Better design for belt drive bikes
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Better design for belt drive bikes
When regular bikes use belt drives, the chain stay goes through the belt. So there needs to be some way of breaking the frame to fit a belt, or some way of breaking the belt.
This could be avoided by making bikes with higher chain stays, which go above the belt. This would be a simple design modification. There are probably some belt drive bikes which do this already.
This could be avoided by making bikes with higher chain stays, which go above the belt. This would be a simple design modification. There are probably some belt drive bikes which do this already.
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There are (were?) mountain bikes with a design like this. Works fine.
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If frame manufacturers made frames like this, they could be used for either chain drive or belt drive, which would probably result in selling more frames.
It would also give those wanting belt drives more frame options.
It would also give those wanting belt drives more frame options.
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Chain is still inboard of the elevated chainstay---i.e., chain still passes through the frame. (See photo below; cable housing is outside frame, chain is inside.) Manufacturer would have to eliminate both the right chainstay and seatstay.
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As long as the rear cog is still inside the frame dropout, the belt/chain still crosses the chainstay. The elevated (or dropped, as in modern gravel bikes) chainstay is a solution for chainring / tire clearance, nothing to do with the chain or belt.
To solve the frame splitting problem there are two options - move the rear cog outboard the frame, or get rid of both chainstay and seatstay on the drive side. Both seem possible, but would be rather sophisticated solutions and most probably are far from cost effective.
To solve the frame splitting problem there are two options - move the rear cog outboard the frame, or get rid of both chainstay and seatstay on the drive side. Both seem possible, but would be rather sophisticated solutions and most probably are far from cost effective.
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Using a track style dropout on an elevated CS bike is easy. Wrap belt around rear pulley, install wheel all the way forward, wrap belt around crankset pulley, pull wheel rearward to tension, and off you go. We do stuff like this all day when building custom motorcycles etc.
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There is a BMX company called YESS and they have done it both ways.
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Pretty much been there, done that, got the souvenir t-shirt, gimme cap and autographed poster.
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The Allied Able is elevated chainstay but they don’t offer belt drive, oddly. https://alliedcycleworks.com/collect...-able-frameset