Does any person(s) have any experience with the new QRings from Rotor Cranks. Get the same mechanical assistance as the expensive big brother but at a very affordable cost. Can get a 41-53T set of duals. Seems like that would be a great way to go. I have been looking for ways to assist my knees and performance.

Feedback would be appreciated.

It sure SOUNDS good on their website. Maybe you should just rationalize the purchase by comparing the price to a Campa crank set or orthopedic treatment, buy them and report your own feedback.

I ordered mine today from Mark at Power On Cycle. Its going on my 04 Catrike Road. I ordered just the middle ring. If I like the results I will get the big ring. I will let you know how it works out in a week or so.

Non-round rings fell out of favor 20 years ago because they screw up your spin. I guess that means it's time for them to be 'rediscovered' again. The Q-Rings' claim to fame is that they are also adjustable WRT where the easy part of the stroke can be placed. Whereas Rotor cranks work to eliminate the dead spot by varying the position of the crank arms in relation to each other, the Q-Rings merely try to speed your foot through the dead spot. My experience with Biopace and Ovaltech in the early 80s led me to conclude that they were marginally effective for the granny ring and a waste elsewhere.

What sort of recumbent did you try them on, and how did you orient them? They suck on an upright, but I wouldn't have a 'bent without them.

So is that QRings that you have used or the RotorCranks?

Is getting the orientation a difficult task?

Why do you find them so valuable on your 'bent?

These look very interesting. If they do what they claim, I'd consider buying a set. So why can't you get a road triple? Are they out of stock, or impossible to build?

Back then, I used them on uprights. Spinning with them caused me to bounce horribly. But they were good for the granny ring, which I typically didn't use unless I was mashing in my lowest gear or two up a steep incline. They worked for low rpm; but for higher rpm your feet spin past the dead spot quickly enough anyway.

In addition, if used on the big ring, you have to set the derailleur spacing to the high spot on the oval, which effectively reduces the amount of teeth the derailleur will span, in addtion to degrading front shifting.

I was forwarded this by a customer.

For those of you who need that sort of crutch, I've also heard rumors that they will be ramped and pinned.

BioPace and Ovaltech. I'll use Q Rings when/if the price comes down.
Be a lot easier with the Q rings' multiple mounting holes.

On a bent, your max pressure on the pedals comes later in the pedal stroke. So I set the rings so that the chain is coming onto the highest part af the ring about 45 degrees before full extension.

I have Biopace set this way on my exercycle, and a round ring of the same size.

When on the round, at a speed that has my heart rate around 140, and my legs just starting to burn, I can shift to the Bio and maintain the same speed with an HR of 135 and no burn. Shifting back to the round, HR goes back up and the burn comes back.

YMMV but I percieve the BioPace to be much smoother. When I was using round rings on a 'bent, I would notice how much easier it was to get a buttery smooth spin on an upright. So I started looking into the physics of pedalling in the different positions. Because of the orientation in relation to gravity, the weight of your legs works to increase the torque applied late in the pedal stroke. This makes your pedalling a bit choppy,as there is an accelleration late in the stroke. (Sort of like Biopace on an upright, but in reverse) Setting the Biopace to absorb this torque peak makes pedalling my 'bents feel as smooth as my uprights.

You know, I rarely use more than two rings anyway. Maybe I'll get the double after all... Hmmm...

They were designed for low RPM, and that's where they work on uprights. When they came out, it was normal to ride MTBs without toe clips and "clipless pedal systems" were considered unsuitable for the general public, off road.

BioPace helped when ridden with your feet just on plain pedals at low RPM. It was also great for non-enthusiast riders on utility bikes. However the magazine testers, who have little in common with the typical rider, found it unsuitable at their higher RPMs. So they trashed it without mercy, and drove it out of the market.

Being aimed at the enthusiast upright rider, I fear Q Rings may suffer the same fate.
I've run it with 26-42-52 without problems (but I must have installed the derailleur post at exactly the right angle, and 26-42-53 probably wouldn't work.) They never made a 24t.
As for degraded shifting, YMMV, but I think it shifts better than round plain rings.

So they're not so great when you're spinning at 100rpm?

On the contrary. They are great at high RPM, ON A RECUMBENT. Since I'm a spinner, I could never use them on an upright.

My fastest 'bent has a 20" drive wheel, and a 12/44 high gear. (70 gear inches) With it's 153mm cranks I can maintain 27mph. However, these old legs are power limited, so I need a slight down hill or a good tailwind to hold that speed for any length of time.

Well, these things would be going straight onto a recumbent in my case. I'm still deciding whether I should use short cranks, though.

Of course you should.

However I might be a little biased, since this is my website. https://bikesmithdesign.com/Short_Cranks

So even someone like me, with my massively long legs (or so others would say, I think they're normal) would still benefit... Shortening the cranks may also help me fit on a bike that I may not otherwise be able to ride. Verrrrry interesting indeed!

I had my LBS install my Q-Ring on my Catrike Road Friday. Rode my trike 50 miles on Saturday with a group of bents calling themselves the Foot First riders. Had a good time and got a chance to get the feel of the Q- ring. I only installed the middle ring. After 50 miles I think they help. My peddaling is smoother and I seem to get up the hills a little easier. Not that we have big hills in FL. I shifted between the middle ring and the large ring and after a while I perferred the middle ring. I may just go and order the big ring.

Only if you legs were not "massively long" enough. You have to move your seat further from the BB with short cranks, to maintain proper leg extension. This has allowed at least one person to keep a trike that was too large for her with 170s.