I saw this on EcoVelo. A new model from Civia that we should see more of at Interbike this fall.

Drop bars, internal geared hub, disc brakes, and belt drive. Looks like someone has been listening to the hardcore bike forum commuters.

https://www.ecovelo.info/2009/08/07/f...-civia-bryant/

It finally exists!

And it's named after me! Huzzah!

Can't wait to buy a used one in 4 years when they're $600

They also made a drop version of the Hyland, but didn't include the dynamo hub or lights with it (wtf?)

No belt upper run belt guard I note, at least on the pictured prototype. Belts get wet and dirty too so can get pants or legs dirty. I still cannot understand why ALL IGH commmuter and city bikes are not manufactured with this IMO needed item. These are supposed to be practical bikes and "cool" should not apply.

Hello
Just letting folks know that the Civia Bryant will have a belt guard that comes with this bike.
Nothing is pictured here but they will be ready for our first production round.
Thanks

PJ Ramstack
Civia Cycles
Sales and CS Manager
pj@civiacycles.com

Sweet! Can't wait to see some more pictures of it.

I can't say I recall ever seeing a bike with drop bars and a chain/belt guard too.

Can you tell us whether the fame is going to be steel?

PJ;

Glad to hear it. I am still happy with my Hyland Rohloff which I have emailed you in the past concerning. Are you going to be offering a drop bar update kit for the Hyland?

Rich Wood
astronut1001

Very nice. Must get a job at a shop that sells Civia, or at least uses QBP I guess...

I don't want to weigh in on whether a belt is a good idea or not but I wish they'd make a full chaincase for their bikes with chains, like the Breezer bikes have. I can understand making it an optional accessory as some people might not like the look, but the IGH makes a full chaincase possible and it would certainly keep the chain a lot cleaner in the winter.

People keep asking for steel, and if they made a steel frame and people buy it that's great. But for a winter bike, I know I personally would not have considered buying a steel frame - a frame that's constantly doushed in salt and sand that can also rust would be one point of maintenance I would not have wanted to deal with.

I also hope they listen to what people want and give it enough tire clearance to put decent size tires + fenders on there.

Does anyone know if you will be able to retrofit a belt onto an Alfine hub and crankset?

You can't break a belt so you have to break the frame. So, you need a special frame to mount the belt.

Looks prety nice to me. I still plan on building a custom commuter/tourer similar to the Silkroad but with a belt drive compatible rear triangle.

Will there be a dynohub option?

Yeah, saw that the other day. Gotta assume it's using the Versa shifters and road disc brakes (unless shimano has finally released a shifter). hella cool set up. can't wait to see the full report from interbike (there's a LOT of cool stuff coming out this year)

This is the closest I've seen to my dream bike. I hope dreams really do come true. I wonder what IGH it'll be sporting.

Hello again, I will do my best to answer the questions I have seen here.
-Hubcap: The bike will be steel.
-Rich: Good to hear that you are still liking the Hyland. I don't know if we plan an kit to change Hyland bikes to drop-bar but we can help you do so. To be clear there will not be an STI style shift option. You would have to go with the twist shifter as a bar-end attachment. If your interested let me know and I can get you going through your IBD.
-RedWhiteandRed: You can retro fit your existing Alfine and Crank to use a belt drive, as mentioned you will need to have a frame that can be split or split your frame. We will sell Bryant frames!
-BarracksSi: Not 100% sure on spec yet in terms of a dyno-hub. Most likely not, we will allow folks to add it if they want aftermarket. We continue to receive feedback that we need to keep our prices down. This is one way to do that since there is a good portion of users that don't want this.

Thanks again and if you have other questions please feel free to email me.
PJ Ramstack
Civia Cycles
pj@civiacycles.com

I guess I see things through a dynohub-tinged mist since I'm so smitten with the one I've got..

I know what I'd put on that bike anyway; I could probably save a bundle by buying it overseas, too. Hubs and lights still cost too much here in the US.

Are there going to be stock options for different gearing? I.e., will Civia, or even Gates, offer different front and rear cogs?

Aside: chain guards on belt drive bikes are silly. How do you sell the cleanliness of the belt drive if you're covering it up with a belt guard? Most chain drive bikes don't have them, belt makes them especially moot.

So if you were going to get on a bike in a nice suit and ride three blocks to the deli... would you prefer that there be a belt guard to keep the belt from eating your $500 pants or would you just risk it?

I know... you don't ride in a suit, or you wouldn't be making this comment. I'm just asking you to try to pretend for a second. I don't ride in long pants either, just saying. [edit] don't know what I was thinking... I ride my bike to the store or to grab lunch fairly regularly from work. I certainly don't have $500 pants, but the chainguard on my "errand bike" keeps them safe.

I have always thought that the bigger selling point of a belt drive was the lack of maintenance, not that it was always cleaner than a chain. Granted, the belt shouldn't get the lube/road grime smegma build up that is prevalent on chains, but it is going to be far from clean enough that I would want to brush against it in khakis.

OK, I'd grant you something like that on a bike like the District, made for running around town and whatnot, but on a drop-bar longer-distance commuter bike?!? In either case, a simple outboard chainring style guard would work better, look cleaner, and not be even somewhat superfluous. People who worry about dirt from a belt drive probably shouldn't be wearing such clothes outdoors anyway... or those marketing the belt drive need to stop with the "cleaner than a chain--no more greasy pants!" schtick.

I keep my pant legs safe by tucking them into my sock (well, at least the drive side leg). Works fine, and the sock takes the chain grime, whereas a pant strap or clip leaves the pant material exposed.

BUT... when I get to work and pull the pant leg out, it's all rumpled up, and if I'm sweaty, it looks pretty bad. It would be nicer to have a chain guard.

Is a sprocket guard enough to keep a pant leg from getting caught in the belt?