Belt drive conversion…

… anyone done it?

Where do you source the parts? Costs?

Any advice on adapting a frame- I’m tempted to have a go with my Inbred 29er.

Cheers

Paul

You need a framebuilder to do the frame

Yep.

[/url]
DSC_0094[/url] by ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr

Check my forum history for the story…

You need a framebuilder to do the frame

Not with the right frame…

Epicyclo’s dione a few aswell.

Was riding it last night, and this morning. Its brilliant (now)

Oh yeah, cheapest place for the kit seems to be http://www.bikeparts.com
Search for “Gates”
$12 delivery, so you’re looking around £140 for Centretrack belt and 2 sprockets (go for Centretrack rather than Carbon-Drive)
Let me know if you do cos I’m thinking of buying a centre-track setup now.

There’re tools for working out available belt-lengths for you specific bike on http://www.carbondrivesystems.com/

Yep – frame will need some work. Going to speak with Ben at Kinetics as he’s local, and has experience with dropout changes.

Nice one Mr Bandito- lots of useful information- just need to work gear ratio’s and stuff now. And belt lengths. Hmmm.

🙂

Steven Shand will do conversions too.

Just seen this ultimate belt-drive machine from NAHBS:

Not with the right frame..

Of course! Which does not include the OP’s Inbred.

Oh yes- and why 2 sprockets? Won’t only one will work with the belt size?

One on the front, one on the back…..

Doh. I’ll be quiet now.

I just got my belt drive frame and I’m building it up right now.

Unfortunately, there’s a delay with the CentreTrack stuff, so it’ll be chain drive for now.

Pictures to follow.

Where are you getting your stuff from Graham?

It’s a Qoroz frame.
They’re getting me the pulleys and belts direct from the European Gates importer.
I don’t know if they would sell them separately, not with a frame.

Graham I’m assuming you’ll run that with the Rohloff?

Yes, one front pulley and two rear pulleys and belts so I can run Rohloff or SS.

Graham Phillips is the proiud owner of this

Posted by Qoroz Bikes on Thursday, March 8, 2012

That’s a very neat join in the seatstay Graham. I like that.
I thought Gates were a bit funny about suppling Rohloff sprockets. Rohloff claim to only allow belts to be used if the frame meets their (fairly basic) standards regarding flex etc, but they wouldn’t let you buy the kit if they didn’t want you to.
And they advise use of a snubber (even with the CT belt) to prevent ratcheting. But don’t use the Gates one, they’re rubbish.

Qoroz make an expedition bike[/url] with Gates drive.

There’s a good report of the Rohloff/Gates stiffness test here.

My frame is a sort of hybrid of their 29er mountain bike and the proven expedition rear triangle.

I’d love to go belt drive but they don’t do a 32:18 equivalent with an alfine option. Soon as they do, I’m on it

Didn’t you post recently about not being able to find the right ratio for an Alfine ? I remember looking at the Gates ratio finder thingy and there was nothing even close.
I’m lucky that I’ve got near enough exactly what I want with one front pulley and two rear pulleys and belts using the same chainstay length.
It’s a shame there’s such a limited range available.

I’d love to too once they make a close ratio alfine for winter road bikes.

Yeah I think I mentioned it on the last thread that popped up. I’m tempted to get an 18t equivalent machined up but I’d need to get the pitch & profile details first.

Getting a centre track pulley machined as a one off ?
It’d be cheaper to buy a new frame with the right length chainstay. 😛

<awaits “I’ve broken my belt drive” thread>

they don’t do a 32:18 equivalent with an alfine option

39:22 isn’t far off, or 42:24. I guess depends if your chainstays are the right length. Doesn’t have to be precise if you’ve then got gears to play with.

I’d not do centertrack, I’d stick with standard old ones but it’s still likely to be pricey even if I get it done through work.

It’d be going on a full suss frame so my options are limited a bit.

Oh and on a side note, how do you rate a bb pivot bike, a lot of people say they aren’t good on square edged bumps but then a lot of people spout utter rubbish and have never tried one.

I’d have to give up my trance which I really like for I bike that I think I’ll like but won’t have had a chance to try out

I’d not do centertrack

Why ever not? Its far better than Carbondrive (ie it stays on…)

how do you rate a bb pivot bike

The A is a right laugh. But that’s more to do with geometry than suspension I think. I can only compare it really to my old Heckler, and its as good I’d say. I’d quite like to convert a Bass/Cowan DS or even one of those Commencals.
Single-pivots are never going to be as high performers as 4-bars, and BB-pivot even less so. But at the moment, its the only way of using a belt until someone comes up with a suitable tensioner that doesn’t reverse bend the belt. I’ve an idea I’m working on….
Dream bike is a Nicolai Helius with a Pinion gearbox and a belt-drive.

donor bike?

Can you get a “power link”for a belt or do you carry one of those emergency fan belts that you can get for the car?(sits back trying to understand why any one would want to waste cash on some kind of nichetastic drive system when chains seem to be pretty good anyway)

nope, belt is one-piece. And I don’t have a spare.

less weight, cleanliness, lack of maintenance, quieter. All good things about belts.

I know there are negative points too (cost, specific frames, no deraileur systems etc), but can you imagine if someone had said “why waste cash on hydraulic brakes when side-pull rim-brakes seem fine”.

Hydraulic brakes are better than rim brakes thats why,my chain is pretty quiet and the only maintenance is a quick squirt of oil but seriously,how do the belts cope with the clag?

I’ve not had a problem with my belt in mud. I know one of the Milk Bikes prototypes snapped a belt at the Dusk til Dawn in Thetford, but that was suspected to be down to the prototype Alfine sprocket not having mud clearance holes in it. Newer ones do, and CentreTrack is supposed to be better at clearing mud.

Belt doesn’t need a quick squirt of oil…

I just like the challenge, in theory a belt-drive hub-geared bike is seriously reducing maintenance and that’s where this all began for me.
I can see there being a superb market in city and touring bikes for belts, so I figure if it works on a mtb, it’ll be fine. Downside is cost, but that will drop as demand and production increase.

This is designed as a belt drive bike just got a quote on prices and availability and will waiting a while

Looking good ade

It’s one of those commie absolut sx frames that I want to convert or maybe a modified dmr bolt but they all have tiny seat tubes

Paragon Machine Works do a really nice tube splitter that would be ideal on a steel frame

Keep wondering about getting one fitted on my Cotic Simple so i could fit belt drive

I’ve not had a problem with my belt

Until saturday afternoon. It seems the Leicestershire Alps were just too much for it and the bloody thing snapped. Leaving me no choice but to freewheel down to the pub before a long walk home.

The upshot is, I will be buying a Centretrack system. Probably with a spare belt….

Anyone want to split the delivery from the states?
Email in profile….

I might. Just bought a Cowan DS to ss so pricing a full kit. Just need to work out the length.

Documents CS lenght is 16.7″ and if its anything like my A, that’ll be at the maximum position (A was claimed 17″, and that was with dropouts right back) So need to allow for tensioning.

Cool,thanks. What sprocket sizes did you go for on your A?

I went for 46:22 with a 113T tooth belt. I could never quote get enough tnesion, so when I had new dropouts made to use the bolt-in hub, I tweaked the geometry to get an extra 3mm.

I’m going to replace it with 46:24 so I can bring the back wheel in, and actually get up steep hills without risking over-torquing the belt, which is what killed it.

You have to bear in mind the width if the sprockets, especially the front one. If you go too large, you could get a clash on the chainstay. I dpn’t know if drawings of the Centretrack sprockets are available, I certainly used to have a set for the Carbon-Drive versions.