strange drivetrains

[hennbell]

I work in an oil & gas refinery, we can use bicycles to get around.
Mountain bikes equipped with baskets are common. Today we took delivery of 2 shaft driven cruisers with airless tires. The ride is not the best due to the airless solid tires but there is no risk of a flat.

I was just wondering if anyone has rode a less industrial shaft driven bicycle and how it felt.



Hennbell

Madone 5.2
Trek 8500
Giant Cyclocross

 

[david k]

i had shaft driven motorbikes, often wondered why theres no shaft cycles

 

[Oldlegs]

Chain drives are usually about 96% efficient , shaft drives around 75% (on cycles).

That's a lot of watts to lose for no particular advantage.

Oh and shaft drives are heavier and generally more expensive!

 

[hennbell]

The shaft drive train works very well for an industrial non enthusiast use. Operators cont care how much efficiency is lost just that it gets from point A to B with the least amount of issues.

 

[zacklaws]

I once had a trike with the pedals and cranks attached to the front wheel, but I was only little then

 

[Matthames]

The only non chain driven cycle I have ridden (attempted to ride to be precise) recently would be a unicycle, which has the crank directly attached to the wheel.

 

[Hilldodger]

Zero do shaft drive bikes and we have one in our fleet. OK for knocking about town but I wouldn't want to ride it far.

 

[byegad]

Shaft drives are one of those ten year ideas. Every ten years someone reinvents it.

Others are arm and leg driven bikes. Another solid tyres.

They don't work well, so they die out and someone else reinvents them down the line.