Originally Posted by
TejanoTrackie
The "strings" are cables that are plenty strong to carry loads in tension. The problem here is not reliability or strength, but the unnecessary complexity and expense of the design. About the only possible advantage that I see is the biopace effect of the cams.
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but...
My son put me onto StringBike and so I thought I'd see what the collective BF had to say about it. Looks like quite a bit early on, but not much for the last few years.
Most substantive (i.e. not ridiculing, dismissive or not trusting the strength of a piece of string) objections seem to ignore the gearing.
AFAIK there are very few options out there for bikes that offer 19 progressive gears. Not that I've spent a lot of time looking for a holy grail, but my recollection is that the current practical limit is 14 with an IG unit. Depending where/how/why you ride may make this a moot point, but for the average person who rides hilly terrain I see this as being a big advantage.
Is it worth the extra money? I have no idea, having never ridden one. In addition to the actual mechanical benefits/durability/advantages of the drive mechanism, there is also the whoooole rest of the build. Frame design/construction being paramount among them...