When you’ve been contemplating shopping for your first ebike — or maybe your second or third — chances are high you’ve come throughout some fashions outfitted with a belt drive as an alternative of a standard chain. However what distinction does a belt drive actually make, and is it truly well worth the normal premium over a tried and trusted chain?
We’re right here to assist.
What’s a belt drive?
Till ebikes began to develop into well-liked, nearly each bicycle in the marketplace used a sequence. However the introduction of ebikes has more and more made belt drives a preferred various. The Gates Carbon Drive is by far the preferred of those, and it’s the one we’ll deal with essentially the most. There are some alternate options too, however Gates’ belts are so ubiquitous that except in any other case specified, you’ll be able to assume we’re speaking about this one model. This isn’t a sponsored publish or something, it’s simply the character of the market proper now.
Anyway, to reply the query: at its most elementary degree, a belt drive is strictly what it seems like. As a substitute of a sequence transmitting energy out of your legs to the rear wheel, a belt does the job as an alternative.
Duh, however what’s the level of utilizing a belt?
Probably the most often-cited profit to a belt drive is sturdiness. The Gates Carbon belt drive is strengthened with — you guessed it — carbon fiber. In case you haven’t heard, that stuff is fairly powerful.
Gates’ carbon fiber belts have been initially designed for high-power functions like bikes and industrial equipment. Ebikes are comparatively puny, so they need to just about final eternally. Gates says its CDX CenterTrack belt is rated for 10,000 miles beneath peak masses, whereas chains designed for ebikes “failed at solely 275 miles.” In real-world utilization, its ebike chains needs to be changed each 2,000 miles, whereas a Gates belt is ought to final you as much as 19,000 miles.
In fact, we’re taking Gates’ phrase for it right here, however in my expertise, listening to of a belt drive failing is exceedingly uncommon. It does occur, however solely beneath excessive circumstances or use (typically conditions during which a sequence would have given up a lot earlier). In the meantime, ebike chains are extra susceptible to failure with mid-drive motors as a result of excessive torque positioned on them relative to a daily bike.
Sturdiness apart, belt drives are nearly utterly silent, really feel additional clean whereas pedaling, require no lubrication, and gained’t get grease in your pants. The one upkeep required is maintaining the belt away from an excessive amount of particles and the occasional tensioning, which is straightforward to do at dwelling (and includes strumming the belt like a guitar).
Plus, they simply look fairly cool, if you happen to ask me.
What’s the catch?
There are two large caveats to utilizing a belt drive.
Probably the most notable one is that belts are incompatible with conventional derailleurs. That signifies that just about each belt-drive bike is both a single-speed (which isn’t the largest deal when you’ve got a motor to assist), or makes use of inner gears.
Normally, belt-drive ebikes that aren’t single-speed use an internally-geared rear hub. Meaning it’s uncommon to search out belt-drive ebikes that use rear hub motors and have a number of gears, though often you’ll get bikes with gears nearer to the pedals, comparable to a Pinion Gearbox or Schlumpf Drive. Nonetheless, these are the exception to the norm.
In different phrases, selecting between belt and chain-driven ebikes is usually additionally a alternative between inner and exterior gears. To some up a few of the frequent execs and cons:
- Inner gear hubs are normally much more sturdy as parts are shielded from the weather and bodily injury.
- Derailleurs are normally lighter, though it is a marginal distinction on most ebikes.
- Inner gear hubs can help you shift gears from a cease, however some don’t can help you shift whereas pedaling. Derailleurs can solely shift whereas the wheel is in movement, which may be annoying if you happen to’re caught in a excessive gear at a crimson gentle.
- Inner gear hubs are normally much less environment friendly at changing your pedaling into movement than a well-maintained chain and derailleur, and range extra relying on what gear you’re in. Studies show that chains are roughly 97-99.5% environment friendly and are typically pretty constant by model. Inner gear hubs can range dramatically relying on the model, and even what particular gear you’re in; I’ve seen figures starting from above 99% to as little as 80%.
- However, “well-maintained” is a vital caveat, as most individuals don’t undergo the difficulty of cleansing and lubricating their drivetrain frequently. That ought to offset some of the difference.
- Derailleurs typically provide extra gears general for higher finetuning of your pedaling cadence. However once more, that’s typically not mandatory on an ebike.
Most belt drives additionally require an ebike with a break up body, which means the body has a cutout that means that you can take away the belt. That stated, there are some firms that make break up belts, comparable to Veer, however these are nonetheless fairly uncommon.
It’s additionally value noting belt drive ebikes are usually costlier. That is partly due to the belt itself, but in addition as a result of most belt drive ebikes use mid-drive motors except they’re single-speed designs. Naturally, you’ll be able to’t use a rear hub motor with an inner gear hub, as they’d should occupy the identical area.
There are some cheaper belt-drive ebikes too, just like the Ride1Up roadster V2 (which makes use of a TopTrans belt). That stated, the caveat to remember with these various belts is that you just might need extra hassle discovering a substitute ought to the belt truly fail.
So ought to I get an ebike with a belt drive as an alternative of a sequence?
Sure. If given the selection between an ebike with a belt drive and an ebike with a sequence, all else being equal, you need to in all probability select the ebike with the belt drive. There are only a few negatives to the expertise, and it’s simply all-around a extra premium expertise.
The issue is that each one else isn’t normally equal. As talked about, belt drive ebikes may be costlier, they’re normally single velocity or use inner gears, and an inner gear hub typically provides somewhat bit to a motorcycle’s weight. So the higher query may be “is a belt drive value it?”
To that, I’d say it in the end comes down to cost. In my expertise, belt drives are primarily a very nice quality-of-life function greater than a must have. In my day-to-day utilization, my favourite factor about them is the silent, clean operation, not getting grease on my pants, and requiring much less upkeep general.
Whereas the sturdiness is very nice for peace of thoughts, it’s not as if I’m breaking bike chains that typically both. It’s solely occurred to me as soon as, and fixing a sequence isn’t that tough to do with the best toolkit. And whereas I don’t care about each little bit of weight financial savings and pedaling effectivity doable, I can perceive that some individuals desire these qualities in a extra conventional setup.
In different phrases, getting a motorcycle with a plain outdated chain and derailleur shouldn’t be a deal-breaker if it in any other case checks all of your containers — except you’ve got uncommon sturdiness wants.
Nonetheless, ebikes with belt drives have gotten extra frequent by the week and simply make for a nicer experience expertise. Whereas a belt drive will not be the one factor to think about when shopping for a brand new ebike, it positive is good to have.
