SPECS | Q Ball Frameset
Tubing:
100% Chrome-moly steel alloy made with single, double and triple butted tubing. 100% machined and TIG welded in the U.S.A   Chainstays and seatstays are tapered.  Seat cluster has external butt for extra strength.  Downtube is gusseted at headtube for durability.

Rear Dropouts:
Q ball specially designed horizontal dropouts with derailleur hanger. The dropouts are CNC machined from billet 4130 plate in the U.S.A. 135mm spaced.  Beer bottle opener is located on the right dropout (but please adhere to all local and state ordinances for drinking!)

Brake Compatibility:
55 mm International Standard disc.   6061 T6 modular unit takes up adjustment so perfect caliper brake alignment can be achieved regardless of where wheel axle is located.

Braze-ons:
Dual water bottle mounts, top tube shift cable routing, guides for hydraulic hose or solid housing on the seatstay and on the top tube.

Seatpost Diameter: 
Each frame comes with a seattube which is reamed to fit a 27.2 mm post.

Seatcollar Diameter:
30mm required.

Headset:
Each frame is reamed at the manufacturer to fit a 1 1/8 inch Standard headset.

Front Derailleur Clamp Diameter:
A 28.6mm traditional style top pull is recommended.

Bottom bracket shell:
68.5 mm width.  English thread.

Fork:
Suspension correct for a minimum 80 mm travel fork.  Recommended rigid fork is 468mm long with 43.2 mm of rake.

Color:
Midnight Black

Weight: 
4.75 lbs (Small)

The key points of a Q Ball are:

• 29’er frame that uses high quality chrome-moly (4130) steel bicycle tubing.

• Excellent and proven 29’er geometry.

• Can be run as a single-speed or multi-geared.

• Unique proprietary rear dropouts for easy disc brake set-up.

• Small, Medium, Large, and Extra-Large sizes available.

• 100% machined, TIG welded, and painted in the U.S.A.

• Frame Price: $499.

First, in the advancement of the Q Ball 29’er, it was important to study up on what made a great riding and functional frame.  The Q Ball frame has geometry that was carefully designed and tested (please note that the same kind of geometry you will find on the Q Ball is also found on other accepted and well-liked 29’er frames.)   Moreover, the Q Ball is made in four popular stock sizes so that it will fit a wide variety of individuals.  

The Q Ball frame has the feel of a high performance race-type frame, but the comfort and durability of a steel frame which many riders have grown to love. Additionally, the   Q Ball comes at a price most people can handle without dishing out the funds needed for a custom frame.  And it is made in the U.S.A., with each precise weld being done with the fine hand and eye coordination of an artisan rather than an automated robotic machine!  Last but not least, the Q Ball was designed to be suspension fork compatible (e.g. 80 mm travel forks) which is a boon for riders because either a rigid fork or a suspension version can be used.

The great thing about 29-inch wheels is ride quality, added comfort, increased traction, reduced rolling resistance, and improved confidence that a rider will experience.  The 29-inch wheel is simply a 700c wheeled off-road bike, but it also can be made into a race ready cyclo-crosser, an urban assault commuting machine, or a long-hauling touring specialist. 

With the Q Ball comes its own proprietary rear dropouts, which were CNC machined in the U.S.A. from solid 4130 plate.  The left side is for disc, and it features a 6061 T6 aluminum modular sliding unit so that the disc caliper can be infinitely adjusted to align with the rotor by simply tightening two metric bolts.  The left dropout also features a bottle opener.

Special consideration was taken on the small-sized Q Ball frame to make sure toe overlap was not a problem.  In other words the top tube length and front center distance was optimized so that a standard adequate space was allowed for shoe clearance as it passes the front wheel during the pedal stroke.

For production, welding, and additional 29’er design consultation, the Q Ball relied heavily on the talent and knowledge of longtime bicycle enthusiast Scott Quiring.  He’s a Michigan native who has been involved in bicycling since 1987, and several years ago he founded Quiring Cycles, LLC to provide custom Quiring bicycle frames to the public (www.quiringcycles.net).

In addition to his own pet projects, during Quiring’s career as a framebuilder he has made over 600 high-end bicycle and recumbent frames.  Many of these frames were for a number of other well-known companies that outsourced manufacturing and know-how in product development. 

Quiring is somewhat of a Midwest cycling legend in his off-road and road racing accomplishments as well. From 1992-95 he raced the NORBA National series and represented his major sponsor, the Slingshot Factory Team, gaining several top three finishes.   From 1996-97 he competed for the international professional MTB team, Bianchi-Martini Racing, on the World Cup and national competition front. In 1999 he represented the United States on a pro-amateur invitational team at the 10-day UCI stage race, la Tour de Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean.  Some of his favorite race successes as a licensed pro include the Iceman Cometh victories (’94, 95’ and 99’), the Chequamegon 40 Overall Champion title (’99) and the LumberJack 100 miler (’05), which interestingly enough was also won on a 29’er Quiring-built frame (imagine that!).   The same kind of passion he had for race victories is put forth in his efforts towards the genesis of the Q Ball frame.   Therefore, based on Quiring’s experiences and craft, you might come to the understanding that a Q Ball will make for a great 29’er.

If you are just getting into the 29’er-wheeled movement, or are a sworn big-wheel aficionado and looking for a high-quality, lower-cost made in U.S.A. frame, please consider a Q Ball.   It’s the quality of handcraftsmanship combined with a well thought out design at an excellent value.  Q Ball stands for a quality frame that you’re going to have a blast on at a price you can afford!