I ride the San Francisco Bay Area hills and small mountains. Some relative
flat areas, but really probably more like "rollies." On my Quickbeam, I
primarily use the 40x18. However, one of my fav rides is from home in SF
through southern Marin, up Bolinas Road past Alpine Lake, summit Mt. Tam, then
return home via Mill Valley. Door to door about 56 miles. My QB is equipped
with a White Industries 18/16 free on the drive side, and a single 20 tooth
free on the flip. Standard chain rings.
I leave home on the 40x18, and stay on it all the way through Fairfax, where
the real climb begins. That is a 20 mile spot for me, and depending on how I
feel, I either gear down to 32x18, or if I am not wholly up to it at that point
(I'm on the sunny side of 60 years old), I flip the wheel and use 32x20 to
ascend to the summit, another 10 miles or so, with one long drop to the dam,
before another long and steeper climb. At the summit, I switch to the 40x16 for
the "fast" and nearly all down grade ride home. Sounds like a lot of work, but
I enjoy the stops to change gears, eat a banana, look around, etc. I love the
Quickbeam.
Oh, I rode the QB in the Spring Death Valley Century two years ago. I did the
whole rde on a 40x17. I have since replaced that freewheel with the above
mentioned 18/16. But it was quite doable on the 40x17. Of course, Death
Valley is pretty flat, and there was only one significant climb of about 1200
feet. To be honest, the return trip head winds were more difficult for a
sustained cadence than was the climb to the pass.
--- On Mon, 12/8/08, Larry Powers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
From: Larry Powers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [RBW] Re: 50 Miles on the Quickbeam today - thoughts on 40x18
To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
Date: Monday, December 8, 2008, 8:10 AM
#yiv1510940432 .hmmessage P
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What part of the country do you ride in? I am trying to get a gauge on the
type of hills you are riding on. I am using the QB with a 40x17 and have found
this to be a pretty good gear. I am a bigger rider and find that this leaves
me enought for the hills and still lets me move fast enough on the flats. I am
in central Connecticut. Not to many real long climbs but alot of short steep
stuff.
I do have a fixed 15 on the flip side. I don't do enought riding on the fixed
to be comfortable on long rides but if we will be doing a relatively flat 15 to
20 miles that is the gear of choice.
Larry Powers
"just when you think that you've been gyped the bearded lady comes and does a
double back flip" - John Hiatt
> Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 07:25:12 -0800
> Subject: [RBW] Re: 50 Miles on the Quickbeam today - thoughts on 40x18
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com
>
>
> The ride sounds like alot of fun Esteban. I imagine your geared riding
> partners were quite impressed with your one speed. And I am too, with
> a 60 inch gear.
>
> Back in the day, the winter training fixed gear was a 42X16 which is a
> 71 inch gear. I built my Quickbeam up from a frame, and that is my
> baseline gear ratio (as a 45X17). Even at my advanced age of 52 and
> less power output, it seems like a good open road riding gear with
> rolling terrain and gentle climbs. I get dropped pretty quickly with
> that gear on our summer groups rides. That probably says more about
> the cutthroat nature of group rides in this valley, or the more
> brotherly nature of your rides.
>
> Over the last few years, watching ebay for deals, I have successfully
> fully complicated my nicely-simple Quickbeam with too many gears. I
> have settled on 45/39 up front. Two flip-flop rears: freecog wheel
> with 17-19T Dos Eno and 22T on the flop, fixed wheel 17-21T Dingle
> with 23T on the flop. That has made it a 4 speed free
> (71-63ish-55-48), and 5 speed fixed (71-61-57-50-46). I can do alot
> without flopping, but any ride into the local mountains does require
> the other side of the wheel.
> Right now I am favoring the free wheel. http://tinyurl.com/43md96
>
> Its a fun bike!
>
> On Dec 7, 7:55 pm, Esteban <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > I did about 50 miles on the Quickbeam today up the San Diego coast -
> > from near Downtown to Encinitas. I usually take it a little slower on
> > my Protovelo, set up with Albatross bars, B66, etc. I rode the same
> > ride last weekend with my brother and he took my (now sold) Kogswell
> > P58, and really kicked some butt. He's very fast, and there are
> > usually racing (or racing-dressed) riders on this ride. I got the
> > idea to take the Quickbeam (set up with Noodles) and ride it pretty
> > hard for the coast ride today. The Q usually serves as my "getter"
> > with a Wald basket and has seen 30-35 mile fun rides, but mostly 10-20
> > mile errand/transportation trips.
> >
> > It was wonderful the whole time. I've gotten better at spinning as
> > well as coasting - and I was passed on some of the big downhills. But
> > I passed the same riders on the uphills. I charged up Torrey Pines
> > road without too much trouble. I was exhausted when I got home, but
> > thrilled with the simplicity and fun of the day. Never went down to
> > my smaller chainwheel, but if I went up into Torrey Pines State Park,
> > that would have been the call.
> >
> > I just wanted to say how great the stock gearing is on the bike. When
> > I first got it, I was frustrated about having to spin so much on flats
> > and coast downhill. Now I really appreciate it, especially because
> > 40x18 gets me up almost any hill, including those on this ride, and
> > even up Potrero Hill in San Francisco. Actually, mid-grade ascents
> > seem *easier* on the Quickbeam. I can't explain that. 40x18 also
> > seems to be a great touring set-up. Its fun to learn to love things
> > that you might initially shun.
>
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