Belt drive bikes.

One of the things that are a little off-putting about these bikes is the idea of the split seat/chain-stay needed to install the belt, so is there any obvious reason why a frame/hub/wheel combo cant be made where the drive-side seat-stay attaches to the hub closer to the centre of the hub than normal and the rear cog sits outside of the frame, between dropout and some sort of end-piece.

Might look scary having it hang there and there’s an issue with tyre clearance, but have I missed anything obviously wrong?

I’m not planning on building a new hub/frame/wheel – just a random wonder.

some motorcycle single siders are built a bit like that. It would mean a very different type of hub tho

if it was a single side arm then you wouldn’t have the problem anyway

The chain line can stay the same, just the dropout will be inside the cog.

your wheel would need to be dished to crazy levels

basically you’re asking why isn’t something way more complicated than it needs to be

Aye, basically.

It can be done with a front wheel (lefty) so why not?. You’d need to squeeze a brake rotor on too.
Personally I think it’d be easier and cheaper to adapt a conventional design, but don’t let that stop you.

Belts are ace. Here’s mine:
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PA300017[/url] by ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr

but its not really done on a lefty is it?

a lefty has all its workings between the leg and the wheel, just like a regular frame.

mackem is on about having the frame between the workings and the wheel.

Well, no the workings can stay where they already are, just the frame attaches to the spindle in a diffeent place. If the chainline was equivalent to running the chain on the outer front ring then you might even get away with having the same old hub as usual, just some sort of adapted spindle.

I’m sure cleverer people than me have already thought about this and dismissed it, but was an interestig thought.

You’re talking about monoblade frames.

The most famous monoblade bike:

Incidentally, Mike Burrows who designed it, doesn’t like belt drives. He used to work in the packaging industyr making machines to make boxes, and he thinks belt drives are fine on static machinery, but have no place on a bike. He prefers industrial chains with thick oil.

Cannondale’s attempt:

shows off the monoblade betetr:

but I suspect the Cannondale idea is better as it has the brake rotor inboard, like TJ’s motorbike up there.

and lastly, article by Mr Burrows himself:
http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.php?id=278

Elivated chainstay?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3209/2999940474_72e6406d9b.jpg

Macavity – Member
Elivated chainstay?

Here’s one I brewed earlier for the SSUK a few years ago.

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Too much flex in the chainstays for the belt. Solved that problem after the event with a snubber.

Nice and quiet.

Strida

that’s exactly what I was saying. the lotus has the frame between the cog and the wheel.

epicyclo – where do you get all your belt-drive stuff from? Direct from Gates?
I want to get a slightly bigger rear cog, but don’t want to really pay the full delivery charge from Gates, especially after the snubber incident…

ir_bandito – Member
epicyclo – where do you get all your belt-drive stuff from? Direct from Gates?…

G-Boxx[/url]

Haven’t done much with belts recently because I’m trying to devise a lightweight oilbath chaincase integrated into the frame.

cheers, thats where mine was from, but they’ll only deliver using UPS next day, whcih costs a fortune!

Oilbath chaincase? Like Katz?

More like Sunbeam. Part of frame.

ah, I see…

If its centre track your after then spot brand are where I get all my stuff

Shaft drive

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2008/dec/3/JimVaughn-2.jpg

Ringo, haven’t got centre-track, but plan on getting a set for the next project…
Have you got a contact?