine is under big effort. When you are laying down prolonged watts, from a time trial to a long climb or even during a big sprint, the rings make the most of a powerful rider’s effort.They smooth out transitions in and out of the saddle and let big gear mashers get more from a slow cadence. Cresting a punchy climb, they allow a bigger gear to be maintained, encouraging you to dig over the summit, rather than shift into an easier gear and loose momentum.
 
Rotor warns QXL rings are not for everyone and even after many rides and finding our sweet spot a slightly jerky feel could crop up when just spinning easily in the group. For this reason QXL rings are best suited to our time trial bikes or when we know the weekend’s racing will be full gas. In those situations QXL rings let you drop the hammer that much harder.
 
 
 
 
Rotor QXL Rings: 110BCD, 130BCD and Dura Ace 9000, 210g 
Price: $320
Rotor Flow Cranks: 110/130BCD, 170.172.5/175mm, 563g 
Price: $690
 
More: rotorbikeusa.com

– See more at: http://www.pelotonmagazine.com/Tested/content/23/2717/Rotor-QXL-Rings#sthash.CtmE1fx2.dpuf


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