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Old 09-03-08, 07:44 PM
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biopace chainrings

Anybody know where I can get some biospace chainrings? I just picked up a 1991 Miyata 1000 LT and it's got Biopace rings. Also, can I use the biopace crank and just put regular round rings on it?

thanks!
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Old 09-03-08, 07:50 PM
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You can use the cranks with other rings.......Just make sure they are the same BCD. As far as finding new ones? eBay maybe? Or a post in the ISO/WTB thread here on C&V. Seems like plenty of them got tossed in favor of round rings. Maybe someone kept 'em?
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Old 09-03-08, 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by erbfarm
Anybody know where I can get some biospace chainrings? I just picked up a 1991 Miyata 1000 LT and it's got Biopace rings. Also, can I use the biopace crank and just put regular round rings on it?

thanks!
You can use round rings on your crank. If your lucky You might score a set of used Campy rings for it.
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Old 09-03-08, 08:43 PM
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FWIW- I went to my LBS, the one that carries used/take-off parts. I searched the crank bin for Biopace rings for an older guy with a "clicking" knee. They sold me 3 drive side cranks with triples for $3 a piece.
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Old 09-03-08, 09:46 PM
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I remember having Biopace rings, but I can't remember that it made any difference. Personally, I wouldn't bother finding replacements. Just get round rings, even if you had to replace the cranks too. It's not that big a deal to replace a crankset.
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Old 09-03-08, 10:21 PM
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I have two bikes with BioPace rings and several with round. I cannot tell one bit of difference. As far as I can tell oval rings were just a bit of advertising BS. When you spin BioPace rings the rear derailer sets perfectly still showing it's pulling a constant amount of chain.
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Old 09-04-08, 12:31 AM
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I replaced the middle and granny ring with round ones of a different size while leaving the big ring biopace. Can't tell any difference. Use the round ones.
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Old 09-04-08, 07:10 AM
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I too prefer Biopace. They seem to give a smoother --less bouncy-- ride. It's only noticable at high cadences, though, and even then the difference is pretty subtle. Perhaps it's all in the mind... but what isn't. --R
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Old 09-04-08, 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by rhm
I too prefer Biopace. They seem to give a smoother --less bouncy-- ride. It's only noticable at high cadences, though, and even then the difference is pretty subtle. Perhaps it's all in the mind... but what isn't. --R
I agree fully, i know when i went looking there were a good amount of them on ebay for sale. But make sure you have the proper BCD, it'd probably be either 110mm, or 130mm both of the sets that i have for my Panasonic dx5k and my peugeot bordeaux are the 130. I imagine the Miyata would be the same
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Old 09-04-08, 10:11 AM
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Originally Posted by RickAccused
... But make sure you have the proper BCD, it'd probably be either 110mm, or 130mm both of the sets that i have for my Panasonic dx5k and my peugeot bordeaux are the 130. I imagine the Miyata would be the same
The Miyata 610 I sold last summer had 110 BCD biopace rings on a Sugino crank.
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Old 09-04-08, 10:09 PM
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Carlos Sastre won the tour this year riding on Rotor Q rings. modern Biopace, just a little clockable to adjust the dead spot for your particular body. They are nice. I'm trying to score a second set without paying retail on eBay right now. The University of Texas just released a study claiming a 2.9% increase in output using elliptical rings (that must be how he won the tour!).

More seriously, the only problems that I've encountered is that I can feel the dead spot at really high rpm's, like above 120. Count me in with Sheldon; I think that they are a real benefit.
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Old 09-04-08, 10:12 PM
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wait - maybe it was the University of Calgary...I'll scan the magazines and see if I can find a reference...
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Old 09-04-08, 10:14 PM
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I've tried them, and they just don't feel right to me. Granted, I didn't give them a long audition, but they mess with my spinning technique.
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Old 09-04-08, 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by luker
wait - maybe it was the University of Calgary...I'll scan the magazines and see if I can find a reference...
nope. U Texas. Quote is on pp120 of this month's cycling plus...

"Researchers at the university of texas found that using an elliptical chainring increased crank power by an average of 2.9% at 60, 90, and 120 rpm compared to a circular chainring."

Funny, though, I can't corroborate that on the web...they wouldn't just make crap up, would they?
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Old 09-04-08, 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by USAZorro
I've tried them, and they just don't feel right to me. Granted, I didn't give them a long audition, but they mess with my spinning technique.
I used to ride biopace all of the time, and I think that there is some muscle memory left over from that - they aren't noticeable after about a second for me. They do not spin at a high rpm well...
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Old 09-04-08, 10:42 PM
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I like biopace rings, I can easily spin them around 90~120rpm without a hitch. The only thing I don't like about 130BCD biopace rings is that they're hard to find in anything less than 42T and 110BCD biopace rings are even harder to find.

Maybe on a single speed of FG project I'll use that 42T biopace ring I have sitting around.
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Old 09-04-08, 10:43 PM
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The bin at the Tampa Bay Bike Co-op had at least 2 or 3 cranksets worth of Biopace rings and some of the other non-circle brands too.

I was able to find a nice classic Stronglight crankset square taper crankset.

Oh, and its all free, spirit of a co-op. Well, I guess I technically traded a case of High Life.
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