Shaft Drive Done Right

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The problem with shaft drives, much like with electric bikes, is that they have, up to now, been done badly.
Someone has now done it right, using modern material and engineering expertise and the efficiency seems to be quite high. I look forward to urban commuter bikes that run clean and efficient at the same time.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
They are a long way from making it work without quadrupling the weight of the existing system
 

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
I've had shaft drive motorcycles before, great for no chain maintenance or adjustment, although its no real hassle to do this..... But they add a lot of weight, sap power and are really expensive to repair or replace if they do go wrong.
I wouldn't want one on a push bike.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Not only has this not 'been done right', it has not been done at all.

It's a concept, something to slap on the front page of the company website to promote products that do exist.

Sure, they talk about bringing it to market.

It's good to see innovation, but I'm afraid this will go the same way as lots of other bright ideas purporting to revolutionise the bicycle.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Firstly you lose 15% of the power every time you change the direction of drive by 90 degrees.

Secondly the stresses in a shaft drive are so high and so concentrated that you need to build them very strong, meaning very heavy. A traditional chain drive OTOH is the most efficient, the lightest, cheapest and easiest to maintain.
 
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