Not sure if there are any Rivendell Reader subscribers on here, but I haven't seen a post about the QuickBeam yet. It's Riv's new lugged steel single speed 700c bike, brief write up and a scanned pic can be seen on my site here.

I'd like one, but no room in my house for another bike and I should save my cash anyway.

I have looked at the bike and it probably makes more sense as a single speed with 2/4 options of gearing with a freewheel on each side of the flip flop, rather than fixed due to the less than straight chain line when you run two front chain rings. If that is the case, it seems like a solution in search of a problem. Why not just ride a multi geared bike and save all the trouble of flipping the rear wheel/adjusting the chain on the front chain wheel. Just my 2 cents. If you run it with just one chain ring on the front then it becomes a rather elegant single speed/fixed gear although a pricey one. I like Grant Peterson at Rivendell, but I think he over engineered this one in attempt to catch the wave of interest in fixed/ss biking that is currently afoot.


fixedgearhead

I somewhat agree. If I were to buy one I'd ditch the double ring up front and fix that bike. Fairly easy to do.

As far as cost though, 1300 for a nice lugged, hand-built steel frame with a decent spec isn't outrageous. Probably more than I will ever spend on that sort of bike, but I do lust for a frame like that. Hmmm, maybe someone will buy one in my size, not like the SS thing and let it go for a song... Probably not. But I can dream, right?!

I disagree grant is trying to catch any current 'wave'. He has consistantly provided to a niche market for the few people who DONT follow waves. If he's trying to cash in on the current trend, he'd be far better off offering track frames, which are for more trendy than loose-clearance touring frames. Same could be said for road bikes and carbon/ti.

I too find the double front to be silly (single speed should be single - I did have to chuckle at your 2/4 'single' speed comment); but personnaly doubt its the result of 'over engineering'. Quite more likely, the result of having doubles around the shop. Regardless, if one likes the bike but dislikes the double, it doesnt take much to remove a spare ring.

A good piece of engineering was the angled rear-facing dropout. Track ends arent suited well for those who prefer a rear brake. Having said that, I would personally prefer to see a standard horizontal drop, as it makes wheel removal quicker and cleaner. Guess I gotta ante-up for a custom riv for that, though.

Grant does not believe in lockrings as the Quickbeam hubs are not threaded as such but sold with a fixed cog.

George

George - where did you get that info? The Reader says it's sold w/ an 18t freewheel...

there is hard evidence of the existance of lockrings! I find it hard to believe that someone in the bicycle industry would dismess such existance as mere myth.

As for me, exactly one of my hubs in life had a lockring. Never unsrewed one. Beauty of riding with brakes.

There was a whole thread on that very issue last week on the Fixed Gear Mailing List. Let me go back and check their archives.

George

cool. I just unsubscribed while on vacation and haven't turned it back on.

I know that Grant responded to many requests for a single speed/fg version of the various Rivendell models that he produces, and he said as much in his reader. He decided to make the Quickbeam as a response to the various requests about that type of bike from all the people who asked. If that is not responding to the (wave of fixed gear) that is sweeping the land I guess I don't know what is. Not that there is anything wrong with responding to requests, but in this instance I think, as I stated, he over engineered it by using the 2 front chain rings and not providing a track hub on the rear. By providing a track hub with lockring ability he could have used it for either fixed gear, with or without lockring as desired or just thread on a free wheel. the 2 front chain rings are just silly, IMHO. I think that the angled rear ends are a good solution of brake adjustability, if you run a rear brake. That is about the only thing of interest as far as design goes on the bike, other than nice lug work which is already his halmark.

fixedgearhead

I actually *have* a Quickbeam- I'd been looking at it since it was announced as I love riding SS on the road; I have a Windsor track bike from the 70s and a 1960s Torpado I converted to single-speed with Rivendell "priest" bars. I bought the QB three weeks ago and I've been riding it 10-30 miles every day since that the mercury has been over 45.

It's a real treat to ride. The 18 tooth freewheel is a bit low for the flatlands, but I have a 16 I'm putting on the other side.

There does seem to be a lot of interest in the bike. A few days ago a minivan pulled up alongside and the driver said "Hey- is that a Rivendell Quickbeam?"