Belt drive

[spartacus]

http://www.ifbikes.com/OurBikes/Concept/Belt_Drive_Corvid/

Has anyone taken the plunge and now have belt driven high end bike, like this IF as an example? Just curious about how it is.

[Louis]

I think you have to be an accredited hipster to ride one of those.

I am not a hipster.

[zap]

I have not but high end tandems have had the option of using Gates belt drive as a timing belt for about a year now. Alignement is critical but should not be a problem for builders that care.

Reports on tandem sites are that it is smooth and quiet. One or two reports of snapped belts but errors in installation may have been the cause.

[Smiley]

The cost addition for a timing belt drive for a tandem makes it not worth the weight savings, Co-Mo also now has a full Rolhoff 14 speed belt drive tandem too. Again price addition too high to justify the cost benefits. I'll keep the chain(s) :banana:

[spartacus]

I was wondering if there's any way of having a clean belt drive system on a coupled travel frame. The Rohloff is an expensive option, a little heavy, but negates the need for derailleurs. A single speed travel bike (used only for day rides in and around cities when on business trips) might be a possible choice too. I see the IF frame splits at the dropout. I wonder if a Serotta has that possibility.

[Smiley]

I was wondering if there's any way of having a clean belt drive system on a coupled travel frame. The Rohloff is an expensive option, a little heavy, but negates the need for derailleurs. A single speed travel bike (used only for day rides in and around cities when on business trips) might be a possible choice too. I see the IF frame splits at the dropout. I wonder if a Serotta has that possibility.

when u travel the moto is keep is simple stupid, I'd hate to break a belt or foul one up and where would u buy a new one. Besides everytime you tension that sucker you need to use the ecentric.

[zap]

The cost addition for a timing belt drive for a tandem makes it not worth the weight savings, Co-Mo also now has a full Rolhoff 14 speed belt drive tandem too. Again price addition too high to justify the cost benefits. I'll keep the chain(s) :banana:

:) 's, I'm not sure the weight savings is as much as claimed. Maybe compared to old chains and clunky rings but not when compared to new hollow link chains and svelte al rings. It is a clean system. Soap and water when dirty.

Anyhow, some of us skinny blokes spend $$$$$ on parts to save grams. I'm always on the lockout for nos srp bolts, etc.

Agreed, would not recommend for travel. Good luck finding a shop with a belt when you really need one.

[Louis]

All I know about belt drives is that when I hand-spun the crank on one at the Indy NAHBS (it was a single-speed) I felt a huge amount of resistance and I could feel the thud-thud-thud-thud of individual “teeth” in the system.

I don’t know if that’s representative or not, but after that I immediately lost interest. I have too little power as it is; I’m not going to waste any more on drive train losses.

Louis

[MattTuck]

I don’t know if that’s representative or not, but after that I immediately lost interest. I have too little power as it is; I’m not going to waste any more on drive train losses.



Amen! This made me laugh.


(not commenting on belt drive, or Louis' power specifically, as I have no first hand knowledge of either... but I certainly know the feeling. Bridge to engine room, more power! )

[dogdriver]

FWIW, I've ridden a Spot ss mtb with the Gates system. My comparison is my Ventana SS mtb with a White Industries drive train.

The good news:

It was quiet and clean. No knowledge of the weight or resistance issues, though I rode it on one of my "house" rides and averaged the same speed that I normally do.

The bad news:

You need a purpose- built frame (needs to open at the dropout to install the belt). I think that a frame with Paragon sliders works, as you can remove the slider and get the belt on. Ventana's Sherwood Gibson runs one on his 29er SS (he designed his own beefier version of a slider dropout) and swears by it.

Cost. For a ss drive train, I figure about $400 for the belt and both sprockets, vs $120 for a White chainring, freewheel, and a good chain. The cost continues to be an issue if you decide to change gears, as the rear sprockets are $130 each, vs $20 for a Shimano or $70 for a White freewheel (BMX style); or $25 for an Endless or Surly cog (cassette style).

Reliability. You'd be screwed if the belt ever broke, though Gates claims that they'll last forever and never stretch. This, however, is not much of a comfort if the thing snaps in the middle of an Australian Outback tour.

All of this said, I'm considering a belt drive for the timing chain on my Ventana tandem. I like the idea of replacing seven feet of oily chain with a clean belt, especially since I'm usually riding with one of the kids as a stoker. Despite Sherwood's enthusiasm, I think I'll stay with a White drive train on my Ventana single speed.

Money not being a factor, a Gates drive and a Rohloff hub would be pretty freakin' cool for a geared bike.

FWIW, Chris

[BengeBoy]

I really like this implementation from Baron Bicycles of Seattle...Rohloff plus S&S couplers plus Gates belt drive. Love the way they worked in a coupler on the seat stay to provide a place to "break" the frame to install the belt. This was just posted on their blog this weekend:

http://www.baronbicycles.com/blog/post/outsider-long-reach-w-gates-carbon-belt-drive-and-rohloff-hub

Also have admired Co-Motion's implementation of the Rohloff + belt drive on their Americano touring bike:


http://co-motion.com/index.php/singles/americano_rohloff

One thing I was told by Co-Motion at a bike show is that you need to make sure that a bike w/a Rohloff and belt drive has a very stiff chainstay. Otherwise when the frame flexes, the belt can slip off. They put it on the Americano because its chunky chainstays.

At a lower price point, the new Shimano Alfine hub is coming out in 11 speeds. Lighter and several hundred dollars cheaper than the Rohloff. On-one in the UK had a bike outfitted with this on their website for a couple of weeks, but they took it down. I guess nobody knows when the Alfine 11 is coming out (soon, apparently), here is the page about it:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/news/products/q/date/2010/09/23/11-speed-alfine-out-now

[BillG]

I've got a SS Bob Brown with a belt drive and S&S couplers. It's awesome. :)
If it is set up right it doesn't thunk.