Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
1–10 of 49 posts
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#2As far as I'm aware chain was introduced to allow for light weight while keeping vibration resistance.
Can't this pulley system be trimmed down even further to one bar transmission?
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#3I'm sure this is a neat system, but it's worth noting that bicycles are already very efficient, the difference between their claimed efficiency and a properly set up traditional drivetrain is maybe one or two percent.
And any weight savings are probably useless due to the minimum weight required for racing. Pro bikes are basically at the point where they're having to add weight just to pass inspection. This system might have a bit less rotational mass in the "cassette" than a traditional cassette which would help.
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#4As far as I'm aware chain was introduced to allow for light weight while keeping vibration resistance. Can't this pulley system be trimmed down even further to one bar transmission?
I couldn’t find it on the mobile version of the site but a video of the pinion based drivetrain showed up somewhere else the other day, I think the post is likely in reference to that chain-less system
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#5Video of it working:
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#6As far as I'm aware chain was introduced to allow for light weight while keeping vibration resistance. Can't this pulley system be trimmed down even further to one bar transmission?
Based on my experience with motorcycles, chains are better than shafts for transmitting torque. Shafts tend to twist over their length in high torque settings, whereas chains just "pull" with minimal stretching.
Specific to this product, how the hell would you keep the 20-30 "gear" bearings on the shaft clean and operating smoothly in anything but lab conditions?
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#7Would this system be legal in professional competition cycling?
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#8The system isn't ready for prime time, but apparently it's a great way for CS to advertise!
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#9I'm sure this is a neat system, but it's worth noting that bicycles are already very efficient, the difference between their claimed efficiency and a properly set up traditional drivetrain is maybe one or two percent. And any weight savings are probably useless due to the minimum weight required for racing. Pro bikes are basically at the point where they're having to add weight just to pass inspection. This system mi…
I've ridded a half-decent street bike a summer or two. This thing was light enough that as a tall slightly chubby man I felt uneasy just getting on it, I kept thinking "this thing will crumble from my weight". I knew it was stronger than that, but my brain kept telling me something wasn't right.
And it was a pretty mid-range bike.
Re: Driven – A bicycle drivechain concept without derailleurs and chains
#10chains are a pain. But belt drives have been around for 10 years now and you hardly see them.
Chains are the most complex part of the bike with the most moving parts. You have to lubricate them, they stretch.. But they work well in all variety of conditions (even rusty and squeaky) and are fairly cheap.
Sheldon Brown's (RIP) bike pages have some good articles on the good old chain.
old school html ahead: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html