What are the pros and cons of a bike with a belt drive? Motorcycle Belt

For some time now there has been a trend in the bike industry toward speccing a belt drive, rather than a traditional chain, to bikes in certain categories. You might land here wondering ‘what is a belt drive and do I need one?’. Here we’ll explore the pros and cons of what’s fast becoming a common feature on bikes at ever-lower price points.

What is a belt drive?

Belt drives have been around now for over 100 years, driving plenty more industrial applications than just bikes. In fact, the market leader and a pioneer in the space is Gates and they’ve been busy in the space since 1911. Fast forward a fair bit and they’re a supplier to motorcycle giants like Harley Davidson, which incidentally also has a licenced e-bike product range, which also now uses a belt drive.

In short, the belt drive you’ll find on cycles and electric bikes nowadays will be made from strands of flexible carbon fibre shaped to host teeth that will align and interlock with a cog.

How does a belt drive work?

In a sense a belt drive works in an inverse way that a chain will, serving much the same function just in a marginally different way. The wedges on the belt meet the cogs and enable you to propel your ride forwards. When installed, the belt will be tensioned to ensure it propels the bike efficiently and stays put on the cogs, though there will be a mechanism on the belt itself, or in the form of a guide to ensure the belt does not move sideways and pop off the drivetrain.

What are the pros of a belt drive?

Now what you’ve been waiting for; the pros of running a belt drive versus a chain drive.

Next to no maintenance

First and most noticeably, you may well be familiar with how mucky a chain drive can be. they require regular oiling and protection from the elements. Meanwhile, a belt drive requires none of this maintenance and as a result dirt doesn’t stick itself to the drive like it may with an oiled chain. Of course it’s best to keep the belt clean, but the material is not known to cling to muck so a light wash with a hose will often suffice and of course it matters less if you leave the drive damp as there’s no water and air-based corrosion of carbon fibres.

Longer lifespan for your drivetrain

It is generally accepted that a belt drive will generally last between two to three times as long as a chain, which over time will stretch and eventually fatigue to the point where it needs replacing. A stretched chain will also faster wear out its companion components.

Lighter than a chain

Not only will a belt offer more longevity, a belt drive will be lighter than most standard chains simply down to the material construction.

Can you hear that?

Anyone who has ridden a bike on rough terrain has heard a chain slapping around, it’s long been an unwelcome feature of cycling, in particular in mountain biking where chainstay protectors are the norm.

On the other hand, a belt drive is as good as silent because, as a whole, the belt is a single piece, rather than the sum of lots of metal links. Say goodbye too to the sound of grinding when grit sticks to the metals.

The evolution of bike design

Minus all the gubbins associated with chains bike design has been prompted to evolve, arguably for the first time in 100 years. As the market does away with derailleurs alternative ways to shift gears are emerging, none more notable than internal gear hubs and even gearboxes that sync with e-bike motors (as with the Pinion system picture up top). With these innovations comes the ability to better work a bike’s chassis to meet geometry objectives, or other goals. All in all, the belt drive has given bike designers a new lease of life to get creative.

And the cons?

Servicing is a little more complicated for the home mechanic

Many of us could, with a bit of reading, suss out how to work a chain tool and even buy one if not in a local bike shop, then in Lidl’s specials isle. The same cannot be said for a belt drive and you’ll more than likely need a bike shop’s help if you do require servicing or fitting.

Unlike chains, a belt typically does not split (though specialist business Veer would disagree since its does). What this means is that your bike’s frame will often have a removable segment on the rear triangle that will need to be carefully unbolted and re-tightened.

Typically they’ll appear on costlier bikes (though that’s changing)

Belt drives were once the preserve of higher priced bikes and electric bikes, or those that required a specialist application. The cost of choosing a belt has often come in higher for manufacturers than using chains which are more widely available and from a greater breadth of sources.

Nowadays that is changing and you’ll find belt drive on bikes at the lower-end in some cases. Take the recent Tenways CGO800 review, a singlespeed e-bike that we badged as great value for its £1,899 price tag; that carried a belt drive. Where motors have become far more common in the cycling world the singlespeed has had a revival in view of less reliance on gearing. That has helped belt drives scale quickly on more brand’s bikes than ever, increasing competition and bringing down price.

Can you fit a belt drive to any bike?

The answer to this question is kind of open-ended. To what lengths are you willing to go to have a belt drive on your bike? Are you willing to change the frame for one that will take a belt, as well as other components? Honestly, by the time you’ve made all the necessary changes you’ll have spent as much on the overhaul than you may on a new bike with a belt drive. In short, probably don’t bother.

Of course if your bike currently operates with derailleurs you’ll lose those and need to look at gear hubs that are belt compatible to retain gearing.

What kind of bikes lean on belts?

Nowadays, almost all styles, right from cargo bike fleets that are put through heavy going, high mileage business applications, right through to performance mountain bikes with complex gearbox gearing systems.

Primarily, the belt drive is found on bikes where there is a high desirability for a low maintenance schedule. They’re popular on commuter bikes because who wants to show up to work with an oily trouser leg ahead of that meeting?

Another common usage is the bike for the long-distance cyclist. If you are riding in variety of conditions chains can degrade faster, especially in coastal areas where salt water is present.