Had another chain break on me on the way home from work, always carry a chain tool so was able to get going but what a f*%kin mess!! Been very interested in the belt drive for some time. Wondering if anyone has been using one for a while, any drawbacks, any slips, easy to look after? Any thought aprieciated…Im aware of the need to split the frame and issues with getting the front chainring to fit ect..

Thanks a lot

B

only times i've snapped chains is when they haven't been joined properly.

i thought i'd snapped a chain last night, turned out i'd snapped the spider instead. much more irritating.

How are you snapping them? plates or at pins? if so how, are they twisted etc? chains dont just fall apart.

RIP has a belt drive VN Zion with a Rohloff that he's been running for a couple of months, he seems to like it a lot, I expect he'll be along shortly to tell you about it.

I have the Trek district. I love the belt drive. I've not put it under severe strain but it has never given me any cause for concern

Just don't by Sram chains and you'll be fine. It's not something that should ever happen.

Sorry, can't tell you about the problems of belt drive because I haven't had one yet (18months)

Single speed is teh answer

I run a 1×9 on both my commuter and offroader which probably adds to a bit of extra chain strain. Its not happening all the time or anything and I'd be the first person to point to incorrect joining as the cause of many problems.

I do avoid sram chains( the joining link they supply failed quite a few times over the years) Prefer the wipperman joining link.

Come to think of it the chain that broke was an oldish sram..
Anyway would love an oil-less system on the commuter atleast, save clothes and all and ariving in with black fingers….
It appeals to me that the belt would have a really long lifespan aswell..AND IT CANT BREAK!!!

Single speed is the answer Cynical! But not to this question..")

Thanks all.

B

I've snapped a few SRAM chains, still use them though.

Belt drive is the answer for commuting. That Trek (district?) is amazing. Belt drive, hub gears, drum brakes (sealed).. all you have to do is fit ride-on cables and you're sorted for a good 5 years. First maintenance item would probably be perished tyres 🙂

I really want one. Did you know it comes with a travel coffee mug to fit into the bottle cage?

anyone done a belt drive fixie, i cant see why it would make any difference but i'm considering it for the polo bike

Belt drive fixie?

molgrips – Member
Just don't by Sram chains and you'll be fine. It's not something that should ever happen.

nice STW comment there…how do you explain the other side of that story?? I used shimano..they split several times and then having changed to sram never again…hhhmmm

kit breaks..sometimes.

I've snapped all sorts of chains, generally from lack of maintenance or poor joining. Never at a powerlink. Always pulled a plate off a pin, usually at a sticky link that I've not checked out properly, and usually when I'm being lazy and putting power on during a shift.

nice STW comment there…how do you explain the other side of that story??

I used sram chains and never snapped a chain once in at least 10 years of riding. Not a single occurrence. Sram changed their production facility, and it started happening – I was gobsmacked. Then I switched to whatever brand my LBS sells (I forget currently) and normal service is resumed.

They were all outer plate failures btw, never a powerlink. And I never split my chains either (except via powerlink) because I know it makes them weaker.

JonEdwards – Belt drive fixie?

is that ? supposed to be there?

if it is, I dunno
if it isn't, is it yours and how does it ride?

surly cross check with alfine, no problems yet. very very smooth

As the man said, single speed, next to zero maintenance.

First thing i've replaced is my tyres, after just over 1500miles on London mean streets they were fecked, need brake blocks next as the OE Tektro ones are near shot, but again 1500 miles in all weathers with mucho stop starting – mushnt grumble

Combine the belt with a S-A 3 speed and you have a silent bike, and no more maintenance than a single speed.

"It appeals to me that the belt would have a really long lifespan as well..AND IT CANT BREAK!!!"

It may be tough, and have a good life span but it seems unlikely it "can't" break. Belt drives in other environments including car engines wear and fail. They may have a long lifespan, but I know of someone who had a timing belt in their car snap less than a month after having it fitted. Wrecked the engine. I know its a different environment, but "can't" still seems improbable.