Bicycle Engineering Blog

You surely are CR4's prize addition.

Let us begin this blog with a simple one:

1 Why could nobody yet use a VEE belt instead of the RollerChain from Foot pedal to driving wheel. Is there a problem? Free Wheel will be there-- of course.

Why, you're not the first one who has asked the question. It has been done before.

1. The Strida folding bike using a rubber belt. (started in the 80's) (http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008/01/design-of-strida-by-mark-sanders.html)

2. There is a new company who're making belt drives for bicycles out of carbon. (http://www.carbondrivesystems.com/).

3. Some other belts made out of kevlar corded poly chain belt eg, the iXi bike (http://www.ixibike.com/)

While companies are trying to increase the appeal of these drive systems, the fact of the matter is :

1. Limited application to single speed (one front and one rear gear) systems (fixed gear or MTB's) .Belt drives can't work on derailleur systems and there are frame production issues.

2. Tension and slippage problems have been noted on belts.

3. Belts aren't as efficient as a simple roller chain. Researchers at Cornell have seen that even unlubed dirty chains have an efficiency of 98%.

I see no tremendous advantages to belts over chains to justify throwing chains away.

If you have some ideas, we can discuss.

Ron

Cozy Beehive