New AbsoluteBLACK Premium Oval Road Chainrings

by Paul Horta-Hopkins · 05/01/2018

New AbsoluteBLACK Premium Oval Road Chainrings

Paul Horta-Hopkins

New AbsoluteBLACK Premium Oval Road Chainrings for Shimano’s DA9100 and Ultegra 8000 cranksets.

AbsoluteBLACK, makers of oval chainrings have brought out a new range for Shimano’s Dura Ace 9100 and Ultegra 8000 road cranksets. These Premium Oval Road rings feature their visually stunning and intricate CNC machining.

AbsoluteBLACK Premium Oval Road chainrings

The new chainrings are made from 7075 Aluminium in Europe and the UK. They are designed to blend technically and visually with the latest Shimano Dura Ace 9100 and Ultegra 8000 crank arms. AbsoluteBLACK have even made bolt covers, to keep Shimano’s look. The Premium Oval Rings are also compatible with Shimano Dura Ace 9000 and Ultegra 6800 series cranks, which share the same 110mm BCD/4 arm specification.

Dust caps keep the Shimano look

All AbsoluteBLACK’s products are designed in the UK, then machined in Poland from German Aluminium. The rings then return to the UK for anodising. That fancy CNC machining isn’t just for looks, it helps reduce mass without compromising strength or performance.

The new Premium Oval Road rings feature an updated and improved integrated ramp design. AbsoluteBLACK say “the new CNC machined ramp profile has proven, through heavy testing, to deliver even faster and more precise front gear shifting performance than before.”

AbsolutBLACK’s rings feature some beautiful machining

The Premium Oval Road outer rings are available in black, grey and champagne colour options. The inner rings however, only come in black. You can buy them in sets, but they will work in tandem with standard round rings. Weights, sizes and prices below;

Inner OVAL ROAD rings: 34T (31g), 36T (37g), 38T (41g), 39T (42g)
Outer OVAL ROAD rings: 50T (120g), 52T (137g), 53T(139g)
Cost OVAL ROAD inner: £47.50 €53.95 $61.95
Cost OVAL ROAD outer: £95 €105 $124

I have an AbsoluteBLACK oval ring on my ‘cross bike (read it here) and really like the feel. It is still going strong after two ‘cross seasons and many long distance gravel rides, testimony to their quality. I aim to do a test on my smart trainer to see how it compares to a standard round ring. I’ll let you know when that is ready, as people always ask “do they work?” From my experience I say yes, but it’s nice to see some numbers.

If you’re not sure how oval rings work, take a look at AbsoluteBLACK’s video below.