Gates Carbon Drive to Unchain the Masses with More Affordable CDN Belt Drive System

Very cool. I helped test the CDN belts a few years ago. Gates really spent the time to get this product right.

@Gunnstein – oof yeah, that’s a hard list. Out of curiosity, why the huge tires? You’d likely have lots of options if that one requirement were relaxed…

I’ll stick with my full chaincase. Much more practical solution for everyday riding.

Whoa! Belt drives are still a thing? Just what everyone needs, something that is more complicated, more expensive, infinitely less compatible, and unable to be fixed when broken. I forgot, what’s wrong with the chain?

@Gunnstein: The diSSent is a good frame, and dirt cheap. I had 2.3 WTB Stout mounted to a P35 on the back of mine and had room to spare, although I didn’t try to run full fenders. I just measured my wife’s diSSent frame [winter commuter], and there’s ~70mm space at the chainstays. Not sure if that helps or makes it worse…

@Gunnstein – ahhh cool, yeah I don’t need to deal with snow here. 🙂

@Bruce12 – I’m not running one on my commuter at the moment (waiting on a chainring to fit a new crank) but I did for a year and it was great. Was my SSCX rig in the fall too. Silent, smooth, no black puddles when I’d bring it inside from riding in the rain. As far as cogs/rings/chains are concerned sure it’s more than a single speed chain setup (depending on the bits – if you get nicer stuff it can easily be the same or more), but for me the riding qualities and lack of maintenance were totally worth it.

To me the only downside was the tension of the belt. Properly-tensioned mine never skipped but that constant, higher tension than a chain I think places demands on some bits (thinking freewheel, bottom bracket, and whatever tensioning mechanism you’re using be it sliders, rockers, eccentric BB, whatever) that may not have necessarily been taken into account when the bits were designed. For me, it meant bottom brackets were an issue and I need to make sure whatever I went with sealed, fit and was installed well or I had squeaks (especially in the conditions I was riding in).

@Bruce12 More expensive? Hardly. In the extreme conditions I’ve been running my Gates Carbon Drive CenterTrack It’s saved me money. Six months of sand, salt and extreme cold meant chain replacements twice a year and cassette/chainrings once a year. The Gates BD has gone three winters (so far) without having to replace anything. And I never have to clean it. Feels less complicated. I’ve never broken a belt on either of my belt drive bikes I’ve owned.

The idea of them going to a less durable version is terrifying.

I ended up with two bruised legs from my belt slipping on a mountain bike during a steep climb and my legs smashing into the bars. And yes, it was tensioned with the official tension guage. The second time was with a brand new warranty replacement drivetrain. Granted this was pre-centertrack but terrible enough to make me never try them again.