Over the weekend a brand new premium element model popped up, as QO debuted three light-weight carbon cranksets and chainring mixtures. With dimpled aero tech for street Race & gravel Grava and bolstered influence safety for each Grava & MTB Rocks cranksets, QO is already working with prime small-batch bike builders and may have aftermarket cranks accessible inside the subsequent couple months. Plus, they tease that cranksets are only the start, with lots extra elements being ready within the wings…
The place did QO come from, and the place are the QOing?
Sure, pun supposed, when you can name it that? QO meant the title as a synonym of GO, therefore point out of the model “QOing ahead” on this introductory PR marketing campaign, and over the weekend at Velofollies.
However whereas the title is new, the individuals behind the brand new model are fairly acquainted. Qo founders Pablo Carrasco and Ignacio Estellés simply occur to have additionally been founders of Rotor all the way in which again in 1996. That’s the place the 2 pioneered tech like oval chainrings, single & dual-sided powermeter cranks, modular cranksets, even the very cool (if not commercially profitable) Uno hydraulic shifting, and the 1st manufacturing 13-speed groupset for street, gravel & mountain bikes. Loads of fascinating drivetrain tech that noticed the highlight underneath a number of Grand Tour and World Championship-winning cyclists in a number of disciplines.
Carrasco left his position as head of Rotor R&D just a few years in the past, when the 2 began a utilitarian e-mobility firm collectively. However they nonetheless carried on with Rotor as nicely till comparatively lately. Now the 2 are again along with an all-new model, leveraging a lot of their design, engineering & manufacturing information to create an all-new premium element firm.
Qo carbon crankset growth
The primary product vary to come back out of Qo is a sequence of carbon cranksets. That appears a becoming place to start out, coming from their Rotor background as carbon cranks on- & off-road have been a number of the most up-to-date improvements from the model that had centered for many years in machined aluminum.
Qo says the brand new “state-of-the-art carbon cranks” promise to convey “real-world advantages to skilled riders and passionate cyclists alike”. Their design objectives appear to be a steadiness of “distinctive power, weight, and sturdiness”
Qo designs the brand new elements in Spain, engineers them between Spain & Taiwan, and manufactures carbon in between Taiwan & China with carbon manufacturing accomplice YMA and machines chainrings in Spain.
Qo Race modular aero carbon street bike cranks
The spotlight of the street Qo Race crankset is its aero dimples “impressed by aerodynamic ideas… to enhance airflow across the crankset“. The light-weight ‘Mitsubishi Pyrofil’ carbon arms promise stiffness, sturdiness & vibration-damping with dimples on each inside & outer faces of its arms.
The entire UD carbon cranksets function DUB-compatible 28.99mm spindles and a direct mount chainring interface. The direct mount is similar 45-tooth DIN spline because the OCP interface that allowed Rotor to clock oval rings to align with useless spots in your pedal stroke.
The street cranks add an aero-dimpled 7075-T6 alloy spider with Shimano-standard 4x110mm BCD. And there are aero-dimpled chainrings with “Sensible Shifting” tooth & ramp designs and complex rear machining. The street rings are available 50/34T, 52/36T & 54/40T pairs and the arms are available 160, 165, 170, 172.5 & 175mm lengths in each white or black.
An entire street Qo Race crankset is alleged to weigh 634g (170mm arms & 50/34T rings) – with 149mm Q-factor & 44.5mm chainline.
Qo Rocks modular carbon mountain bike cranks
The important thing function of the Qo Rocks mountain cranks is its KevTex kevlar reinforcement within the ends of the arms for “most safety towards rock strikes and path hazards” for longer service life, plus in addition they get a rubber bumper, too.
Once more the MTB cranks add Mitsubishi Pyrofil carbon for vibration damping. However right here as an alternative of dimples, the arms function ‘MaxStrength Slots’, basically exterior ribs mid-way via the crankarms to extend stiffness.
The carbon MTB arms are available 165, 170 & 175mm lengths, once more with a DUB spindle & direct mount rings. Right here the CNC-machined 7075 chainrings are available 32, 34, 36 & 38T sizes.
An entire mountain Qo Rocks crankset weighs solely 440g (170mm arms & 34T ring) – with 174mm Q-factor & 55mm chainline.
Qo Grava modular aero carbon gravel bike cranks
The Qo Grava gravel bike cranks mix a little bit of each – the aero from the street and the off-road KevTex reinforcement. There Qo delivers aero-dimpled carbon arms with inside kevlar reinforcement and rubber bumpers. After which, there are 1x direct mount chainrings, however with their very own aero dimples alongside the periphery.
The carbon gravel arms are provided in 165, 170 & 172.5mm lengths with a DUB spindle & direct mount 1x 40, 42 or 44T chainrings.
An entire gravel Qo Grava crankset weighs simply 478g (170mm arms & 40T ring) – with 153mm Q-factor & 47mm chainline.
Qo carbon cranksets – Pricing, choices & availability
Formally, the Qo model announcement PR we obtained is only a preview of what’s to come back – with extra product launches nonetheless slated for 2025 . However the three carbon cranksets – Race, Grava & Rocks – are actual merchandise set to debut in a restricted launch already beginning in March 2025. This primary spherical is alleged to be accessible via conventional distributors in Europe, beginning with their residence in Spain and BeNeLux, France, Germany, Eire, Switzerland & the UK, plus China, Japan, Korea & Thailand.
Qo additionally named a number of early OEM companions who will spec their cranks (and future elements) on small-batch & customized bike builds. We’re ready for an inventory of accomplice bikebuilder manufacturers, and can replace right here once we know extra.
Not introduced extra broadly although, we’ve a good suggestion of anticipated pricing. Crankarm units alone will promote for 550-570€. An entire street Race crankset with chainrings for 750€, full gravel Grava crankset with 1x ring for 700€, and full MTB Rocks crankset with a chainring for 650€. Qo additionally affords direct mount chainrings & the spider individually.
Examine in with Qo immediately within the coming months to then discover your native distributor in case you are a type of first international locations to get entry to the brand new cranksets. And we’ll preserve you up to date as Qo expands into extra markets.
