Gates Belt Drive Bicycle Review

They were used on bikes at the turn of the century but the first commercial bicycle with a drive belt was the infamous bridgestone picina in 1980 the bridgestone picina was a folding bike popular in japan but never really sold.

Gates belt drive bicycle review.

The retro inspired electric bike is the latest to feature one of the most premium transmissions in the bicycle market. The higher end soho 989 has an intriguing belt drive set up paired with the internal gearing of the 8 speed shimano nexus 8 rear hub. Using a gates c drive carbon composite belt trek bills it as brutally tough yet cleaner than any chain you ve ever. Efforts to use belt drives on bikes date to the 1980s and earlier.

I started with belts on my modified surly long haul trucker and 10 000km later i used dual belts on my co motion tandem. Ten years later it is safe to say that this indeed happened. There s no doubt that gates carbon belt drive is an excellent drivetrain solution for long distance touring bikes. A heavier and more robust option than many others in this line up but worth a look as an alternative to an e bike for anyone looking.

Although a patent was filed in 1890 for a belt driven bicycle since then the challenge of making the belt stiff enough to not flex or break while staying on its track has proven elusive. Even motorcycles come with belt drives nowadays which shows just how pervasive the technology is. I ve got a belt drive touring bike and a belt drive tandem sitting in my garage which both have 30 000km on their original belts. In the late 1980s the founder of strida folding bikes approached gates about using a gates belt.

The centertrack drivetrain has performed flawlessly on sealed roads and under all weather conditions. Bridgestone manufactured belt drive bikes in japan through the 1980s. Mechanical belt drives were used as pully systems as far back as 15 bc and started being used in heavy machinery in the 19th century. Strida have since gone on to commercial success and have gained a niche in the marketplace.

Say goodbye to high maintenance bike chains. To put that into perspective a standard derailleur drivetrain will rarely shift well after 10 000km. I completed a two year 31 000km trip between europe and australia using a gates carbon drivetrain. The final entrant in our list of 11 of the best carbon belt drive bikes.

The bike of course comes with gates belt drive coupled with the shimano nexus 8 speed drive train. But the folks at gates aren t convinced a chain is the best way to drive a bicycle. The history of belt drive bikes. Whether you re an urban commuter rugged mountain biker ebike rider or casual cruiser gates carbon drive has a solution.

The soho s 599 is a straightforward single speed bike built with simplicity in mind. Chain drive vs belt drive. When it gets sandy or when the grit on. Created by gates corporation a global leader in belt drive technologies gates carbon drive is the best high mileage bicycle drive on the market.

A gates carbon drive.