It's like riding an e-bike

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Honestly bought these because I was looking for an 'engagement ring' alternative to buying a diamond. She loved it and as a bonus we both ride absolute black ovals on our Specialized epics & holy *)$% I didn't expect it to make a difference, but it's like riding an e-bike. Legs don't have any focal LA buildup on hard steep climbs, instead the whole leg gets fatigued evenly. Have crushed a lot of PR's on strava from swapping these out. My knees don't hurt or get sore after long hard rides, I"m faster and my bike has 'bling.' can't recommend these enough

Aubrey M.

Easier uphill

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

I bought the 28t oval to gear down my Santa Cruz Tallboy mountain bike from 32t round. This oval chainring makes it easier to go up steep hills and around switchbacks because it pedals through the dead space at top of stroke easily and puts the power in mid stroke where it does the most good. The only downside is when I am pedaling easy on flats, there can be a kind of ‘skip’ as it goes through the easy part. The solution in to shift to a higher gear or pedal harder to keep tension on the chain.

Daniel J.

I'm Hooked

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Swapping over to the 1X took me a minute and was skeptical that I would be losing gears. Hearing the buzz out and about coming from some trusted riders decided to look it and pick out a ring. The quality is there, look and feel are dialed. I can feel a considerable difference in my strokes and the feeling of using my energy more efficiently. Don't think about it, I'm hooked!

Adam Robinson

Smooth it out

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

This is my 2nd year on an oval ring and I am hooked. There is a noticeable difference the first ride, then your body adapts and is more efficient climbing. I've found my pedal stroke feels much smoother and consistent and in turn helps me save energy.

Perry Hall

Love it

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

This chainring is great. The oval is a noticeable difference and took me a couple of rides to get used to. But whether you are on flats or clipless it makes for a pedal stroke that feels more consistent and equally powerful all the way around. If you are making some upgrades to your drivetrain you should add this to your list! I'll be sticking with the oval from here out.

Kevin Schaefer

Very Pleased

This is my second oval ring from absolute black. I am really stoked on how it performs in technical areas. I would highly recommend trying one. I will say it took a few rides to get used to the feel as it is a slightly different stroke to feel a totally normal cadence. And this only seems to be the case on flat-ish riding where I am about to max out whatever gear I am in from a cadence perspective. I am very pleased with this while I climb.

Tyler Thunell

Was a skeptic, now a believer!

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Oval chainrings really do work and this is one of the highest quality options out there. Really helps smooth out the climbs!

James Bleuer

Once you go oval...

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I love the oval. I was skeptical at first, but now I'm running oval on the hardtail and full squish. The direct mount is so clean and easy. 0 dropped chains, 0 shifting issues, just pedaling efficiency and mountains of PRs. I find myself able to keep my speed up better while climbing without burning myself out, and I feel just as fast, or faster on the way down. 1x drive chains just got even better.

Chase Skidmore

This is not your Grandma's Biopace

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

After deciding to drop a couple of teeth on my SRAM 1x11 I thought why not try the new oval chainrings so I ordered a 28t . I was impressed the minute I received it, well designed and easy to install. My first few minutes riding it felt different but not bad. Just got back from a week of riding at Lake Tahoe and I noticed that my pedal stoke feels more positive and since I like to spin I was able to maintain a higher cadence with less effort. It actually feels better than the standard round ring on my Camber 650b. Definitely 5 stars.

Gary D.

Bridges the Gap

I held on to my 2x10 drivetrain for a long time, mostly because I was afraid of losing my climbing gears. I tend to spin up climbs rather than hammer up them. When I finally decided to move to 1x11 I knew that an oval ring would be the answer to my concerns. The Oval Direct Mount Traction Chainring bridged the gap between 2x and 1x for me. I have a virtual climbing gear when I need it while still being able to enjoy all the advantages of going 1x. Not to mention the chainring is a virtual work of art.

Aaron Bender

Better than Expected

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Added chainring to 1x10 set up, SRAM X0, Highball 29er. Pros : Traction is improved. Climbing seems easier, and I seem to produce more ummmphff when climbing. Pedal stroke is noticably smoother. Set a couple of PRs climbing the second time out. And...I want a other one for the double squishy 5010!

Daniel C.

CAN THIS CHAIN RING BE USED WITH SHIMANO 12-speed chain & cassette

Martin S.

Will SRAM Oval Direct Mount Traction Chainring work with Sram 11 speed chain

Leif Rasmussen

Is this chainring compatible with the SRAM Eagle drivetrains?

Cory A.