Re: belt drives

zen cycle <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

On 1/27/2025 7:27 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:

<https://youtu.be/OlDYHoiqpew?si=dxpa83lxcQxIBEO5>
 
That Ben Denlaney has a new Gravel bike on test with a belt drive, and his
“pub bike” which has belt drive, and the good and the bad with such
systems. Ie punctures are faff and I guess weight to a degree, ie hub vs
derailleur systems.
 
Though touching wood I’ve found Gravel tyres with tubeless fairly reliable
particularly considering that one is riding fairly challenging terrain on
paper thin tyres!
 
Certainly considering how much of puncture fess tubes on Gravel is or was!
Tubeless generally solves that, so would largely remove that problem.
 
Though I’m not sure if belts like mud and muck I have vague memories of MTB
belt drives not performing that well in such situations?
 
Roger Merriman
 

 
 Gates drive has been around a while, generally good reviews. The idea
of having an 'accessible' rear triangle seems troublesome to me though.
 
They advertise a model of the drive made for "people who ride off road
all year". I'm guessing with some design diligence riding in the muck
isn't much of an issue.
 

Reading again seems that for MTB and certainly full suspension the belt
drive forces limitations on the frame design, less so for Hardtails or
Gravel bikes though having a heavy lump on the rear wheel, some folks don’t
like, even just a pannier on the old school roadie, which is hardly heavy,
is noticeable. It’s often near empty, arguably I could have used a bar or
large saddle bag but I had a spare pannier, plus I do occasionally use the
space.

And for some the less efficient drive chain is noticeable.

Hence such systems have remained less mainstream, even if interesting.

Roger Merriman