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Did a few searches but not much recent discussion that I can find, apart from the overall pro's and con's.
1) Anyone here using a modern belt drive ie. Gates CDX regularly offroad (singlespeed or hub gear)
2) My frame is designed for belt drive and has an EBB with 16mm adjustment. With the pulleys I want, the shorter belt would be 2mm from the shortest BB position, and the next longest belt would be less than 3mm from the longest position. If I understand it correctly, I should have 10mm less that the belt length to get the belt fitted and 2mm more than the belt length to tension it. However...like most bikes I've got vertical dropouts so I would mount the belt before fitting the rear wheel so am I right to think I can ignore this slack requirement? I don't really trust my measuring enough so don't want to risk the 'less than 3mm' not being sufficient to tension (I've measured from dropout to BB face which is effectively a really bad chainline so not straight)
3) I've been going through the Gates manuals (admittedly only on my phone) and struggling to see how to measure chainstay clearance for the larger front pulleys...any pointers would be helpful
4) My cranks aren't compatible with Gates (96bcd) so should I consider Gates Cranks or just go with a pulley and any old cranks?
Thanks
I've never fitted one in place of a chain, so can't comment on most of your questions, but...
(I’ve measured from dropout to BB face which is effectively a really bad chainline so not straight)
The chain line is absolutely critical so you've got to be sure you can get that right. The PDI on my commute bike wasn't done well, the drive side BB was maybe a mm out of properly tight and the crank not fully tight on the spindle. This wasn't enough to make it wobbly and the misalignment couldn't be seen by eye but it still ran rough and the Alfine didn't change well.
TLDR You need to be more concerned by the alignment than the tension. I'd go for the shorter one as mine needed to be tightened after running in.
Should have been clearer...I ran the tape measure from the face of the rear dropout to the face of the BB shell. Hence tape measure at a bad angle, I think I need to redo it with the rear axle installed so I can measure off that instead. I was expecting to see a belt option to put it vaguely in the middle of the 16mm adjustment so originally didn't bother measuring straight 🙂
Thanks for the tip about extra tensioning after running in
Check out Grizly Munro on FB
He’s got a gates belt drive / pinion full sus
Gives it the beans !!
I’ve got a pinion with CDX hard tail. It’s a bolt thru vertical drop out so as above, that’s an easier way to drop belt off and on, than adjusting tensioners (or in your case EBB). Even with a decent amount of forward tension adjustment in my dropouts I still found taking belt off was tricky and wheel slid down the vertical dropout always easier. I guess you know but rolling the belt on or off sprockets is an absolute no, it’s the one thing that will damage the belt (ask how I know).
I’d still err on side of sticking with Gates recommendations. At £100 a belt I’d rather go with their official recommendation than chance it.
Can’t help with chainstay clearance, not sure I understand the question. If using something similar teeth to a regular chain sprocket does that not give you rough idea on sizing. Presumably Ebb gives some scope for adjustment at front.
Pinion here so that’s the only crank setup I have experience of.