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How to Adjust Belt Tension on a Cube Bike

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How to Adjust Belt Tension on a Cube Bike

Old 08-05-20, 07:02 AM
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idealist314
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How to Adjust Belt Tension on a Cube Bike

I recently purchased the Cube Travel EXC and I honestly cannot figure out how to adjust the belt tension. After watching several YouTube videos (nearly all of videos showed bikes with several bolts that can be adjusted -which isn't the case with the Cube bike) and reading the manual, I could not find the answer. I even went as far as contacting Cube in the hopes that they will respond. Does anyone have experience adjusting the belt tension on this type of bike or a similar one?
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Old 08-05-20, 07:53 AM
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I don't think they do adjust. Is yours so loose it doesn't work? Some of the belted machinery I've used the only adjustment on it was so you could remove and change the belt. Depends on exactly what type of belt they designed it around.

Is your bottom bracket for the crank loose? Or possibly the rear wheel bearings loose?
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Old 08-05-20, 08:08 AM
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It might be that it can't be adjusted. I just purchased the bike and it is currently functioning correctly. The Gates belt manual states that if you remove the tire (for example to change a flat), then you need to ensure the belt tension is correct. I just figured that you can adjust the belt tension for all bikes, since it seemed like adjusting the tension is inevitable.
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Old 08-05-20, 08:15 AM
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Sadly a lot of bike user manuals are generic to handle every model of bike. So they have a lot that doesn't apply to specific models. I don't know if that is the case for Cube bikes though.

I did see that some models of the Cube bikes did have a way to adjust, but the promo video of what I think is your bike didn't look like there was any method to tighten it short of just slop between the axle and the drop out.
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Old 08-05-20, 08:22 AM
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That is definitely the case for Cube, the manual was super generic and didn't even address bikes with belts. Honestly, had I known that there was no way to adjust the tension, I would have gone with a Priority bike or different brand with similar features.
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Old 08-05-20, 08:23 AM
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Well, you need to open the chain stay somewhere to install/change the belt since it cannot be opened like a chain, I would check where it comes apart (probably at the dropouts) for some kind of slotted adjustment.
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Old 08-05-20, 08:30 AM
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Newer belt designs, newer being in the last 15 or so years, surprisingly don't stretch very much. Some of the machinery I was talking about is using a belt that is less than 2 mm wide. Others more the size of what's on your bike. So don't give up on it till it lets you down.

You do know how Oddball felt about negative feelings..... <grin>

In the past I was interested in belt drive tech for bikes as it seems like they should be able to make an infinite gear transmission with them. But I guess there are some design limits they can't overcome economically or maybe it's felt there won't be enough market share to make cost of manufacture low enough.

Last edited by Iride01; 08-05-20 at 09:39 AM.
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Old 08-05-20, 08:32 AM
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Looking at a photo of a partially blocked bottom bracket it looks as though the BB may be elliptical and can be rotated by loosening the pinch bolts to adjust belt tension. Just guessing though.
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Old 08-05-20, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by dsbrantjr
Well, you need to open the chain stay somewhere to install/change the belt since it cannot be opened like a chain, I would check where it comes apart (probably at the dropouts) for some kind of slotted adjustment.
Best I could make out is the seat stay might come apart by the drop allowing removal of the belt. Cube's website seems to be down for me, but this video on youtube is what I was looking at.
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Old 08-05-20, 09:03 AM
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Thank you all for the feedback! Hopefully the belt won't need maintenance anytime soon -but if it does, I will check to see if there is some slotted adjustment.
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Old 08-05-20, 09:15 AM
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Not exactly what's on your bike but similar and how-to adjust the BB belt tensioner video.
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Old 10-15-20, 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Crankycrank
Not exactly what's on your bike but similar and how-to adjust the BB belt tensioner video.
Just created an account to say thank you. I have the same bike and this worked perfectly. I was also pretty stumped until I found this.
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