So I was really intrigued by the concept of a belt-drive bike, but when I saw this completely chainless bike design by some designers in Hungary, I'm excited.
See more (plus video) after the jump (click the title of this blog post)...
Bike technology has take huge steps forward in recent years driven largely by newer, lighter, stiffer materials (carbon fiber and some interesting alloys) and better manufacturing processes. The biggest game changers of late have been 29 inch wheels (versus standard 26") on mountain bikes. There have also been some brand new innovative designs in front and reaer suspension that are amazingly efficient. But, we have still been stuck with an oily, heavy metal chain prone to snagging, snapping or at least getting you covered in grease.
The mechanics of this bike are conceptually simple and yet complex in execution. It's basically a pulley system to propel you forward. I have two initial concerns:
1) Will it be as smooth-pedaling as a chain-driven bike or will it feel slightly jerky?
2) Will it be durable enough to take the beating that mountain bikes go through? They get bashed on rocks, dropped off jumps, ridden through creeks and occasionally impaled by trees.
If this system (or some later derivation) can put up with the abuse, it could really change the way we see bikes. Check out the animation below for how it works.
No comments:
Post a Comment