Bikes with chains may be becoming an endangered species. Belt-driven bikes, which were introduced by boutique bike makers a couple of years ago, are just starting to hit the mainstream. Trek has introduced two new urban bikes for 2009 with belt drives rather than chains, and they look pretty sweet.
The benefit to a belt drive system over a chain and shifters system is that it won’t stretch and break over time like a chain, weighs significantly less, stays clean (and keeps your cuffs clean) and is quiet. The downside? It’s more expensive. The two bikes Trek has unveiled, the District and the Soho, will run you US$930 and US$990, respectively. But as with all new tech, the prices are always highest right when it starts hitting the mainstream. Look for bikes with belt drives to start coming from many more big bike companies for much less in the coming years. [Trek]
wang
Friday, September 5, 2008 at 1:29 PMSounds like a good idea, if you don’t mind using a single speed that is.
The only way I can see this working with gears is if they had a planetary gearset in the rear hub. Which by the way is way cooler than some boring belt drive.
ukalipt
Friday, September 5, 2008 at 2:57 PMagain, sounds / looks great on paper, but some bastard would cut it when the bike was locked up at the station, pub … etc.
david
Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 5:33 PMThis looks like a great improvement over a chain, clean, quiet and no more wearing out the cogs. And no you are not limited to single speeds, the Trek Soho is 8 speed. And I wouldn’t worry too much about someone cutting the belt when it’s a lot easier for them to just cut the tyres instead.