Belt Driving Impressions

I've wanted to try a bicycle with a belt drive for some time, but they are not exactly mainstream around these parts. So when I saw a belt driveSevenCafe Racer in my size at theRide Studio Cafelast week, I seized the opportunity and took it out for a ride. The belt drive Cafe Racer is a single speed version ofthis bike, one ofSeven's commuter models. I will save my impressions of the bicycle itself for a different post, focusing for now on my impressions of this unique drivetrain.




The belt drive is a product called theGates Carbon Drive-a polyurethane belt that replaces a traditional bicycle chain. Unlike a bicycle chain, the belt does not need to be oiled or otherwise maintained, which also means that it won't get the cyclist's clothing dirty. It is said to be longer lasting than a traditional chain. And it is silent. For these reasons, many praise the belt drive as a revolutionary innovation in cycling - particularly cycling for transportation.





On the downside, the belt drive requires a dedicated split-frame construction; it cannot just be retrofitted on any old bike. This is because the belt itself, unlike a traditional bicycle chain, cannot be split apart. In the picture above you can see that the seatstay of the Seven frame disconnects from the dropouts to make the belt installation possible (and that is a Surly Tuggnut chain tensioner they are using, in case you are wondering).





The belt's unique groove structure also requires it to be used with belt drive-specific front and rear pulleys instead of traditional chainrings and rear cogs. It is, however, compatible with standard cranks and hubs. The drive can be used with single speed and internally geared hubs, but not with derailleur drivetrains. As I understand it, it can be used with fixed gear and coaster brake bikes, as long as hand-activated brakes are present.





I rode thebelt drive Cafe Racer for 5 miles or so along the Minuteman Trail in Lexington and Bedford MA. Compared to a traditional chain, the belt felt smoother and "softer." It was a neat sensation, distinctly different from cycling with a normal drivetrain. On first impression, I would say that it felt nicer. Although some describe the belt as silent, I would not say that exactly. It was definitely quieter than even the quietest traditional chain. But it made a gentle "swooshing" sound that I could hear whenever my surroundings grew silent. Additionally, I am pretty sure that I could feel something happen in the drivetrain at the end of every crank rotation. It was the subtlest of sensations, but definitely there. It was almost as if the belt had a seam in it, and I could feel when that seam went over one of the pulleys.




To be clear, neither the "seam" nor "swooshing" were something I would have noticed, had I not been intentionally paying very close attention and trying to take in every single aspect of the belt drive experience. They were more like ghostly traces than full-fledged sensations.






Prior to trying the belt drive myself, I'd read and heard a number of impressions from others. Alan from ecovelo is probably the "king" of belt drive test rides; he has tried at least half a dozen different bikes with this system and loves it. On one of his personal bikes, the belt drive has worked reliably for him for some time. Others (including commentators on ecovelo posts and persons I've spoken to locally) have reported a number of issues, such as squeaking noises, the belt slipping, and the system performing sub-optimally in winter conditions. I think that in order to get the big picture of how the belt drive performs, we need to wait until more cyclists use it for considerable periods of time, in different climates and weather conditions, and on a variety of bikes.



Next month I will be receiving another bicycle for a long term test ride that also happens to have a belt drive. No doubt I will have more to say after a few weeks of real-world experience with the system; maybe it will even start snowing by then. In the meantime, I am glad to have tried it on a different bicycle first - having done so will allow me to separate the feel of the belt itself from the feel of the specific bike. As far as first impressions go, mine are positive and I would love to see a classic city bicycle fitted with the GatesCarbon Drive... speaking of which, why do we never see that? The belt drive seems best suited for everyday commuting, yet most bicycles I see fitted with it are "weird" and "techy," if you'll pardon that biased terminology. An elegant belt drive city bicycle would be a delight to try.

Beautiful Bandon

Bandon, Oregon is sort of one of those "storybook" coastal towns that you picture in your imagination when you daydream of the coast. It has a very quaint "old town" area with shops that are loaded with character and individuality. Its a great place to just go for a stroll and window shop.



For most people, though, the beaches are the main attraction. Bandon easily has some of the best beaches along the entire Oregon coast. Soaring sea stacks, swirling foam, soft sand and huge piles of driftwood all conspire to make a walk along the beach an unforgettable experience.



I shot two sunsets along the beaches at Bandon and on the first evening I got pretty wet. Right after the sun went down some rain squalls quickly moved in (see image above) and got me good and wet before I was able to make it back to the car. Even though I was wearing my rain jacket, I didn't have any rain pants so my pants got soaked.



The second evening was free from rain, and I was treated to some wonderful light as the sun retreated over the horizon.

Eagle on a cliff

Acouple ofweeks ago we were driving along Highway 61 on our way to do the hike to Eagle Mountain, the highest point in Minnesota. As I was driving, Jessica was gazing out at Lake Superior when all of a sudden she exclaimed "There's an eagle sitting on that cliff!". Of course I had to turn the car around to check it out, since I didn't see it when we first drove by. As we slowly approached the view where she had spotted the bird, sure enough, there he was sitting on the edge of a small (approx. 20 foot tall) cliff overlooking the lake. It was such a strange sight. I've seen eagles on the beach before, mostly going after fish that have been recently cleaned by commercial fishermen. But, I've never seen one perched on a cliff like this. He sat there for a few more minutes before taking off and landing in the top of a nearby tree. The sighting of this bird was a great start to our day, and I took it as a good sign, since we were going to be hiking Eagle Mountain that day :-)

Geese Traffic in England

If in my recent trip to Jordan they have camel, goat and sheep traffic issues, in England, they have, interestingly... geese traffic.



Mother Goose fairy tales and nursery rhymes comes to mind. As well as the Old MacDonald Farm song that I learned from my piano lessons a loooooooooooooong time ago.



Old MacDonald had a farm,

Ee i ee i oh!

And on that farm he had some geese,

Ee i ee i oh!

With a quack-quack here,

And a quack-quack there



Here a quack, there a quack,

Everywhere a quack-quack

Old MacDonald had a farm

Ee i ee i oh!



Oh dear, this brings back so many memories of my childhood. After school, I would have piano lessons together with my cousins at our piano teacher's house. We always dreaded entering the house because there is a large cruel mother goose guarding the gate and garden, and every time she sees us, she runs after our little butts! This mother goose bites really hard! It was a scary ordeal for us kids and it was always a riot and a laugh everytime we go there, LOL.



Best part of the piano lessons were the cookies and Archie comics. Good old days!





Geese spotted near Clifford's Tower/York Castle Museum in York, North Yorkshire, England.

SC II - first real ice routes of the season

Sunday we went to SC-II. It was seriously cold. Temps were below 0° and the wind was howling like crazy. It was Laura and I, Joel Toretti and PA Matt, CO Matt and his wife Rebecca. We were greeted by the howling winds at the Cliffs parking area. Upon hiking in, we found that the cold temperatures had locked up most of the water. There is still some water running and with the forecast calling for the lower 20's, the water will be flowing again in no time. Climbs are looking good. Laura and I climbed Called on Account of Security which was bonded much better than several days prior. The climb is a little thin at the bottom, but gets better as you go up. FYI There's a V thread backed up by a screw at the P1 Belay for lowering from there. P2 wasn't quite formed up yet. Joel tried to get on The Awakening, but the climb was very brittle and the temps were a little less than favorable for gear placement. They opted to drop a TR on the right central and run laps. Matt and Rebecca opted to head out earlier due to the cold. We ended the day around 3:00. It was a good day and we made some new ice climbing friends. I was glad to get up Called despite the temps and thin, brittle ice. Here's a few photos from the day.

Dark Secret

Last night I posted a picture of a gimlet-sippingbikeyface at dinner, and a reader emailed to ask what bikes we ride when we go out. It would be great, she suggested, to write a post about being out on the town on bikes.



Hmm that does sound nice. But it would be pretty tough. Because the truth is, we didn't ride bikes. Last night our destination was only 15 minutes away and walking just seemed easier. The other week we did the same when going to see a movie. Come to think of it, most of the time we see each other there are no bikes involved. We live in the same neighbourhood and are usually so tired that we stick to local places and walk to them. Does that make us bad bicycle bloggers? Maybe I should have kept this a secret!





When I first began cycling for transportation 3 years ago, I was so excited about it that I would ride everywhere no matter the distance just for the heck of it. I would ride down the block, or to the store around the corner and back. Now that cycling has lost its novelty, it seems too much of a hassle to get my bike out just to ride a short distance. I would rather walk.



In a sense there is some sadness in having lost that beginner's excitement. But I think it also means that I've transitioned to a stage where transportation cycling has become truly normalised. With cycling established as an inherent part of life, I don't feel the need to ride down the block when I can walk. If you've been riding for a while, have you had the same experience?

Too many roosters

The result of too many roosters

Roosters tend to hang on to the hens' combs and the feathers on their heads. We currently have too many roosters, so this poor pullet is looking a little plucked.

Teenagers probably wouldn't want so many boyfriends, if it meant they'd end up bald like this.

Roosters for sale!