Chainless bike

[headcoat]

An interesting concept, wouldn't mind seeing one and riding it!

http://www.anddutch.co.uk/bicycles/...m-folding-chainless-city-bicycle-7-speed.html

 

[Pauluk]

Very clever. I wounder if they can get gears to fit this type of drive and how heavy would it be. Innovative non the less.

 

[HovR]

Very clever. I wounder if they can get gears to fit this type of drive and how heavy would it be. Innovative non the less.

It already has a 7 speed Nexus hub.

 

[Pauluk]

I was thinking of the front gears, but then again may be they will have an innovative way of doing that as well.

Thought: Don't think I would want to go chainless. Mickling my chain is very therapeutic, what would I do instead

 

[mickle]

I was thinking of the front gears, but then again may be they will have an innovative way of doing that as well.

Thought: Don't think I would want to go chainless. Mickling my chain is very therapeutic, what would I do instead

Made i laugh!

 

[TheJDog]

Shaft drive is soooo much less efficient than chain drive. Good for maintenance. Only for flat countries

 

[Drago]

Shaft is actually incredibly efficient in terms of power transmission. However, in order to keep the noise levels sensible they can't straight cut the gears so they add about 15% inefficiency by helically cutting them in the interests of civility.

To anal bike nuts like us that's a lot - if my bike isn't 101% right it gets sorted immediately in the interests of peak efficiency. However, to Joe Average with poorly aligned mechs and worn, dry chain that 15% loss can easily be achieved through neglect, so if you gotta few quid, don't ride a huge distance and tend not to mollycoddle your bikes, then this could be the machine for you.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Shaft is actually incredibly efficient in terms of power transmission. However, in order to keep the noise levels sensible they can't straight cut the gears so they add about 15% inefficiency by helically cutting them in the interests of civility.

To anal bike nuts like us that's a lot - if my bike isn't 101% right it gets sorted immediately in the interests of peak efficiency. However, to Joe Average with poorly aligned mechs and worn, dry chain that 15% loss can easily be achieved through neglect, so if you gotta few quid, don't ride a huge distance and tend not to mollycoddle your bikes, then this could be the machine for you.

I've little knowledge of engineering but I'm surprised by that bit about efficiency. A standard chain drive (fixed or dérailleur) uses a simple transmission which doesn't involve any change of drive direction. All the bits move in the same direction, as it were. Shaft drive means converting energy from one direction at the pedal end and then back again at the wheel end. I'm surprised that using 2 changes of direction to transmit drive a distance of about half a metre would be more efficient than the conventional system. And that's before taking the extra weight of the bevel housings into account.

And isn't noise a form of energy loss anyway?

That said, I can see the ''forget about it'' advantages of shaft drive.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I had a chainless bike once, but only until my cobblers had recovered from their crossbar kissing and the traffic had abated enough for me to waddle into the road and retrieve my chain.

 

[Beebo]

Mickling my chain is very therapeutic, what would I do instead

You would have to mickle your shaft instead.

 

[Drago]

I've little knowledge of engineering but I'm surprised by that bit about efficiency. A standard chain drive (fixed or dérailleur) uses a simple transmission which doesn't involve any change of drive direction. All the bits move in the same direction, as it were. Shaft drive means converting energy from one direction at the pedal end and then back again at the wheel end. I'm surprised that using 2 changes of direction to transmit drive a distance of about half a metre would be more efficient than the conventional system. And that's before taking the extra weight of the bevel housings into account.

And isn't noise a form of energy loss anyway?

That said, I can see the ''forget about it'' advantages of shaft drive.

A chain rarely runs in a straight line, and presents 115 or do links, each with their own opportunity for inefficient. A shaft in its simplest firm has only 2 moving interfaces.

A well maintained modern chain set up us hard to beat for efficiency, but it doesn't take much for the lazy rider to sent that plummeting.

Noise is indeed a door of energy, but no where near as energy rich as heat. Feel a chain, especially a worn or dry one after a long ride and it'll be warm. Feel a gear housing on a shaft with helical cut gears and it can be too hot to touch.

And a shaft can be lighter than a chain - yup, you got the housings, but the shaft itself can present less mass to accelerate than a chain.

Chain any day, but don't dismiss the principle of the shaft, although but the time it's tidied up and made user friendly it's picked up a lot of inefficiency, although compared to a poorly maintained chain-drive hack its still more efficient. Like I say, if you're wealthy, don't do huge mileages and would sooner die than wield a spanner then it's liable to be a more efficient option than a half dead rusty chained euro racer.

 

[Drago]

Ps, apologies for Apple predictivitis again

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A chain rarely runs in a straight line, and presents 115 or do links, each with their own opportunity for inefficient. A shaft in its simplest firm has only 2 moving interfaces.

A well maintained modern chain set up us hard to beat for efficiency, but it doesn't take much for the lazy rider to sent that plummeting.

Noise is indeed a door of energy, but no where near as energy rich as heat. Feel a chain, especially a worn or dry one after a long ride and it'll be warm. Feel a gear housing on a shaft with helical cut gears and it can be too hot to touch.

And a shaft can be lighter than a chain - yup, you got the housings, but the shaft itself can present less mass to accelerate than a chain.

Chain any day, but don't dismiss the principle of the shaft, although but the time it's tidied up and made user friendly it's picked up a lot of inefficiency, although compared to a poorly maintained chain-drive hack its still more efficient. Like I say, if you're wealthy, don't do huge mileages and would sooner die than wield a spanner then it's liable to be a more efficient option than a half dead rusty chained euro racer.

Cheers, Drago, it's now a little bit clearer. Not a lot, but a little, all the same!

 

[Jezston]

I've seen shaft drive bicycles before (although can't find the company online now...) and have to say having it integrated into the chainstay is pretty impressive.

For a super low maintainance town bike they could be pretty cool.

 

[mickle]

Feel a chain, especially a worn or dry one after a long ride and it'll be warm..