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am i coming across as a troll? must be the teenage hormones...
and, im not trolling, im just skeptical of the whole belt drive system. i know they're used in cars etc, however i dont see how they are superior to chains.
i tried crawling out of this last time, but i cant find another bike that looks niceish... -
am i coming across as a troll? must be the teenage hormones...
and, im not trolling, im just skeptical of the whole belt drive system. i know they're used in cars etc, however i dont see how they are superior to chains.
i tried crawling out of this last time, but i cant find another bike that looks niceish...Let me direct you to wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt-driven_bicycle
Benefits
- Belts do not rust.
- Lubrication is not required.
- Cleanliness due to lack of lubrication.
- Little to no maintenance.
- Smoother operation. A belt's teeth completely engage into the system for decreased friction
- Longer life than metal chains.
- More resistant to debris than chain drives.
- Quieter than chain.
- Some belt systems are more lightweight than conventional chains.
Disadvantages
- Scarcer at shops than bicycles with conventional chain.
- Belt-driven bicycles often incorporate proprietary plastic gears, which wear out more quickly than metal. Specially designed lightweight metal sprockets are available on some models and in kits.
- Derailleurs can't be used, so an internal-gear hub is used if gears are required.
- The belt cannot be taken apart, as a chain can, so a frame must be able to accommodate the belt by having an opening in the rear triangle or an elevated chain stay.
- Belts come in limited length selection.
- Belts do not rust.
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They are less efficient than chain drives, mainly due to hysteresis loss as the belt flexes.
Chain drives are pretty damn good....
Chains may get a bad press because they wear, they need frequent lubing and hence they're 'oily' and attract dirt, but they are super efficient at the transmission of power. In 1897, Professor R.C. Carpenter of Cornell University conducted experiments which showed that even a well-worn chain was up to 98 per efficient.
In 1930, the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington measured the efficiency of a bush roller chain as between 98.1 and 98.9 percent.
According to a 1998 paper by Matt Kidd and others, delivered at the Engineering of Sport conference at Heriot Watt University, a bicycle chain is 98 percent efficient.The carbon belt system looks to be the same (on paper).
hisand they are prone to foreign object damage. At this point, I usually show the extensive shrouding on a Buell final drive to illustrate the lengths one has to go to to stop stones from getting trapped between the belt and the sprocket, but people who want to see that picture again can UTFS.
Hence the the frame like structure of the Gates Beltring and sprocket. Should allow the belt to operate in pretty muddy/stoney conditions.
Basically, you spend a lot of money and get a system that has pretty much the same efficiency as a chain. Yet is far less flexible terms of gearing and frame compatibility.
The feel of the drive is different though, I'd say smoother feeling. That in itself was enough for me to want a belt-drven SS in m collection (collection? its only 3 fecking bikes).
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What dya recon...
!
Wank!
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http://www.classicrendezvous.com/images/Japan/Zunow/models.jpg
check out the bike at the front on the top photo ... either the scanner is making it look a bit odd or there are some funky bends on the lo pro -
in fact thios whole thread has some pretty funky bikes
Miso_Soup
edscoble
Smallfurry
Pistanator
dicki
highlandpro
Sam91
t-4003
Jaanus
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@Velocio
I know I say this every time the subject comes up, but since we seem to be having yet another repetition of the subject, here goes:
They are less efficient than chain drives, mainly due to hysteresis loss as the belt flexes, and they are prone to foreign object damage. At this point, I usually show the extensive shrouding on a Buell final drive to illustrate the lengths one has to go to to stop stones from getting trapped between the belt and the sprocket, but people who want to see that picture again can UTFS.