Thulsadoom

That's kinda irrelevant. Harleys put out a whole lot more power, hence the wider belt. Motorcycle chains are a whole lot bigger than bicycle chains in general. You wouldn't need a 1 1/2" belt on a bicycle. I would think that a bicycle belt would only be 1/2" wide or so.

scrapser

Any new technology will go through the early to late adopter bell curve. Adopters along the spectrum will be found in manufacturers, dealers, and end-users. None of them will go through the transition at the same pace. At this point, belt drives are not embedded in the general population as a "need" but rather a "nice to have if I can afford it" (assuming they know it even exists).

There are still some kinks to iron out with belt drives as there always are with new inventions. How fast the best version of the technology becomes mainstream is determined by how fast the adoption process proceeds. People who resist adoption in spite of being able to afford it are the biggest roadblock to progress as they are part of the only population that can help work out the problems that will be encountered by actually using the new equipment and put it through its paces.

At the other end (manufacturing) you have the problem of profitability. The biggest roadblock from this end will be the proliferation of variations of the same product (belt drive system) that are incompatible with each other due to the manufacturers trying to establish proprietary designs, making it even more difficult (and expensive) for users to buy into the technology.

Booger1

Belt drives are not new inventions.The belts that are used on bicycles are the same timing belts and gears that have been used in industry for 60+ years.

The only difference between those and ones used on a bike will be the exposure to the sun.I wouldn't worry to much about that,just change it every 60-70,000 miles and you'll be fine.

These belts are strong,they don't stretch....they can take a beating.

A quality timing belt(Kevlar thread) has a breaking strenth of about 150lbs per 1/8in of width,they're strong!

I like them,I'd buy one today if I wanted one.

staehpj1

All of that assumes that it actually is progress.

bud16415

I’m an early adopter of wire drive. Belts are so 2009.

scrapser

Progress is a general term. Not everything new is necessarily a step forward (forward to what?). Belt drives have fewer components, will not stretch, and will not require lubrication. I think these are the only real "improvements". Perhaps a refined belt system might weigh less then a comparable chain system. I don't know myself. They will still require some sort of maintenance over time (see below) but perhaps not as often.

The previous poster mentions that belt drives are not a new technology but that depends on the scope of application. It's new to bicycles and the unique demands a bicycle will put on the developed system. Exposure to the sun is only one factor in belt wear. I immediately thought of abrasion from mud and debris when riding off-road or in the rain. I believe right now that is a problem with these drives causing the belts to fray prematurely. It also wears the gears, especially if they are aluminum, which in turn start chewing at the belts and accelerating the wear. I think this alone is going to be the biggest hurdle to overcome.

Gates has already released a new type of gear and belt that is supposed to be self-cleaning to address this issue but I would venture to guess it is not the final answer as it is not a 100% cleaning. If anything it appears to simply delay the inevitable for now. In this respect, chain drives are still superior.

I don't own a motorcycle so I can't speak with any experience but I don't think you can compare motorcycle usage to bicycle usage as motorcycles don't have the weight issue to deal with. I'm not sure but I believe belt drives on motorcycles are an enclosed system (or perhaps some are). I also don't know if they are used on dirt bikes either but it seems to me if they were they would have a similar problem with keeping the belts free of debris.

Thulsadoom

What in the H-ee-double-ell is that?

bud16415

It’s Hungarian bicycle drive that has wide range “gearing” and eliminates chains and belts and sprockets and rides just like a normal bike except maybe a bit more cycloidal.

Chris Pringle

Those Hungarians are geniuses! Unfortunately, looks like a special frame is needed for this system (can't upgrade a frame.) Anyway, please send a link of the manufacturer. Really cool stuff!

Dahon.Steve

Prices in new bicycles are never coming down! Seriously. The price of new bicycles each year goes up and up. Inflation, salaries and raw material costs will make it impossible to lower the price. The SpeedHub has been on the market for how many years and has the price gone down?

gregw

Better video about the cable driven bike. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAvWD...eature=related