Originally Posted by
ChainlessRev
Forgot to pose a question that I've been thinking on & off (esp during those "spaced out" moments waiting for the bus or taking shower...you get the idea) and the mention of RA in this posting reminded me of it.
Anyways, do you think there's some type of benefit for people with RA or other joint challenges to ride on a bike with a belt drive versus a conventional chain drive train?
Initially I thought the answer was an obvious "NO" but as I thought more about it, I could be on to something...even if it's a small difference. My theory is that there is less shock to the knee when riding a bike with a belt drive drive train because of the shock that belt can absorb. Won't be significant but who knows - over many miles of riding, it can add up, right??
=D
BTW, CR thanks for the link.....emailed owner but has not returned email....yet.
The thing about RA is that it's the worst type of arthritis, it can and will put you in a wheel chair if you give in to the pain and don't keep moving. Morphine pills helps...
To answer your question, a belt drive from what I've seen in my searching is one speed and that could be a problem coming to a hill and working the knee's harder put's strain on the joints.That's why I'm looking for different speeds, weather cogs or a internal hub.
I had a Nexus 7 speed in one bike and that was sweet. No chain jumping off, just smooth shifting.
see ya