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Quarq and non-SRAM chainrings?

Coach RichCoach Rich
in General Training Discussions

Team,

I'm getting a Quarq Elsa for my new road bike. I want to go "super compact," which is 52/36. Quarq doesn't offer that combination in their drop down menu to assemble your Quarq so I'm looking to get the Quarq chassis and add these rings to it: http://www.praxiscycles.com/product/compact-road-sets/

I remember seeing conversations about Quarq needing to be calibrated for specific chainrings? Is that correct? If yes, will it work with these rings? 

Comments

  • Brad MarcusBrad Marcus
    Coach,



    I would defer to Quarq on this - But be careful. I remember looking at Praxis rings awhile back and read that Quarq does not approve the use of Praxis chain rings. They stated that the Praxis rings are “out of our spec”, and change your power reading. I never ended up pursuing it any further so never called Quarq to find out if this was true, especially on their newest models.



    I run a Quarq Riken on my bike as it came with their compact chain ring (SRAM) along with a Shimano cassette and it works and shifts pretty smoothly.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Brad Marcus on 09 Feb 2015 02:41 PM


    Coach,







    I would defer to Quarq on this - But be careful. I remember looking at Praxis rings awhile back and read that Quarq does not approve the use of Praxis chain rings. They stated that the Praxis rings are “out of our spec”, and change your power reading. I never ended up pursuing it any further so never called Quarq to find out if this was true, especially on their newest models.







    I run a Quarq Riken on my bike as it came with their compact chain ring (SRAM) along with a Shimano cassette and it works and shifts pretty smoothly.

    Ok, thanks for the heads up. WB is checking for me

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    FYI, as long as we're talking about gearing...

    I've been riding a 50/34, 26-11 on this road bike for years and years. I works perfectly for the riding I do here, which is lots and lots of climbing, not much time on flat ground where you'll be stuck in one gear for a long time. 10spd SRAM Red.

    New bike is 11spd Di2. So I'm going with 52/36 and 27-11:

    • 36/27 should give the same climbing mojo as my current 34/26 lowest gear
    • 52/11 should give me a little more speed on downhills, though I'm not really sweating that. 
    • 11spd vs 10spd should mean that the cadence gap of a 27-11 shouldn't be much different than my current 26-11 10spd. And, again, cadence gap isn't much of an issue on this bike due to the type of riding I typically do. 
  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    Remember what you always tell people about "friction".... These chainrings have "friction written all over them.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Benny talked me into the Shimano rings...I think. 

  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    Rich, Shimano uses a 4 arm spider so you'd need a Quarq Elsa RS.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Bob McCallum on 09 Feb 2015 05:14 PM


    Rich, Shimano uses a 4 arm spider so you'd need a Quarq Elsa RS.

    Yep, that's what I'm getting

  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    I have the RS with the Shimano Dura-Ace 52/36 chainrings. It's a nice setup.
  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    Do you need to recalibrate once you install the rings?
  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    Nope. All the Elsa and Riken models use OmniCal so the calibration is independent of the chainrings.
  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    ^^^^ Slick.
  • MattAaronsonMattAaronson

    Posted By Bob McCallum on 10 Feb 2015 06:26 AM



    I have the RS with the Shimano Dura-Ace 52/36 chainrings. It's a nice setup.

    Bob, can you send me a link to the specific chainrings? I'm thinking of getting the same setup.

    I do wonder what a super-compact gets me over a 53/39. I've been running a compact for many years since joining EN but I live in one of the flattest parts of the country, do mostly flat races and have a strong bike split.

  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    http://www.competitivecyclist.com/s...5G-BK-S39T

     

    or

    http://www.artscyclery.com/Shimano_...b=RDMCOMPS

    http://www.artscyclery.com/Shimano_...b=RDMCOMPS

    Obviously the 53 to 52 isn't a noticeable difference but the 39 to 36 can be depending on the course (and cassette choice).  I look at it as a best of both worlds kind of item.  If you're getting a new set might as well get one that's slightly more versatile.

  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    Damn. I think I hooked on this one. I am rolling a compact Elsa set-up that is 10 speed. I just moved it to my 11 speed Di2. Now I am getting weird chain dropping when I go from big ring to small ring. This set-up never did that when it was paired with 10 speed Andura Ace on my Madone. I am wondering if new Shimano rings would be the fix.

    Thoughts?
  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    Is it a 11 speed chain on 10 speed chainrings?

    I might be wrong about this but I think the 11 speed chain is narrower than a 10 speed chain as the 11 speed chainrings are narrower than 10 speed chainrings.
  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    Right now it has 10 speed SRAM rings that everyone said would work with 11 speed Di2. It does work, but in the last 50 miles I had the chain drop to the inside 6-7 times. It never happened before. image
  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    Never mind.... Upon further inspection, I may be screwed here. I have the original Elsa from last Spring. Not the Elsa RS from last fall. image
  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030

    Yeah, the Elsa RS is a 4 arm spider. The Elsa is 5.

  • Dino SartiDino Sarti
    Yup. I have 5. I need another solution....
  • jello4jello4
    What is wrong with the Praxis Chain Rings?
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