benphyr
Guru-me-not
That’s how it should work but in practice it needs serious tweaking or someone with better skills than me to get it to fit at all.
Q45 - First Two Rides ...
- Thread starter GV_Ottawa
- Start date
Bought a Q45 last year after selling my Silvio. When I bought the Silvio I was hoping to get into rando, and the reality is that with arthritis in my sciatic joints that is just asking for trouble. We moved to a new house last year so the Q didn't get much of a workout. This spring I've been on it more and more, working my way slowly back into some kind of shape.
Honestly, even if I decide at some point that my body can take 100+ mile days, I wouldn't trade the Q. As fast? No. But for commuting I feel like I have so much better vision. And for riding long tours I really can't imagine anything better than the Q45. It handles easily, even on rough trails. I even goofed around on a mountain bike course behind my house with it. I trust this bike.
My one question mark is if I will get strong enough to handle the bike on mountain passes with a light (20 lbs ish) touring load without needing to adjust the gearing or find an electric assist.
Honestly, even if I decide at some point that my body can take 100+ mile days, I wouldn't trade the Q. As fast? No. But for commuting I feel like I have so much better vision. And for riding long tours I really can't imagine anything better than the Q45. It handles easily, even on rough trails. I even goofed around on a mountain bike course behind my house with it. I trust this bike.
My one question mark is if I will get strong enough to handle the bike on mountain passes with a light (20 lbs ish) touring load without needing to adjust the gearing or find an electric assist.
jond
Zen MBB Master
set sag at 20% of total travel.
dule0911
Active Member
@Mark
Just did my first brevet last saturday, 300km with 1900m of elevation, average speed 25.6km/h, with the Q45. I was mostly empty (load around 10lbs including water bottles) and the stock gearing is fine for that up until like 12-13%. Over that it can be done for short climbs - I've succeded to ride a max of 18.5%, but it's just hard. Not just from a fitness perspective, but balancing and wheel slippage comes into play because I just can't maintain a high enough cadence to overcome all of the issues. High cadence paired with weight transfer to the back on the climbs also results in wheel slippage. I don't think I will improve my fitness to make it easier (already drove 3500km on the Q45 since september). Because of the weight transfer anything above like 14% on an imperfect surface the wheel starts to slip so you would have to adjust to that. It's still driveable, just needs some brain adjustment to sync all of the issues to keep the momentum going forward.
I've gone the other way, just bought a S40 frameset to add to the Q45 and compare whats better for long rides - I was hoping to use the S40 on the brevets. But I have a different condition (2x herniated disc) and zero issues while riding the Q45 in that regard, so I'm still hoping the S40 will be comfortable enough.
Just did my first brevet last saturday, 300km with 1900m of elevation, average speed 25.6km/h, with the Q45. I was mostly empty (load around 10lbs including water bottles) and the stock gearing is fine for that up until like 12-13%. Over that it can be done for short climbs - I've succeded to ride a max of 18.5%, but it's just hard. Not just from a fitness perspective, but balancing and wheel slippage comes into play because I just can't maintain a high enough cadence to overcome all of the issues. High cadence paired with weight transfer to the back on the climbs also results in wheel slippage. I don't think I will improve my fitness to make it easier (already drove 3500km on the Q45 since september). Because of the weight transfer anything above like 14% on an imperfect surface the wheel starts to slip so you would have to adjust to that. It's still driveable, just needs some brain adjustment to sync all of the issues to keep the momentum going forward.
I've gone the other way, just bought a S40 frameset to add to the Q45 and compare whats better for long rides - I was hoping to use the S40 on the brevets. But I have a different condition (2x herniated disc) and zero issues while riding the Q45 in that regard, so I'm still hoping the S40 will be comfortable enough.
dule0911 - that is an excellent ride. Right now I'm in one-day-at-a-time mode. My understanding is that the SI joint naturally fuses up at age 50. Maybe if the joint stabilizes for me this year I'll find less pain. I know when my dad had two discs surgically fused at age 60 he was extremely happy with the results and was pretty active for another 15 or so years.
I think the S40 would be a good choice for brevets. The S30 was not a bad bike but I think higher field of vision, wider tires and fenders make more sense for rando and the S30 is just a bit limited in those areas. The other thing about the S30 is I found it to be a bit twitchy. I don't know where the S40 fall on that scale, but if you aspire to go above the 300k level you will get to rides where sleep depravation is an issue, and I have to wonder if that would become a problem with the S30. The wider tires on the S40 would presumably make it less twitchy. Just a random thought here.
Anyway, I ordered my Q a few months before the S40 made its debut. I'm not sure which way I would have gone if I would have had a choice, but I have to say I think the Q is a better bike for me. I just went out and did 35km that included a trail section that was washed out in a flood last year and the shock on the Q just made the ride a bundle of fun for me. If I get to the point where I can do long distance tours again I really have found that I prefer gravel roads.
I also have to say that Maria & Co. are running a first class business. I hopped on a T50 frame when they were running the kick starter campaign and it sat in a box. I had intended to build it up as a commuter but never got around to it. They gave me full credit toward the Q, which is a level of graciousness that you just are not going to get from anyone else in today's world.
I think the S40 would be a good choice for brevets. The S30 was not a bad bike but I think higher field of vision, wider tires and fenders make more sense for rando and the S30 is just a bit limited in those areas. The other thing about the S30 is I found it to be a bit twitchy. I don't know where the S40 fall on that scale, but if you aspire to go above the 300k level you will get to rides where sleep depravation is an issue, and I have to wonder if that would become a problem with the S30. The wider tires on the S40 would presumably make it less twitchy. Just a random thought here.
Anyway, I ordered my Q a few months before the S40 made its debut. I'm not sure which way I would have gone if I would have had a choice, but I have to say I think the Q is a better bike for me. I just went out and did 35km that included a trail section that was washed out in a flood last year and the shock on the Q just made the ride a bundle of fun for me. If I get to the point where I can do long distance tours again I really have found that I prefer gravel roads.
I also have to say that Maria & Co. are running a first class business. I hopped on a T50 frame when they were running the kick starter campaign and it sat in a box. I had intended to build it up as a commuter but never got around to it. They gave me full credit toward the Q, which is a level of graciousness that you just are not going to get from anyone else in today's world.
dule0911
Active Member
I'm still managing with streching and working on my back muscles to keep everything in check, but dont rule out an intervention if needed later. Got it at 23 years of age, now at 31. Fine for now if I watch out what I do with my back and don't ride a DF bike.
I do aspire to run above 300k, already have one 400k planned for the beggining of june. For now with the Q, the S40 is still in the box, waiting for parts to build it up. I'm hoping the S40 will be fine with 30mm tires, but if it isn't, I'll either get some beefier 650b wheels/tires or switch back to the Q, I will not sell it right away (if at all).
Also like graveling with the Q, just if there isn't too much of a grade, which is rare around me. About the cruzbike company - totally agree. I live far away and they've been really helpfull in everything I asked/ordered.
I do aspire to run above 300k, already have one 400k planned for the beggining of june. For now with the Q, the S40 is still in the box, waiting for parts to build it up. I'm hoping the S40 will be fine with 30mm tires, but if it isn't, I'll either get some beefier 650b wheels/tires or switch back to the Q, I will not sell it right away (if at all).
Also like graveling with the Q, just if there isn't too much of a grade, which is rare around me. About the cruzbike company - totally agree. I live far away and they've been really helpfull in everything I asked/ordered.
jond
Zen MBB Master
no.
I mean sag is when you place your weight on bike. The shock should compress 20% of full travel.
