A belt drive is a singular piece with no joining parts. This creates efficiency and little loss of energy but reduces your ease of use. A chain in contrast is a series of links that you separate and assemble based on need. But belt drives cannot be opened like a chain so the frame of the bike must be able to permit the installation of the belt. This means that somewhere in the rear geometry of the frame there needs to be split points allowing for the belt to be housed. 3. Internal Gears for shifting Chains are fitted on the majority of bikes from kids bikes to tandems and everything in between. This means the cost of manufacture has continually reduced. Belt drives are far more exclusive and costly. A belt drive is a one-piece toothed belt. It owes much of the technology to cars and motorbikes development. This single belt makes use of internal gearing allowing many moving parts to be protected. This shifting mechanism for bikes can result in them being more durable and quieter than a conventional chain.

With fewer bikes on the market with a belt drive there is less choice and faced with more costs many people would still choose a bike with a traditional chain. One of my favourite belt drive bikes is the Priority 600x Adventure mountain bike. It combines a 12 speed Pinion gearbox with a Gates carbon belt drive for a smooth effortless ride. Read my review of the Priority 600x Adventure for a full breakdown on this awesome bike. A belt drive is manufactured with carbon fibres through the core. This allows a belt drive to be much lighter than a bike chain but also gives it inherent strength. Light and tough. This toughness means unless you abuse the belt drive it can last a long time with durability to be cost effective. I have been riding belt drive bikes and eBikes for the past 5 years. Through testing bikes riding dozens of them and a real convert to the technology. The following is based on my experience from this range of bikes and from working with the manufacturers who specialise in this. This includes Gates who are one of the biggest suppliers of belt drive systems worldwide. Belt Drive and eBikes are a perfect combination. We have compiled the best single speed Ebikes using belt drive for you to consider. Single speed eBikes that are hugely accessible to everyone.There are a number of belt drive bikes in our round-up of the 5 best single speed eBikes. See how belt drive and chain eBikes compare and our recommendations. This is one of the finest bikes I have ever ridden. Build quality is immense on this huge belt drive mountain bike. Fitted with the Pinion 12 speed mid mount gear box and the Gates CDX carbon belt drive this is a brilliant alternative to a electric mountain bike. The only down side is that they are only available in North America currently. We are continuing to work with Priority Bikes to see if we can’t get them in other regions. With all these positives for having a belt drive bike why aren’t all bikes made that way? A belt drive isn’t as flexible as a chain which means conventional frame geometry needs some rethinking. We’ve been investing years in chain based bike frames. But in the same way that Tesla is transforming the motor industry with batter technology the same could be said for bikes. If you want some gearing to help you on the hills then belts require internal gearing that adds some complexity. These are just a few of the reasons why belts probably won’t replace chains in our advantages and disadvantages of belt drive bikes. List of Disadvantages of belt drives

Is a belt drive or chain better for a bike? Despite the many advantages outlined of a belt drive bicycle, the more conventional chain continue to dominate the market. Belt drives are compatible with the majority of bikes subject to frame modification. Chains make more sense for those on long treks with a conventional chain much simpler to replace while somewhere remote. The conventional chain will be part of the furniture for the foreseeable future. In addition to having potential for a longer lifespan with reduced maintenance, a belt drive is also blissfully quiet. No more rattling bike chain to contend with. Think of it as stealth mode for a bike. A bike chain inevitably makes some noise no matter how well you maintain your bike. All those metal components in a traditional bike chain with the teeth of gears produce a resultant noise.For our latest blog I have provided essential information on the advantages and disadvantages of belt drive bikes. This follows a summary in the article from our blog on the best carbon belt drive bikes. I tend to receive lots of questions relating to belt drives so wanted to help people with a better understanding of them. The principal disadvantage of a belt is that, unlike chains, they do not permit side flexibility. So what? Well a conventional chain permits side flex allowing it to slide up and down between cogs allowing different sized gear ratios. This lateral flex isn’t possible with a belt drive system ruling out cogs and external shifting mechanisms. 2. A belt drive cannot be Split up A bike chain has a lot of moving links that can create inefficient motion. Even if you look after it and maintain it, it’s still a metal parts rotating against each other. This in turn results in lost energy. With a belt drive the force you exert through pedalling is more directly translated into the motion of the wheels and propels you faster. Faster without increased watt power required. Sounds like a dream. 5. No need for regular lubrication