Bicycle Mechanics - Belt dressing spray on belt drive?

Does anyone know if the belt dressing spray sold in hardware stores can be used on a bike's belt drive system? Such as this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Sprayway-Belt-Dressing/dp/B0000DD2JW/

What type of bicycle do you have?

I wouldn't use belt dressing. They often contain 'bad silicones' that penetrate deeply into the belt material and accelerate wear/dry out the belt. Better to buy a new belt if your are having problems, belt stretched or if the belt teeth are worn out.

Belt dressing doesn't work on cars or lawn mowers so why would it work on a bike? The couple of belt drive bikes I have seen used a cog belt which to all intents and purposes works like a chain. Roger

If you love lubricating things you probably bought the wrong bike.

wow, you have a belt drive bicycle? Please do post more information about it and your experience with it.

As some of the other contributors posted, belt spray isn't the answer. Belt spray is a kind of goo that is supposed to help the pulley grip the belt. It is a poor man's solution. The thing to do is to take the slack out of the belt or change the belt.

Please do post more information about your belt drive bicycle. I am sure we would be fascinated.

I wouldn't do it. Bicycle belt drives uses toothed belts, cog, and belt ring. They don't rely solely on tension like an accessory drive belt on an auto engine. That stuff doesn't really work anyway.

I'm echoing Mike here. I fairly new to bikes, but have been working on cars professionally for years. Belt dressing serves no good purpose. People use it to "get rid " of squeeks and noises rather than pay money to have the real issue resolved. At best, it makes a HUGE mess of everything. You think chains pick up dirt & debris? wait 'till you spray some of that stuff on your drive line.

Belt dressing goes on the same shelf as fix-a-flat,any cooling system stop leak, oil "additives", and multispark plugs. A great waste of time, effort & money ( especially once you get it to you mechanic with the now compounded problem).

Thanks everyone for replying. Very helpful information.

"If you love lubricating things you probably bought the wrong bike." Touché! You are so right. I don't know what I was thinking. Old habits die hard I guess.

I'd always wanted to go chainless but didn't act on it until a few months ago. After researching the shaft drive design, I concluded that belt drive would be a more efficient option. Since I didn't want to replace my bike outright, I bought a small Strida folding bike as a test unit. My tests included months of 14 km commutes (some moderate climb on the way) and a few excursions, and I've been very satisfied. It is a real deal. So now I'm considering getting a full sized belt driven bike to replace my regular bike. Personally I think the belt drive is the future for city/commuter bicycles.

Thanks everyone for replying. Very helpful information.

"If you love lubricating things you probably bought the wrong bike." Touché! You are so right. I don't know what I was thinking. Old habits die hard I guess.

I'd always wanted to go chainless but didn't act on it until a few months ago. After researching the shaft drive design, I concluded that belt drive would be a more efficient option. Since I didn't want to replace my bike outright, I bought a small Strida folding bike as a test unit. My tests included months of 14 km commutes (some moderate climb on the way) and a few excursions, and I've been very satisfied. It is a real deal. So now I'm considering getting a full sized belt driven bike to replace my regular bike. Personally I think the belt drive is the future for city/commuter bicycles.

You might be right about belt drives being the future - especially coupled with internal geared hubs.

I have to revert to the Japanese, though. They went belt-drive about a dozen years ago. IMO, Japan is probably now the world's greatest bicycle culture - yes, superceding even China who has gone motorcar crazy of late.

Anyway, Japan was the perfect test of the belt drive - riders who mostly use their bicycles for commutes and shopping and would appreciate keeping their clothes clean from chain gunk. Japanese riders do not maintain their own bicycles and would appreciate the the low-maintanance aspect of a belt drive over a chain. Japanese riders mostly ride flat city terrain and seldom need more gearing than would be provided by a single, three, or seven speed internal hub.

STILL.... for some reason, the belt drive was abandoned by Japan and it is an oddity today. I have never found out why. Most Japanese bicycle commuters know very little about their bicycle other than "it is a bicycle". When I ask about belt drives vs. chain drives, most shrug and say "don't know - didn't even notice the belt drive fad".

I know from working in the machine industry that belts do stretch and when they do, you have to take the slack out or they don't work. Stretched chains will continue to work until they chew up the sprockets and the whole drive train has to eventually be replaced.

Please do keep us posted about your belt drive bicycle. They sound fascinating and worthy. I am anxious to know more as you gain experience with them.

I am interested too as the belt drive sounds interesting. I know that on the car cam drive belts there is a spring loaded tensioner typically to handle the slight stretch that takes place even on so called stretchless belts, or used to be.

I would expect that some retensioning might be required eventually due to belt stretch or wear though apparently the latest generation of cogged belts are a big improvement over what were available in the past. Belt drive bikes have been available for years but per reports I have seen on older ones belt slip/jump has been a problem for strong riders and in wet/muddy conditions. Interesting to know if the latest generation of belts have solved this.

HD has now been using belt drives for years but I have no idea of the maintenance required including any required readjustment frequency for belt stretch/wear. Their belts are HUGE compared to bicycle belts. They also handle a lot more horsepower and torque though.

Are these belt-drives running a "V" style, grooved or cogged belt ? I would think with a decent cogged belt & a sturdy spring, spring arm, or plunger style tensioner, slippage would be nill. At least, it works on car engines.

I know from working in the machine industry that belts do stretch and when they do, you have to take the slack out or they don't work. Stretched chains will continue to work until they chew up the sprockets and the whole drive train has to eventually be replaced.



Contrary to popular belief bike chains do not stretch- the rollers, bushings and pins wear down over time eventually gaining play between those parts. this is what causes the chain to not properly engage the teeth. Has a similar effect to what you would expect from a stretched chain. The actual links never stretch though.

Are these belt-drives running a "V" style, grooved or cogged belt ? I would think with a decent cogged belt & a sturdy spring, spring arm, or plunger style tensioner, slippage would be nill. At least, it works on car engines.

Read post #7.

The Gates bike drive belt is made of Kevlar which does not stretch like a rubber belt.

Since you probably have a cog belt, do not lub or put any spray on it. I have worked with cog belt drives on office machines for 40+ years. Anything sticky will just serve to pick up grit and dirt which will wear both the belt and the pulleys. Also dont over tension a cog belt, it will just wear out the bearings.