Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,846
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
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Gates will raise the cost upfront but not overall with the longevity of the system and the ease of maintenance and cleaning it is pretty low cost. A KMC e10 chain is around 40 cheaper than a belt but that belt will probably last over 4-10 times as long if not more. Initial cost should be a much smaller point when looking at a bike, long term cost and support is the big key for a regularly used bike.
Heck when my belt broke after a crash that was my fault and I told them that, Gates replaced it free of charge. It is unlikely that would happen with a chain.