Rotor launches Qarbon carbon fibre chainring and QX1 single ring for 2016

Following the launch at Eurobike of its Uno hydraulic groupset, Spanish company Rotor has today unveiled two new chainrings for 2016, the carbon fibre Qarbon and QX1, a single ring aimed specifically at the growing trend single ring drivetrains like SRAM’s Force 1 and Rival 1.

QX1 will “claim its place in the rising trend of 1x chainrings for road” reckons the company. Cyclocross racers have been ditching conventional chainsets and front mechs and opting for a single ring drivetrain for a good few years, and the idea is spreading to road bikes.

SRAM has taken its popular 1x11 drivetrain technology from mountain bikes and adapted it for the road. The 1x11 groupsets are starting to appear on quite a few 2016 bikes already, from cyclocross to gravel bikes and even a few regular road bikes. It’s not for everyone, but does suit a lot of people quite well, you’ll probably know if it’s for you or not.

As Rotor is best known for its non-round chainrings, the QX1 adds “12.5% ovality” with five possible chainring positions, which Rotor calls Optimum Chainring Positions (OCP). The QX1 chainrings are compatible with all 110 BCD cranks and features narrow/wide teeth. This helps to provide a more secure engagement between the chain and chainring and helps to prevent derailment.

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The Qarbon chainring is constructed from a combination of aluminum and carbon fibre. A 3k high modulus carbon fibre is wrapped around a machined aluminium core, with the use of the carbon exterior allowing more metal to be removed, resulting in less weight. The Qarbon is claimed by Rotor to be 8% lighter and 20% stiffer than its regular Rotor chainrings.

The Qarbon chainrings have a 10% ovality with the same five OCP as  featured on QX1, and it’s available for 110 BCD cranks only.

Qarbon will cost £149 and QX1 will be £69 and be available in a wide choice of sizes. Both QX1 and Qarbon Q-Rings are manufactured in-house at Rotor´s Madrid facility.

More at www.velotechservices.co.uk