Quickbeam Quest...

[BSWP]

As noted in earlier message, I'm looking for a "fewer" speed setup for
my new commute. The largest SimpleOne, at 62cm, is too small for me.
If anyone has a lead to a 64cm or 66cm Quickbeam in good shape, I
would be glad to follow up. Either a frame+fork, or a complete bike.
I'm open to long-distance shipping.

A few stats: I'm 215 pounds, 6'6" tall, have a 94cm PBH, and long-ish
arms. I ride a 65cm LongLow w m-bars, which might not be the best
comparison, as the bottom bracket on a QuickBeam is a tad higher than
the LongLow, from what I remember.

I did try to reach Patrick in Omaha, but no response - so I guess he's
sold his 66cm Quickbeam.

Thanks for any leads.

- Andrew, Berkeley

[BSWP]

Well, I found a NOS Orange Quickbeam (64cm), and am now setting out to
build it up. Anyone have a favorite low Q-factor single chain ring
crankset? I tend to eschew pant protectors and rings that don't drive
chains...

- Andrew, Berkeley

[Michael Rivers]

I have a Campy Centaur square taper with the 110 BB with a 39t ring on the outside that works for me.  I have a Phil rear hub with the Dos Eno 16/19 on one side, and a 18t cog fixed on the other side. My 52 year old knees are sensitive sensitive to Q, and this works just fine.   Here is a picture of the dirty beast...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrivers/5154208500/

Michael

[Kelly Sleeper]

I'm only 6'5" and fit at 68 QB. Are you sure about wanting the 64 / 66?

Kelly

[Robert F. Harrison]

I'm 6'1" but I have a 94cm PBH and my 66cm QB is dead on perfect.

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[Mike]

I'm 5'11.5" and have a PBH of 91 and SH of 80.5 or so and ride a 64cm
QB and it's big but comfy. According to Riv literature the TT length
is stated as 60 but I swear it's longer. I imagine I'll part with it
at some point, maybe even this winter. I'd really like to replace it
with a Big Dummy.

--mike

[stevep33]

I really like the old double ring Suntour Superbe Pro cranksets.   The pop up on ebay frequently.  They look clean and classy.

I got a NOS set and removed the 52T ring to give me a 42T single ring with Q of ~145mm

[BSWP]

Well, can you tell me PBH and rough arm length? Do you ride drop bars,
or moustache bars, or something higher? True, I might be making a
mistake on the 64, but if I can get the bars up...

- Andrew, Berkeley

[BSWP]

Thanks. And I just spent 20 minutes poring over your photos... great
to see everything you've done and tried with the bikes.

- Andrew

[David Yu Greenblatt]

How about a TA Pro 5 Vis, or the soon-to-be-released Rene Herse? Both can be set up with a single ring with very low Q, and look great.

David G
Madison WI

[BSWP]

I'm re-thinking my fixation on a single chainring up front... so a
question to the other QB riders with two chainrings: how useful do you
find the ability to switch up at the front? What rings have you found
to be a good pair?

- Andrew, Berkeley

[PATRICK MOORE]

> On Oct 12, 9:40 pm, BSWP <ashtab...@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone have a favorite low Q-factor single chain ring
>> crankset?

TA Cyclotourist; Stronglight 99.

--
Patrick Moore
Albuquerque, NM
For professional resumes, contact
Patrick Moore, ACRW
http://resumespecialties.com/index.html

[Eric Norris]

I've had my QB for about almost six years, andI can count on one hand all that times I've switched to the small ring--and that includes climbing numerous mountain ranges and riding a full brevet series plus PBP. I may be an outlier (I tend to push a big gear), but unless it gets really, really steep for a long time I'd rather tough it out than stop and change gears.

--Eric N
Sent from my iPad2

[Clayton]

I have run my Quickbeam as a Double Front Double Rear.

Main reason was chainlines (I care much to much about them). The way
you see it in the picture below. I get perfect chainlines on the high
gear/low gear/fixed gear. In addition to that I am able to switch
gearing and still maintain good fender lines.

However, I too can count on one hand the amount of times I switched
the gearing. Did 4 brevets and one permanent on it in addition to
riding for just fun and to work. I only twice switched gearing on it
during a ride. Granted, those two times I enjoyed it. I am in the
process of rebuilding it and will set it up with a double front
again.

Here is the picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/claytonesseff/4474775806/in/set-72157624631299665

Best,
Clayton

On Oct 17, 10:49 am, Eric Norris <campyonly...@me.com> wrote:
> I've had my QB for about almost six years, andI can count on one hand all that times I've switched to the small ring--and that includes climbing numerous mountain ranges and riding a full brevet series plus PBP.  I may be an outlier (I tend to push a big gear), but unless it gets really, really steep for a long time I'd rather tough it out than stop and change gears.
>
> --Eric N
> Sent from my iPad2
>

[Philip Williamson]

I like having two rings. I've gone years without shifting, and then
shifted on one ride 6 or 7 times.

I prefer to have both cogs on the same side, rather than flipping the
wheel. It makes gear changes take ~15 seconds, which is kind of fun. I
have Surly Dingle fixed cogs in 17/21, and have been pairing them with
rings 4 teeth apart on the front in various combinations (38/42 to
40/44). The stock 32/40 rings work great with this setup, too, with a
nice low low gear, but the axle moves, so metal fenders and big tires
can be an issue.

I've used the stock crank, and an old Shimano 600 road double. I don't
fret about my Q factor, and I suspect I'm better off with wider than
narrower.

95 PBH, 60 QB
Philip

Philip Williamson
www.biketinker.com

[newenglandbike]

+1 for having 2 rings/2 cogs.   

also, it's good having the white bros. f/w.     Most of the time I will ride in taller gear to get to the trails (about 2 or 4 miles depending on where), then switch to 40/19 or 32/22 in the woods.  It's handy.

I also really dig the sugino/quickbeam 'pant guard' ring.


Matt

[Minh]

I'm a -1 for 2 rings up front. I have the 40/32 plus a 17/19 (WI Dos
FW) and i never drop to the 32, mainly because my rear setup is not
combined to take the slack but i've also found that i can ride a 40x17
or 40x19 pretty much anywhere i need to here in DC. Over the winter
my plan is to take the sugino xd2 and move it to my hillborne and swap
out to a single 42 on the quickbeam.

And the few times i've done a front change (when i had it fixed), it's
a total pita, it's way easier doing the swap in the back...

[Mike]

I've only used the inner ring on my QB once. I don't have the quick
release hub they came with. I use a Surly bolt on hub so loosening up
the rear wheel is a tad, by a hair, too involved to bother unless I
must.

On a somewhat related note, I just changed out the drivetrain on my
Cross Check commuter. It's running a Sugino crank with a 40t Surly
stainless chainring and a Surly 18t cog on an XT hub. I really like
it. When the time comes to replace the ring on my QB I'd probably use
a Surly cog. I've also thought about using the Surly Open Bars I'm
running on my Cross Check. Although they are black I think they'd be a
great bar for the QB.

--mike

[Andrew Johnson]

Thanks. And your 60cm Quickbeam fits your 95 PBH just fine? Not too small, or do you have the bars and seat up high?

- Andrew, Berkeley

[Andrew Johnson]

Thanks, all, for your input. It fascinates me to read of the wide variety of body shapes and PBH that fit to different frame sizes.

I closed today on a clean 66cm QB, and will update some of its bits when it arrives. Stronger wheels are the first upgrade, Alba bars second, though based on Grant's hints with prototypes of the new bar, I may wait a month...

- Andrew, Berkeley
- Bicicletta da mangiare, mangiare per bicicletta

[Philip Williamson]

>And your 60cm Quickbeam fits your 95 PBH just fine?

So far so good on the fit. 85cm saddle height, a bit more than a
fistful of post (even my fat fist). The bars are an inch or so above
the saddle. Based on the tire size I wanted to use off road, one Riv
person said a 60 sounded good, but I could go as big as a 64. Another
Riv person said "your bike's too small." I've been happy (super happy)
with it for the last 7 1/2 years, but if I randomly found $1000 in my
pocket, I'd get a bigger QB set up as a fast road-only bike. Or
exactly the same, only bigger... :^)

Here's an unlovely shot of my bike from the side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/philipwilliamson/6253310628/

Philip

Philip Williamson
www.biketinker.com

[charlie]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2102288283021&set=a.1712845707200.2094894.1419870581&type=3&theater

I use the 39x36 with the 16-19 White freewheel......I get a 51, 60 and
66 inch gear range which works for me.....I may switch to a 34x42 with
the same freewheel......you will appreciate having a 'low ' gear to
switch into for headwinds, when tired or when you get a longer climb.
Sometimes having a low gear option is just relaxing.

[charlie]

maybe this will work better
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2522636911474&set=a.2522635871448.2142301.1419870581&type=3&theater

On Oct 18, 7:41 pm, charlie <cl_v...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2102288283021&set=a.171284570...

[Andrew Johnson]

Outstanding! I have to say, I can't remember the last time I carried three cases of IPA on my bicycle, let alone on the front rack! :^)

- Andrew, Berkeley

[newenglandbike]

Philip,

First of all, I like your set up and know I'm not alone!    But WRT your 85cm SH measurement-   how are you measuring your seat height?    It looks (from the photo you posted) like your SH is set to about 79cm, measured from center of BB to top of the saddle.   That is my seat height too, and while I do ride a 64 comfortably, I could also ride a 60cm like yours-   however if it were 85cm SH, there's no way a 60cm frame would be doable without a HUGE amount of seatpost showing, in fact more than a regular 250mm Nitto would provide without going above the minimum line.

Matt

On Tuesday, October 18, 2011 7:58:10 PM UTC-4, Philip Williamson wrote:

>And your 60cm Quickbeam fits your 95 PBH just fine?

So far so good on the fit. 85cm saddle height, a bit more than a
fistful of post (even my fat fist). The bars are an inch or so above
the saddle. Based on the tire size I wanted to use off road, one Riv
person said a 60 sounded good, but I could go as big as a 64. Another
Riv person said "your bike's too small." I've been happy (super happy)
with it for the last 7 1/2 years, but if I randomly found $1000 in my
pocket, I'd get a bigger QB set up as a fast road-only bike. Or
exactly the same, only bigger... :^)

Here's an unlovely shot of my bike from the side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/philipwilliamson/6253310628/

 Philip

 Philip Williamson
www.biketinker.com

[Philip Williamson]

> ...85cm SH measurement-   how are you measuring your seat height?    It looks
> (from the photo you posted) like your SH is set to about 79cm...

Measured from the pedal axle eye? Perhaps I'm full of beans? I'll
remeasure tonight. I've had the PBH and saddle height numbers in my
head ever since I got the Quickbeam, but haven't measured since then.

Hey, we have a peer-reviewed forum!
Philip

Philip Williamson
www.biketinker.com

[Philip Williamson]

>...three cases of IPA on my bicycle...

These are empties, going back for recycling. I only ever carry a
single full one in the basket!
This is the canonical picture from before we did an "eat local" thing
and started drinking Bridgeport: http://www.flickr.com/photos/philipwilliamson/261885177/

Philip

Philip Williamson
www.biketinker.com

[Andrew Johnson]

A quick comment to say the 66cm Quickbeam arrived, and I've been tending to its bits and quirks. New tires (Jack Browns), new wheels (Dyad Velocity, built by Rich Lesnick), and my pedals and seat, plus a 16t cog on the rear... and I took it for a spin today, mt first time on a fixed-gear bike.

Oh, it rides like a dream! Perfect fit (I have a 94cm PBH), and holy-moly, I can't coast! Have to pedal through turns, yow! I'll keep at it, seems fun and just a bit scary right now. Everyone who walks by while I'm working on it falls in love with the colour (Quickbeam Orange).

Still to come, moustache bars w/ non-aero levers, and I'll upgrade at least the brake saddle to a nice Tektro "Deluxe" yoke. I put in a new plastic BB left cup, which promptly cracked, so now I'll see if the "Problem Solvers" aluminium left cup holds up. I'll have a Noodle cockpit for sale soon, and the Mavic wheels that it was originally sold with. The previous owner could not have put more than 100 miles on the bike, judging by the tires, chainrings, brake pads, etc.

And kudos to the crew at Rivendell for working with me on new parts for this.

- Andrew, Berkeley