Bicycle-Fi! - Page 132

Quote:

Originally Posted by customcoco 

Hi everyone,

 

What do you think of belt-driven bikes?

Belt drivetrain is a good option for single speed bikes. You don't have to worry about any kind of chain drive related problems.

The downsides are: Spare parts are hard to find(for the drivetrain)

                                  Bikes may cost a bit more than their chain driven counterparts

Hope this helps!

I'd recommend a belt drive for a commuter bike. But as Bravo said, they are usually more expensive. Though I'm inclined to believe that in the long run, if you use your bike every day, the initial cost may pay for itself. Belt drive are essentially maintenance-free. You don't have to clean them and oil them every week. They aren't limited to single speed, as they can be matched with an internal-gearing hub. Those too are very low maintenance, as they are sealed. Together they make a very good option for commuter bikes.

I just would not recommend them for a road or mountain bike, especially if you like performances. Even with an internal gear hub, you are limited in the number of gears, which may limit you in climbs and on rolling flats.

KimLaroux, I'd gotten so use to looking into her eyes, your new avatar caught me completely off guard! Good thing I wasn't cycling in traffic...

I personally ride a Bianchi Pista for commuting as it is a fixed-gear with no brakes making the only thing it's prone to is a flat, anything worse then that and you have a serious problem on your hands.  They take a lot of skill to ride so definitely not for a beginner but they have many advantages like being impossible to steal and most crooks wouldn't bother to try and steal it as they are difficult to ride if you don't have the experience and due to the lack of complex there's not much to strip off them for parts.  I like belt drives but I am always scared to really push them hard especially when going up hill as the belt can stretch a little and slip on the sprocket.  Single speeds are so quite though and there is nothing quite like riding a properly aligned one as there is no drive train noise.  Unfortunantely due to the lack of gears you either ride fast up hills or you walk it and you will quickly develop big quads from riding a lot in a higher gear, I have been riding bikes all my life as my father use to race and I was always around bikes so I put on a lot of miles and people are always freaked out by my thighs as a result of all the time in the saddle I do.  If you thought headphones were expensive then be prepared to be shocked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by micrors4 
If you thought headphones were expensive then be prepared to be shocked.

Why do we always find hobbies which will eventually bankrupt us?

A belt drive bike sold by a local sports mega store. Couldn't find any reviews though!

http://www.go-sport.com/cycle/velo/velo_ville/black-belt-1131996

http://www.chok-technologic.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=58

Quote:

Originally Posted by bravo4588 

Why do we always find hobbies which will eventually bankrupt us?

Not sure, this is unfortunantely not my only expensive hobby as I also ski both alpine and nordic, I also like RC cars which is another little known hobby that can get crazy expensive but is addicting and I am a tech junky to top it all off.  Luckily a good set of skis last a long time and ski season is only a few months long and a good bike will also last a long time except for my mountain bike which I always find an excuse to buy something new for. 

I would shy away from belt driven bikes as there really isn't much gain, I only have to grease my chain every other week and it only takes a couple of seconds.  The downside to the belt drive is that the dropouts have to be removable which takes away from the strength of the bike's frame, a good single speed chain driven bike is all you need for most activities including light trail riding and there are less things to go wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by micrors4 

I personally ride a Bianchi Pista for commuting as it is a fixed-gear with no brakes making the only thing it's prone to is a flat, anything worse then that and you have a serious problem on your hands.  They take a lot of skill to ride so definitely not for a beginner but they have many advantages like being impossible to steal and most crooks wouldn't bother to try and steal it as they are difficult to ride if you don't have the experience and due to the lack of complex there's not much to strip off them for parts.  I like belt drives but I am always scared to really push them hard especially when going up hill as the belt can stretch a little and slip on the sprocket.  Single speeds are so quite though and there is nothing quite like riding a properly aligned one as there is no drive train noise.  Unfortunantely due to the lack of gears you either ride fast up hills or you walk it and you will quickly develop big quads from riding a lot in a higher gear, I have been riding bikes all my life as my father use to race and I was always around bikes so I put on a lot of miles and people are always freaked out by my thighs as a result of all the time in the saddle I do.  If you thought headphones were expensive then be prepared to be shocked.

I rode my bike ss for a while, in 48:18, and it was ok, obviously I didn't have to deal with pedalling downhill, but I liked the challenge of having to speed up or mash hills, it was a good mental workout as well as a leg exercise

This is the most amazing bike video I've ever seen!  I really want a Pinarello now!  If I could do even one of these tricks I'd be really happy!

http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/martyn-ashton-road-bike-party

Watch the "Out-takes" too!

Thanks a lot for your answers guys.

I've never been into bicycles before. I used to ride my longskates for every trip, but long story made short I changed house and now I'm about 5 miles away from downtown with some pretty steep hills along the way.

While It's no San Francisco a single speed would probably not be versatile enough..

I'd like to build my bike by myself, so the price difference is not really an issue as I can spread the cost over a few months.

The new (well, to me at least) carbon gates' belt system seems to be quite resistant to belt stretching based on what I've read. The low-maintenance grease-free argument sounds good to me too...

Now, do you think that it would be possible for me (a complete noob) to build a good belt driven bicycle for (much) less than 1000$?

Thanks again,

cstmcoco

With singlespeed, either belt or chain, it would probably be best to consider the cost of changing gear ratios.

It would be easier to build a chain driven bike because if you want to have a bike with multiple gears then a regular chain driven bike is the best route as they are far easier to maintain and less complex than a belt driven bike as they have to be internally geared and limits your choice of gears.  The internal hub is a complex design making maintenance very difficult so you would have to send it into the company for any work to be done on it.  You would also be limited by your choice of wheels as they need a special hub and a special frame so you couldn't build one yourself.  I'm sure the belts wouldn't slip but to me they just don't have the same feel as a chain which makes you feel more connected to the bike especially on a fixed gear bike.  There really isn't much work that you have to put in to a bike to keep it in good working order, just grease the chain with PROPER chain lube not WD-40, I feel like ripping my hair out whenever I see someone using that on a bike chain or any part for that matter.  A chain requires a light greasing every few weeks and it will be problem free and just as smooth as a belt with the proper alignment.  I was originally not a fan of single speeds as I live in a fairly hilly area (new england) but I have come to really aprecciate the simplicity and they make you a much better rider by teaching you to pedal more smoothly and think about how you ride.  I definitely recommend you build a bike your self as it will teach you a lot about them and make maintenance easier as it is always a good idea to strip down the bike and clean up all the parts once a year.

I've never thought about this, but a good point was brought up regarding frames for belt drives. Since you can't "open" a belt, you cannot install it on any bike frame like you would a chain. You need a frame designed for belt drive. Those have some way of opening the rear triangle. Manufacturers have different approach to this problem, but it's essentially the same thing. This video explains it well.

Finding a bicycle that allows for fixed gear is already limiting your choices. Finding one designed for belt drive will not only limit your choices even more, but raise the price significantly.

And with the right parts, you can install a single speed drive train to any frame. Such things could same you a lot of money on the frame.