BELT-DRIVE BIKES

[Davidc]

Belt drive on machines can work at an angle like a derailleur gear so can't see why not on a bike.

On a BSO it could be built into the frame with no need for a means of getting it on and off - it'll last longer than the bike will.

Otherwise it could be welded in and then cut off when it's worn out. The life of some machine drive belts is extraordinary.

 

[Piemaster]

There was a link posted to an ebay auction a good while ago (sorry, can't find it) that was or a belt driven bike. No conventional chainstay on it but a tube running from the headset to rear hub with the BB sort of just hanging off it. Different but it got around having to split the chainstay in order to get a belt on.

 

[gaz]

Only usable on a fixed or singlespeed, I guess. I can see some attraction around town for the mechanically incompetent, but that's all. A chain is cheaper, probably lighter and crucially you can repair it if it snaps on the road.

You can used hub gears with it.

 

[ASC1951]

You can used hub gears with it.

As I pointed out ...

However, I don't see how you get round the gear-changing problem without using a hub gear.

 

[very-near]

Kawasaki did a motorcycle with belt drive: the GPz305 (I think - looking to others for confirmation!!). Don't think the concept really caught on. Not sure why.

Too much power loss and a risk of hopping the sprockets at higher RPM.

As said, a chain is a very efficient and light way of driving the back wheel from front sprocket

 

[Virtual DBP]

<<Kawasaki did a motorcycle with belt drive: the GPz305>>

you've just brought a smile to my face... to explain, they did and it was the first every motorcycle i bought over 20yrs ago.

from what i remember that particular bike couldn't pull the skin of a bowl of custard and therefore didn't have enough power to really test the belt.

 

[TheDoctor]

It's not a new idea. Stridas have belts, and they've been around for 20-odd years.
There's no real reason not to use belts more, as far as I can see, but the problem is that there's no compelling reason to use them either.
*sits back, awaits posts about 'revolutionary' new shaft drive bike*

 

[zacklaws]

Have you seen Treks belt driven bike?

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/exclusive-look-belt-driven-trek-cyclo-cross-bike-18828