Goodbye to Dirty, Greasy, High-Maintenance Chains: 6 Benefits of a Carbon Belt Drive

Last year, I had to throw away my favorite pair of pants and 2 beloved pairs of shorts due to grease stains from my bike chain.

If you’ve spent much time on a bike, you’ve probably experienced the mess a chain can cause. Whether it’s touching the chain when reinstalling it or a pant leg rubbing against it, it’s an experience we could all avoid.

Yes, there are chain guards, however, they often get bent resulting in a noisy ride and they’re a total pain to work with. Thankfully, there’s a better alternative.

Carbon drive belts. Clean. Quiet. Long-lasting. There are many benefits over chains.

Carbon belt drive technology is a transmission technology commonly found on peak horsepower racing engines, high performance motorcycles and more recently, the drivetrains of bicycles. The belts are a series of nylon teeth reinforced with carbon fibre cords.

Gates Corporation, is the global leader in belt drives. They’ve been offering drivetrain expertise to the engine-powered world since 1911. Their products are the best high-mileage bicycle drivetrain on the market.

Carbon belts work well on e-bikes because riders rack up kilometers quickly. Here are 6 reasons why your e-bike investment should include the revolutionary feature of a Carbon Belt Drive.

1. Long Service Life

A belt drivetrain will last 20,000-30,000km. That’s 10 times longer than a typical chain. Belts do not rust. Whether you have snow, rain, fresh water or salt water a belt drive will be unaffected. E-bike kilometers add up fast because they’re fun and easy to ride. A carbon belt is the best choice for riding in the city.

2. Little to No Maintenance

Belts are made of modern synthetic materials. A quick spray with a water bottle is the best way to keep it clean. No more degreaser or cleaning filthy greasy chains. If you’re really obsessed with a clean drivetrain, the most maintenance you’d have is to scrub the belt with a toothbrush from time to time.

3. Lower Cost Long-term

Yes, a Carbon Belt is more expensive upfront, but you will save long term. You will constantly be paying for cleaning/lube and have to replace your chain, front chainring and cassettes 10 times as often. Those are not inexpensive parts. Plus, if you can’t do the labor yourself, you’re spending even more money for someone to work on your bike. With a belt you don’t worry about any of that until at least 20,000 km!

4. Silent Operation

Traditional chains run quietly when freshly cleaned and lubed. Even then, it’s rare. Carbon belt runs silent virtually ALL the time. When you discover how fun electric bikes are you’ll be riding more than you thought, don’t put up with a squeaky chain.

5. Smooth Running

Belt drive systems run much smoother, with less jerking when compared to chain drives. When paired with internal gear hubs, like the Enviolo Trekking Hub, your shifting never will never jump like a traditional chain and derailleur.

6. Straight Goods

The most efficient driveline is a straight line between your front chainring and rear cog. A chain often runs at an angle. This wastes energy. A belt drive, conversely, maintains a straight driveline because the belt never moves between cogs.

If you want your e-bike to keep up with technology for the next 10 years, a carbon belt drive should be at the top of your e-bike feature list.