Belt drives

[Yellow Fang]

I was looking around the local branch of Evans this morning, when I saw this. It's a Trek Soho. I thought it was an interesting take on the old fashioned roadster. I was intrigued by the belt drive. What are belt drives like to cycle? I've heard reports that they're liable to slip when honking up hills, but OTOH, they don't require oiling, so will save your trousers.

 

[ASC1951]

I'm told they are getting cautious approval, at least for commuting.

The disadvantage - and it is a huge one - is that you can't retro-fit them to an existing bike.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Why is that?

 

[BrumJim]

You can split a chain, but not a belt. So you have to split the frame instead.

 

[MrGrumpy]

supposed to be life time guarantee ........

 

[mickle]

Seeing more of them for sure. It's possible that through technological development the reality has finally caught up with what belts have been promising for decades but not yet fully delivered; cleanliness and zero maintenance reliability.

If they ever sort out the efficiency losses I might be forced to change my closed mind on the subject.

Though I am liking this: http://www.cyclorama.net/viewProduct.php?id=30

 

[Howard]

I've heard reports that they're liable to slip when honking up hills

Not the Gates ones the Trek Soho and District employ; they are of the same type fitted to 800hp super-bikes. Any reports of slipping will be due to some kind of mechanical fault - insufficient tension most likely.

 

[biffosbats]

I did hear, via my LBS, that Mark Beaumont is riding a belt-drive bike. For anyone who hasn't been watching BBC - late Tuesday night about 10.30pm I think - he's the nutter who (a) broke the round the world cycling record a couple of years ago and is ( currently on TV doing a massive solo ride down the length of the Americas. I think the bike is a Koga, v difficult to tell from the camera shots (he's mostly on his own, using a hand-held video) if it is a belt-drive, but for the length of ride and through the conditions it would make sense. Think I might do some surfing, just out of curiosity, not because I want one. Anyone got any info about gears etc on a belt-drive?

 

[Joe]

I don't know that Beaumont is (though you're right about him riding a Koga) but James Bowthorpe, who may or may not have broken Beaumont's record, definitely rode one and had no problems as far as I know!

 

[Downward]

Sounds Ideal to me.

 

[simon a r]

I use the soho for both getting to work, and messing about with at the weekends, and allthough I've only had it a few weeks, I cannot fault it at the mo. I've had no problems with it on the hills around here.

 

[Howard]

Anyone got any info about gears etc on a belt-drive?

You will need a hub gear: Shinmano Alfine / Nexus, SA, SRAM, Rohloff etc.

Take a look at the Trek Soho.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/soho/soho/