ExPoordition - Bicycle sightings...

**Alpine Hoo Ha** · 08-19-2009, 06:26 AM

Here are some of the people and bicycles I saw and hung out with on what has been termed Nathan's ExPoordition. For more information and a complete write-up of my explorations of Utah and Colorado living out of my 95 4Runner with minimal budget, see the "In Progress Adventures" forum.

Aspen

Salida

Crested Butte

**Cackalak Han** · 08-20-2009, 08:38 PM

Nice Pug and KM. Love those bikes.

**Alpine Hoo Ha** · 08-21-2009, 03:07 AM

Crested Butte

Salida Again...

**Funrover** · 08-21-2009, 11:05 PM

Wow... some nice rides in that collection! and a cute girl.. Can't go wrong there

**jeepmedic46** · 08-23-2009, 10:45 AM

Never can go wrong with cute girls. Nice bikes too.

**Every Miles A Memory** · 09-09-2009, 05:38 AM

Whats up with the single speed XTR cranks with a belt drive?

Never seen anything like that before. What's the story with it?

Oh, and post more pictures of cute girls on bikes

**Flounder** · 09-09-2009, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Every Miles A Memory

Whats up with the single speed XTR cranks with a belt drive?

Never seen anything like that before. What's the story with it?

Oh, and post more pictures of cute girls on bikes

Spot Brand bicycles in Golden, Colorado started really pushing the belt thing at the '08 Interbike show, calling it "Carbon Drive." They teamed up with Gates, the company who makes many of the belts for Harley, Ducati, etc. I think Gates is in the same industrial park as Spot. Anyway, Spot really pushed the development of belts for singlespeeds. They have their own dropout system with a little key-way for the belt to slip through, cogs and rings (rings could be used on a variety of cranks like those XTR cranks). They got the cost of a belt system down to $250 or so, but the first generation had some ups and downs. Frank at Spot also found a way to move production of complete bikes to Asia, so a belt drive Spot bike complete with hydrolic brakes and a belt system could be had for $1900. Sounds like production was "spotty" and availability not so great.

I think the jury is still out on the pros of a belt system. Some say the required tension on the belt is hell on freehubs. The teflon coated rings and cogs had a squeek to them in the first generation, but I guess that's resolved.

The belt thing has caught on a little bit, but mostly in the commuter set. Trek's Soho has a belt option.

**Corey** · 09-09-2009, 10:25 PM

I was just reading today about the carbon drives on www.mtbr.com somewhere.

**Every Miles A Memory** · 09-09-2009, 11:43 PM

Thanks for the info Flouder! Guess being out of the loop in the MTB World for a few years has me asking a whole lot of questions

**Pokey** · 09-11-2009, 07:13 AM

Forget about the Belt drives unless its for something non-dirt related.

In the real world of Mtn biking----add dirt/rocks/mud to that drivetrain and you are talking a recipe for disaster........

Conceptually neato-----practically........not so

Someone-(maybe Jericho) was using a slotted belt(looked like a chain) in which the fatter than normal chainrings pushed thru the belt similar to cogs/chain. This had potential because of the self cleaning effect. But i think the downfall of all these is still slippage and tensioning the belt-not to mention the custom built nature of frames to accept the belt.

Your avg singlespeed with a dialed in chainline is about 98% efficient and fairly indestructable.............why mess with a belt and all of the issues that go with it??

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