I find the stock 40x18 top a bit annoying on the flats so I installed a 16/18 White Industries freewheel. Then to turn the QB into a better touring bike I put a 22t freewheel on the other side of the hub. The genius of the angled drop outs lets me go from 40/16 to 32/22 when a steep hill looms. This summer I'll be touring through the UK on my QB and going over the North Yorks Moors - think the opening sequences from "American Werewolf in London". There will be some climbing that day, I'll pass the UK's steepest paved road, Rosedale Chimney, which tops out at 33%, but luckily I won't have to actually climb it.
On Apr 27, 2:55 pm, Esteban <proto...@gmail.com> wrote: > We've discussed gearing quite a bit here. I find the stock 40/32x18 > to be GO ANYWHERE gearing. It requires some spinning, and some out-of- > saddle climbs occasionally (I'm writing from hilly San Diego), but it > gets me up almost any hill in the big chainring, with the bail-out > just in case. I think its brilliant - and again, ready for your > personalization with cheap freewheels. > > Quickbeams can be great candidates for "one bike to rule them all." > Commuting, road, off-road, touring (it can be done), with minimal > tweaking; you just want to ride this bike. Its simple. But they are > also great as the "A Fixed/Singlespeed Iteration of a Bike You Already > Have" ala Bike Snob: > > http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2008/06/multiples-how-much-is-too-muc... > > The GP Iteration is a given on this forum! Happily! > > On Apr 27, 10:03 am, Rick <rp.hous...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > A big yes to everything Grant said...and that's why my wife and I each > > bought one; when we decided to voluntarily "downsize" (although I've > > come to be a bit defensive about that word, because The American Way > > Of Life tends to associate it with being economically bereft, which is > > hardly the case) our lives, we wanted to use bicycles for everyday > > transportation to and from work, to the store, to the library, to > > school, to the coffee house, etc., etc, and use the car sparingly, if > > at all. We wanted a bicycle that could handle both the mundane and the > > occasional thirty-miler; one that could be modified to our preferences > > of utility, be reliable, comfortable, and not a heavyweight (we've > > also just moved to a third-floor studio apartment, where the bikes > > will share living space with us), and even, lastly, look good. > > > For us, that's why we decided on Quickbeams: we can't wait to start > > riding them. > > > On Apr 26, 8:59 pm, "gr...@rivbike.com" <grantmill...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > > Silver's a nice color...it's never anybody's first pick..hardly ever, > > > at least, but I always thought silver bikes looked nice, and the guys > > > here think it's pretty striking. Some of us wanted to get one--being > > > the last of them, and silver and all, but we aren't allowed to (and we > > > all agree this is a good idea) "steal" bikes from customers. > > > The seat tube decal is a bit short, but there's a long story to that, > > > and I don' wanna tell it. It's neither fascinating nor boring. The > > > purplish blue goes well with the silver, I'd say, but I WOULD say, > > > wouldn't I? > > > We'd planned to make this the last run of QBs, and it may be that. > > > There are a few details that, while not "upgrades," are certainly not > > > "downgrades." I wish people would focus on these, rather than the font > > > (HELVETICA) in the panel. Good ol' Helvetica. Can't go wrong with it. > > > The seat stays have a mid-stay barrel boss. The fork crown is fancy. > > > The rake is pretty darn good. The new brakes are super dupe. The rear > > > hub isn't a fixed-specific hub, and that might seem-2-some as a less > > > than hardcore choice, but you CAN run a fixed cog on it, especially on > > > a bike with brakes, and it'll never, ever come loose. > > > Putting together a bike like this, or any bike, to a large extent, > > > always going to be a "can't please everyone, so you got to please > > > yourself" proposition. Critics (and I use this word kindly--and not > > > defensively) tend to overlook the things they agree with, the things > > > they'd've done themselves, and harp on what they'd have done > > > differently. It's just the nature of things, and people. > > > I/we DID consider Sheldon-style dropouts, DID consider a der tab (not > > > that anybody complained about the lack of it), DID consider other rear > > > spacing...but ultimately opted this way. The QB has always been a > > > quite tweakable bike. It begs to be modified, but in its unmodified > > > form, is capable of a whole lot. Two-speed, fenderable, great > > > clearance, braze-ons.....truly trail-worthy. Still...there's fun in > > > the modifications, so go to town... > > > > We'd do it again if the ¥ would fall/the USD would climb. We might > > > bring out a less-expensive version, from Taiwan. We have one on paper, > > > but not in the oven just yet. > > > > Best, > > > > Grant --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
