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Tim allen @Soigneur (London bike fitter) wrote his Masters thesis on oval chain ring adaptation. I think he said oval chain rings favour the use of the biggest bit of the quad muscle. However, you need 3 months to gradually adapt. Look at Wiggo in the Giro. He chose to move from
oval rings back to round rings a month before the Giro and pulled out with knee pain. Likely overuse of the muscles that had not had time to strengthen again. You start moving the patella as you strengthen different parts of the quads.I’d guess Bob_Thod has a muscle balance that’s more suited to oval rings.
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I’d guess Bob_Thod has a muscle balance that’s more suited to oval rings.
Correct, or from the other perspective, a muscle imbalance where the oval provides some compensation.
My issues stem from trauma caused by injuries and not taking the recovery therapy seriously. Decades ago the chain snapped while climbing out of saddle. On the power stroke the pedal came round and snapped the fibula on the opposite leg. Years later add a couple 2nd degree foot sprains. Voila issues.
Words of advice, never underestimate the power and importance of recovery therapy. Take it seriously & work on every little muscle you don't know about. They all need to be strong because they function together enabling us to do the amazing things we can do. Even if, or, especially if, we sit in an office all day.
Bob_Thod
Interesting about the oval rings - why do you think they help your knees? Did you go for lower gears on them, in which case couldn't it just be the lower gearing that helped your knees and has nothing to do with the ovalisation?
Of course not. The chainline for some combos is always going to be worse than 2x. That's why I don't see the point of 1x for normal road riding.
I've got a 42T cassette that I need to fit up and see if it will work without Wolf Tooth. I read their blurb and WT doesn't support the 46T so I won't bother getting one until I hear about it working on an R8000.
I ride with a Quarq PM so can't go lower than 34T on the front.