Oval rings also help with the knees! Takes away stress from the knees and I can pedal for so much longer. Love the oval rings, they really do many a difference.
I have 30t Garbaruk oval. For me is game changer really smooth torque delivery. I live in are area where acces rout is really steep and oval really helps in this section. In future i definitely buy 28t Garbaruk oval.
I really enjoy my oval chainring. As you say, it’s noticeably smoother. It’s 36 tooth because we ride flowing xc but still perfect for me even as an XL rider.
Amen on the 28t. I live and ride in Whistler and as you mentioned in a previous video when you rode the trail bring on the weekend. It’s a bit punchy. That’s pretty much par for the course on all our ups here. Sometimes I feel I should be on a John Deere tractor getting up to all of our trails.I find the 28 tooth ring allows me to do what the company One up totes and that is worth less ride more.
I tried to put an oval on my Ripmo 4 years ago and I could only find a 32 (which it doesn't work because a 32 is a 34 on the oval and it doesn't clear my chain stay). I have one on my old Specialized Enduro from 2016 and loved it! I'm going to look for one now, I didn't know One Up made them! Thanks Spencer!!!!
i've found that the smaller chainrings have allowed riding my bike big on flatter trails. I love riding big enduro bikes, but sometimes my trails dont always offer that especially at 6ft, 220lbs , so this has opened up more riding to me. Since my small ring revelation, i think 32+ chainrings belong on Racers bikes and lightweight trail rigs, a small chainring is a win no matter which way you see it . The oneup ring system is definitely ahead of its time, and makes replacing chairing swapping a breeze, Ive had mine for about 10mnths now, no complaints!
I also am an oval convert! So much so that I have them on my wife’s and son’s bikes! If I ride something without an oval, I now pedal like a bouncing goofball!
I have and Absolute Black Oval on my 3 mtb's, and on my daughter's (she's 25)mtb. 4 years now. We do a ton of steep climbing, and the oval is an absolute must for us. It made a huge difference, and like you say, it's worth about a gear on the bottom end. Re: teeth on the chain ring, I have our bikes set up for a .6-something ratio in the lowest (largest on the back) gear. May I suggest you quite worrying about what everyone thinks of what you're doing on a bike. Own your life and do what makes YOU happy.
I've been running a 32t Wolf Tooth elliptical chainring on my Patrol (mullet) for a few years. Considering going down to a 30t, as my cadence is a bit too low on steep climbs. I'm also on the heavier side. If I had the choice, I don't think I would ever not run an oval. I may prefer the Wolf Tooth over the AbsoluteBlack, as the AB has more extreme timing. I feel I need to be in the proper gear more often with the AB. But as you have said, I do feel like I go through clutch maintenance more frequently with an oval. A trade off I'm willing to make. Thank you for bringing up this topic! Now I don't feel like as big of a silly goose for liking them as much as I do, haha.
32T have been working fine for me, but wouldn't hurt with it being oval. I feel that anything steeper than I can do with this setup, it wouldn't matter how few teeth the front chainring was because I'd just be doing wheelies and finally rolling backwards down the hill. All the steep stuff where I live are just boulder fields, so you either have the technique or it's just simply Braydon Bringhurst territory. If the latter is the case I'm fine pushing my bike a few meters. The problem with too low gear and too steep is you will just more easily spin, so very often it's just a mental block which means you can do steeper with slighty lower gear. Of course within reason.
For reference I am 5ft 9 280 pounds and 54 years of age. At the time I had a 2018 YT Capra. It was a heavy enduro sled. Climbing was not its best side. So I installed an Absolute Black 28t oval chain ring. I had also installed a round race face 28T chain ring. Overall I would say that the fact that it had 28 teeth helped more than the oval shape did. I believe I prefer round chainrings. You mentioned Bio Pace chain rings. My first real mountain bike came with Bio Pace chain rings in 1987. These days I ride a 2023 Norco Sight VLT e-bike with a 34t round chain ring.
Agreed on the small front chainrings, although I think I may try the cheap steel ones for longevity and durability. Also your videos are perfectly formatted for my iPad!
I'm using the wolftooth 30t powertrac oval, im 5'9" and a gym rat at just over 210lbs fairly lean. Oval rings is a game changer if you struggle with the climbs as i have the power but not the pedal technique or outright endurance. Just the power transfer seems better and i can seem to find more grip on the technical climbs.
One Up oval on all my bikes except the DH. Salsa Cutthroat I have a 34t, Chromag Rootdown has the 30t and 30t for the enduro bike, so good but I could prob benefit with the 28T
I'm running a 30 tooth ring on my enduro bike with 10-50 cassette. The bike weighs 39lbs. I'm 6'1 about 210lbs. I've been riding this setup for about three years so I'm pretty used to it. The smaller guys I ride with will start to drop me when the climbs approach 2 hours. I need to get one of these 28 tooth rings lol!
Been running absolute black oval rings for about 5 years, initially 30t, been on 28t for the past 3 years or so. Such a big difference! Thought it could be a gimmick, but felt a good difference immediately. I did a ride on a round ring a couple years back, had significant knee and hip pain which lingered for weeks after (and ride felt 10-15% more difficult). I winch/plummet on my pretty heavy ‘one bike to rule them all’ enduro bike, and 28t is 👌🏻😘
it's good if you have steep ups and downs if you've got some places where you need to pedal, 28t is useless, as you outspin the 10t on the cassette I've also found that crank length also makes a pretty big impact. I'm running 30t+165mm; however, I'm keen to give 170mm a chance again. My main concern - pedal clearance
@@SpencerAstraPOV I've been riding the whole year on the 30t AbsoluteBlack chainring, and I pretty much liked it - it's very good for sprinting. However, shimano mechs tend not to like oval chainrings, so I stay away from it for now. Maybe I'll try it later :)
I LOVE my 28t oval! The 28t keeps me from going full anaerobic as quickly as a larger ring but I've been on oval for a few years now and wouldn't go back. I ride around 150k' of climbing a year with some long (for me) 4-5 mile climbs and this 28T is key for me, especially when the end of the ride is a 4 mile, 1k' climb back up to the car. I'm not a park rat so I don't miss that top gear capacity at all.
Don't have an oval, but switched to a normal 28t and will never go back. Lot's of extended steep climbs here in the SLC/Park City area...it's a godsend even being a 190lb rider.
32 tooth round that comes with the T-type on my bikes. You are a total dork, but we love you anyways. I will probably try an oval one day, but for now I like having my wife shuttle me. I am too old to ride up all the hills. I'm 5'11.5' as one foot was broken so is a tad shorter now, and a spinal compression injury a couple decades ago. I'm 44, about 190lbs riding gear on.
I don't have chain retention issues and I'm not even running a chain guide. My chain will pop off once every two months. I'd throw a guide on if I were racing though.
Just put an oval on... can't say enough good things about it. Makes a world of difference for me. Though its a 32 tooth... but still, notice the difference mainly with climbing... it really smooths everything out and saves your lungs. haha...
Been there done that in the early 90s. How about we go back to 2 x 10 and not let companies ram 1x down our throats. But hey its a free world. They are good and I have a 1x12 but if I needed one last bike I think 10x2 is my choice with a 22 small ring or 24 tooth.
Oval rings also help with the knees! Takes away stress from the knees and I can pedal for so much longer. Love the oval rings, they really do many a difference.
Yeah I've got a buddy with knee pain. He spins super fast on the steeps to take the stress off his knees.
I've used an oval 28T Absolute Black ring for a few years. On round now, but want to go back oval.
I have 30t Garbaruk oval. For me is game changer really smooth torque delivery. I live in are area where acces rout is really steep and oval really helps in this section. In future i definitely buy 28t Garbaruk oval.
Oval club 🤜🏼
I really enjoy my oval chainring. As you say, it’s noticeably smoother. It’s 36 tooth because we ride flowing xc but still perfect for me even as an XL rider.
Amen on the 28t.
I live and ride in Whistler and as you mentioned in a previous video when you rode the trail bring on the weekend. It’s a bit punchy. That’s pretty much par for the course on all our ups here. Sometimes I feel I should be on a John Deere tractor getting up to all of our trails.I find the 28 tooth ring allows me to do what the company One up totes and that is worth less ride more.
I tried to put an oval on my Ripmo 4 years ago and I could only find a 32 (which it doesn't work because a 32 is a 34 on the oval and it doesn't clear my chain stay). I have one on my old Specialized Enduro from 2016 and loved it! I'm going to look for one now, I didn't know One Up made them! Thanks Spencer!!!!
30T absolute black oval on my firebird as our climbs are rather short and not that steep.
Loving the oval chain rings!
i've found that the smaller chainrings have allowed riding my bike big on flatter trails. I love riding big enduro bikes, but sometimes my trails dont always offer that especially at 6ft, 220lbs , so this has opened up more riding to me. Since my small ring revelation, i think 32+ chainrings belong on Racers bikes and lightweight trail rigs, a small chainring is a win no matter which way you see it .
The oneup ring system is definitely ahead of its time, and makes replacing chairing swapping a breeze, Ive had mine for about 10mnths now, no complaints!
FYI Oneup is discontinuing this product. I'm stocking up on the outer rings while I can.
Woah what, good to know
I also am an oval convert! So much so that I have them on my wife’s and son’s bikes! If I ride something without an oval, I now pedal like a bouncing goofball!
I have and Absolute Black Oval on my 3 mtb's, and on my daughter's (she's 25)mtb. 4 years now. We do a ton of steep climbing, and the oval is an absolute must for us. It made a huge difference, and like you say, it's worth about a gear on the bottom end.
Re: teeth on the chain ring, I have our bikes set up for a .6-something ratio in the lowest (largest on the back) gear.
May I suggest you quite worrying about what everyone thinks of what you're doing on a bike. Own your life and do what makes YOU happy.
I've been running a 32t Wolf Tooth elliptical chainring on my Patrol (mullet) for a few years. Considering going down to a 30t, as my cadence is a bit too low on steep climbs. I'm also on the heavier side. If I had the choice, I don't think I would ever not run an oval. I may prefer the Wolf Tooth over the AbsoluteBlack, as the AB has more extreme timing. I feel I need to be in the proper gear more often with the AB. But as you have said, I do feel like I go through clutch maintenance more frequently with an oval. A trade off I'm willing to make. Thank you for bringing up this topic! Now I don't feel like as big of a silly goose for liking them as much as I do, haha.
You're in good company!
32T have been working fine for me, but wouldn't hurt with it being oval. I feel that anything steeper than I can do with this setup, it wouldn't matter how few teeth the front chainring was because I'd just be doing wheelies and finally rolling backwards down the hill. All the steep stuff where I live are just boulder fields, so you either have the technique or it's just simply Braydon Bringhurst territory. If the latter is the case I'm fine pushing my bike a few meters.
The problem with too low gear and too steep is you will just more easily spin, so very often it's just a mental block which means you can do steeper with slighty lower gear. Of course within reason.
For reference I am 5ft 9 280 pounds and 54 years of age. At the time I had a 2018 YT Capra. It was a heavy enduro sled. Climbing was not its best side. So I installed an Absolute Black 28t oval chain ring. I had also installed a round race face 28T chain ring. Overall I would say that the fact that it had 28 teeth helped more than the oval shape did. I believe I prefer round chainrings. You mentioned Bio Pace chain rings. My first real mountain bike came with Bio Pace chain rings in 1987. These days I ride a 2023 Norco Sight VLT e-bike with a 34t round chain ring.
Agreed on the small front chainrings, although I think I may try the cheap steel ones for longevity and durability. Also your videos are perfectly formatted for my iPad!
I'm glad someone likes the 4:3 format! Steel rings are pretty killer!
I'm using the wolftooth 30t powertrac oval, im 5'9" and a gym rat at just over 210lbs fairly lean. Oval rings is a game changer if you struggle with the climbs as i have the power but not the pedal technique or outright endurance. Just the power transfer seems better and i can seem to find more grip on the technical climbs.
That's a good point. I think you're right about it making it easier to keep traction!
One Up oval on all my bikes except the DH. Salsa Cutthroat I have a 34t, Chromag Rootdown has the 30t and 30t for the enduro bike, so good but I could prob benefit with the 28T
I'm running a 30 tooth ring on my enduro bike with 10-50 cassette. The bike weighs 39lbs. I'm 6'1 about 210lbs. I've been riding this setup for about three years so I'm pretty used to it. The smaller guys I ride with will start to drop me when the climbs approach 2 hours. I need to get one of these 28 tooth rings lol!
Been running absolute black oval rings for about 5 years, initially 30t, been on 28t for the past 3 years or so. Such a big difference! Thought it could be a gimmick, but felt a good difference immediately. I did a ride on a round ring a couple years back, had significant knee and hip pain which lingered for weeks after (and ride felt 10-15% more difficult). I winch/plummet on my pretty heavy ‘one bike to rule them all’ enduro bike, and 28t is 👌🏻😘
it's good if you have steep ups and downs
if you've got some places where you need to pedal, 28t is useless, as you outspin the 10t on the cassette
I've also found that crank length also makes a pretty big impact. I'm running 30t+165mm; however, I'm keen to give 170mm a chance again. My main concern - pedal clearance
Dang, I'd be happy to coast if I'm on the 10t range. I like to let gravity do the work at that point. You can get 30t oval too!
@@SpencerAstraPOV I've been riding the whole year on the 30t AbsoluteBlack chainring, and I pretty much liked it - it's very good for sprinting. However, shimano mechs tend not to like oval chainrings, so I stay away from it for now. Maybe I'll try it later :)
I LOVE my 28t oval! The 28t keeps me from going full anaerobic as quickly as a larger ring but I've been on oval for a few years now and wouldn't go back. I ride around 150k' of climbing a year with some long (for me) 4-5 mile climbs and this 28T is key for me, especially when the end of the ride is a 4 mile, 1k' climb back up to the car. I'm not a park rat so I don't miss that top gear capacity at all.
I'm glad I'm in good company!
Don't have an oval, but switched to a normal 28t and will never go back. Lot's of extended steep climbs here in the SLC/Park City area...it's a godsend even being a 190lb rider.
190 at 5'8"...the small ring helps
32 tooth round that comes with the T-type on my bikes. You are a total dork, but we love you anyways. I will probably try an oval one day, but for now I like having my wife shuttle me. I am too old to ride up all the hills. I'm 5'11.5' as one foot was broken so is a tad shorter now, and a spinal compression injury a couple decades ago. I'm 44, about 190lbs riding gear on.
How does chain relation work for you? Love bash guard/guide combos and I know it’s hard to fit with the oval.
I don't have chain retention issues and I'm not even running a chain guide. My chain will pop off once every two months. I'd throw a guide on if I were racing though.
May get this for my gravel bike
Just put an oval on... can't say enough good things about it. Makes a world of difference for me. Though its a 32 tooth... but still, notice the difference mainly with climbing... it really smooths everything out and saves your lungs. haha...
New sub here! You have a great channel! Thank you!
Welcome aboard! 🙌🏻
Now in market for an oval Gates sprocket
That's a brand?
Anything less than 34t is not for me, but I am oval curious. at 6'1" 187ish
Dang, where do you ride?
@@SpencerAstraPOV Galby, Tiger, Raging, Etc
Been there done that in the early 90s. How about we go back to 2 x 10 and not let companies ram 1x down our throats. But hey its a free world. They are good and I have a 1x12 but if I needed one last bike I think 10x2 is my choice with a 22 small ring or 24 tooth.
Hot take!