Belt drive - finally?
09-07-07, 02:12 PM
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It's been around as long as the shaft-drive. Funny how things that sound like a great idea often don't pan out. But a lot of motorcycles have belt drive these days so who knows.
09-07-07, 03:07 PM
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This new belt contruction may make a go of it. The only big problem I see is length adjustment. It's either gonna be a lot of belt sizes or a tension idler.
09-07-07, 04:30 PM
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Derailleurs and chain drive are so wonderfully mechanically efficient that they set the bar real high. Whatever is going to supplant them (and I have no doubt that will happen someday) is going to have to be very mechanically efficient even during it's early development.
09-07-07, 04:35 PM
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Belt-tensioner = squandered energy.
Leaving us either:
~lots of belt sizes
~fixed chainstay (erm... beltstay) & trackbike monogears
~internal gearing
Belt drives are wonderful for underpowered bikes like Harleys, but they haven't exactly revolutionized motorcycle drivetrains either.
-CCinC
Leaving us either:
~lots of belt sizes
~fixed chainstay (erm... beltstay) & trackbike monogears
~internal gearing
Belt drives are wonderful for underpowered bikes like Harleys, but they haven't exactly revolutionized motorcycle drivetrains either.
-CCinC
09-07-07, 04:50 PM
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Derailleurs and chain drive are so wonderfully mechanically efficient that they set the bar real high. Whatever is going to supplant them (and I have no doubt that will happen someday) is going to have to be very mechanically efficient even during it's early development.
My biggest issue with the belt drive would be roadside repair...kind of hard to take out a broken link, adjust the wheel and keep on riding...and yes I have broken a link in a chain before.
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
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09-07-07, 06:15 PM
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To me, this is like electric or hydraulic shifters: Even if you work out all the bugs and get them working wonderfully, how much better can they be than a modern derailleur, or in this case a modern chain drive? It's quiet, efficient, easy to work on, shifts beautifully and doesn't cost much. My road bikes are nothing special--105-level components, mostly, with XT on the Atlantis--but I wouldn't pay a dime for them to work better than they do. They're already as good as I need or want them to be.
Last edited by Velo Dog; 09-07-07 at 08:19 PM.
09-07-07, 08:24 PM
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Actually they aren't that far apart. IIRC the total efficiency spread between an internal gear and a dérailleur was only around 3% and quite often in certain gears the dérailleur was less efficient than the IGH. And quite often there are greater losses from wind resistance, riding style, low tire pressures, etc. Those items probably contribute more to speed loss than drive train efficiency.
As to the greater speed losses, I fully agree. Once you get over about 12 or 15MPH, compared to the effort that's required to push your torso through the air, everything else, including drive train efficiency, is small potatoes.
09-07-07, 10:45 PM
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forget gears... CVT for bikes. They already have them for 3ton SUVs and cars, can't see how it wouldn't work for a bike.
on second thought I like having gears, and in manual.
on second thought I like having gears, and in manual.
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09-08-07, 05:02 AM
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09-08-07, 06:55 AM
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My bet is it's coming but it's going to take a design breakthrough to make it competitive on a bicycle.
09-19-07, 02:55 AM
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09-19-07, 04:15 AM
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In one of my previous lives I rode Harleys for years.
I never saw a belt break or heard of one breaking
but I suppose they must, because of said repair kit. Chains
on-the-other hand.....who hasnt broken one ? :eek"
Id like to see belts !
Weighing a bike down with 25lbs of clothes, tools, lunch etc,
Im just not at all concerned about theoretical power loss.
Last edited by -=(8)=-; 09-19-07 at 04:20 AM.
09-19-07, 04:27 AM
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You could always carry a spare belt for what is probably a very rare event (ie, only worth worrying about if you're touring).
09-19-07, 07:16 AM
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Internal gear hubs make alot of sense for commuters. Less maintenance than derailleur setups and they don't suffer the effects of weather.
Someone's never ridden a built Harley.
Someone's never ridden a built Harley.
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