For several years now I have been riding a QX100. For about half of that time my n+1 "wish" bike was a Q45 with a Thor seat. Last Fall Cruzbike offered some returned Q45s at a very attractive price and I could not resist. I ordered the bike and the seat. Getting the seat was a bit of a problem. Gregor said the Polish post office wouldn't take it so it would have to go by FedEx at an additional cost of $138, (I think). I paid the extra and finally got it but now FedEx is sending me bills and saying I owe still more. Anyway, I have it and a number of people on this forum gave me good advice on mounting the seat. Thanks to all of you. I got it mounted. It was awful. It is so far forward that when I try to stand up I am stopped by the handlebar in my chest. I could not stand up and I almost fell trying to get off the bike. So I put the OEM seat back on. (I can't move the handle bars further away as I already hit them with my knees unless I am careful)
Back when I was dreaming about a Q45 I wrote Marie and asked how the Q45 improved on the QX100. She said, among other things, that it is less twitchy and an all around better bike. I am currently alternating between the Q45 and the QX100. I have to say that it is not much less twitchy. On either bike I can focus and ride straight down the white line but if I am not paying strict attention I suspect that my track is somewhat serpentine. The Q45 is a bit taller which I like. I particularly like the gears. The worst problem I have had with the QX100 is the chain coming off when I shift to the lower front gear. No problem on the Q45. The Cruzbike site brags about how well these bikes climb. That has not been my experience. The guy I bought the QX100 from says he is also challenged by climbing but then he tells me that I need to train more. And he is at least part right. I am ok if I see it coming and keep my speed and cadence up and get in the right gear but a sudden or steep hill is still a problem. On the QX100 I feel like all the energy I exert against the handle bars goes no further. On the Q45 I have not tested it yet but I feel like some of that energy is getting to the pedals.
Other things: I had planned to move the bike rack from the QX100 to the Q45. It won't fit. I bought a new one.
I was going to put my Racktime bag from the QX100 on my new Q45 rack. It won't fit. Haven't bought a new one yet but I will at some point.
My QX100 had two bottle cages. I had to take one off because it interfered with the mechanism on our bike carrier. I though well I'll use it on the Q45. It won't fit.
So what's next? I am going to mount the Thor seat on the QX100 and see how it works. Commentary on these forums is almost all pro Thor so I'm not ready to give up on it but if it does not work better than on the Q45, I'll have a Thor seat to sell. If anyone has any comments or suggestions on mounting a Thor on a QX100 I'd like to hear them
I am also considering converting the QX100 gears to a 1by like the Q45 (If any one has done that I would appreciate hearing of your experience. )
Back when I was dreaming about a Q45 I wrote Marie and asked how the Q45 improved on the QX100. She said, among other things, that it is less twitchy and an all around better bike. I am currently alternating between the Q45 and the QX100. I have to say that it is not much less twitchy. On either bike I can focus and ride straight down the white line but if I am not paying strict attention I suspect that my track is somewhat serpentine. The Q45 is a bit taller which I like. I particularly like the gears. The worst problem I have had with the QX100 is the chain coming off when I shift to the lower front gear. No problem on the Q45. The Cruzbike site brags about how well these bikes climb. That has not been my experience. The guy I bought the QX100 from says he is also challenged by climbing but then he tells me that I need to train more. And he is at least part right. I am ok if I see it coming and keep my speed and cadence up and get in the right gear but a sudden or steep hill is still a problem. On the QX100 I feel like all the energy I exert against the handle bars goes no further. On the Q45 I have not tested it yet but I feel like some of that energy is getting to the pedals.
Other things: I had planned to move the bike rack from the QX100 to the Q45. It won't fit. I bought a new one.
I was going to put my Racktime bag from the QX100 on my new Q45 rack. It won't fit. Haven't bought a new one yet but I will at some point.
My QX100 had two bottle cages. I had to take one off because it interfered with the mechanism on our bike carrier. I though well I'll use it on the Q45. It won't fit.
So what's next? I am going to mount the Thor seat on the QX100 and see how it works. Commentary on these forums is almost all pro Thor so I'm not ready to give up on it but if it does not work better than on the Q45, I'll have a Thor seat to sell. If anyone has any comments or suggestions on mounting a Thor on a QX100 I'd like to hear them
I am also considering converting the QX100 gears to a 1by like the Q45 (If any one has done that I would appreciate hearing of your experience. )
