Maintenance-free bike? What would the Spanish know?

With a wide-ranging, Pinion internal gearbox, a Gates belt drive transmission and a carbon leaf-sprung Lauf fork, the new Axxis ‘Zero’ is claimed to be ‘one step beyond’ low maintenance. We’d argue that it must be hard to design a bike that resists the weather, rust and water and mud ingress in a land where the weather’s nice and sunny for most of the year.

However, on first looks, they seem to have done a pretty good job.

The Pinion mid-mounted internal gearbox offers 12 or 18 speeds (and delivers them well, see our recent test of the 18Bikes model) through a Gates carbon belt to the rear wheel. There are no pivots, not many cables and the fork has no pivots at all, but relies on carbon leaf springs to provide 65mm of travel.

The manufacturer promises: “With AXXIS “ZERO” derailleurs problems, gear changes problems, strand breaks, lubrication, maintenance forks… are something from the past.AXXIS “ZERO” is the bike’s present, a more reliable alternative compared to traditional derailleurs, transmission and suspensions.”

It’s a pity the sun-blessed Spaniards haven’t been on those wet, gritty bike rides where brake pads can disappear in an afternoon, so we don’t reckon they’re quite there yet as it they’ve still specced ‘normal’ SRAM hydraulic disc brakes, so it’s only a matter of time (however, some of Shimano’s very creditable Roller Brakes, or Sturmey Archer’s drum brakes might fit the maintenance-free bill though).

OK, so we’re giving them a bit of a hard time here, but as ‘put away wet and ride hard the next day’ bike, it’s a pretty good contender! This machine, with “Aerospace Grade 9 Titanium” will set you back €5,595

For more information: axxisbikes.com/en/