Rotor popped by the BikeRadar office this week, to give us a look at a bunch of their latest products. Among their bag of goodies were Q-Rings, cranks, a stem and seatpost for roadies.
We'll start with the Q-Rings. While these oval-shaped chainrings haven't fully infiltrated the pro peloton, the frequency they're seen at seems to be on an upward curve. They've brought success too, notably Juan José Cobo's overall at the Vuelta a España 2011, and Carlos Sastre's Tour de France win in 2008.
First up is the Compact 110 BCD Aero (£124) a CNC-machined, 7075 aluminium, 52T chainring (50T, at £122, and 53T, at £126, are also available) weighing in at 154g. It's compatible with 34T, 36T and 38T rings (all £61). Discounts are available if you buy as a complete chainset from UK distributor Velotech.
Rotor are well known for their cranks, which come in two distinct ranges – 3D, made to be extremely stiff for sprinters and powerful riders such as Rotor-sponsored Thor Hushovd, and 3D , a lightweight version for the climbers. Below is the 511g 3D 110 BCD in the 175mm crank arm length (165-177.5mm are also available). It's built with a 30mm aluminium axle and costs £345.
The cranks are compatible with all Q-Ring and round chainrings, as well as a wide range of different frames (68mm BSA, ITA, BB86, BB30, Cervelo BBright and BB386) thanks to Rotor's BB cups.
The aluminium (with titanium bolts) S3X stem (£119) has a steerer tube clamp designed using Rotor's CCC (Closed Clamp Concept). This means the clamps are manufactured in the closed position they'll be used in, supposedly eliminating the stress associated with traditional clamps. Sizes range from 70mm to 130mm, with a /- 6 degree angle and compatiblity with 31.8mm handlebars. Our 90mm sample weighed 104g, with black or red face plates available.
Above is the seatpost from the same S3X range, the aluminium SP1 (£65). It incorporates Rotor's Capable Arch clamping system, two bolts set at a fixed angle that regulate the position of the saddle over a convex support surface. It weighs 178g, comes in 400mm lengths and 30.9mm and 31.6mm diameters.
