Author |
Message |
Buellboiler
| Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 10:31 pm: |
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Call it the chain to belt drive conversion in the bicyclist's world. Trek is introducing the Soho, which uses a Gates belt drive instead of the chain. It also uses an 8-speed gearbox located inside the rear hub. Interesting. |
Zenfrogmaster
| Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 10:40 pm: |
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I'd be interested in that for a commuter bike. I go through four chains a year on my road bike, most breaking at inopportune moments. |
Buellboiler
| Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 10:55 pm: |
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They don't list a price but a short article is in the April edition of Popular Science (page 29). The frame is aluminum and has an adjustment at the rear to set the tension on the belt. It is the Trek Soho Commuter bike. |
Zenfrogmaster
| Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 11:22 pm: |
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Listed on their site for $990. I wonder why they went with manual chain adjustment - less complex, lower cost? I'd have preferred an idler wheel. Where have I seen that before?
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86129squids
| Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 11:26 pm: |
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Man, that sounds so cool. I have an old Trek mountainbike, beaten and neglected, and also have an old Cannondale roadbike with criterium frame geometry. Sew up tires. That thing is fun to ride. On the greenway. Silent but deadly. One day I scared an old man walking his three schnausers. He had something to tell me when I circled back, but I just put it in the wind... |
Cityxslicker
| Posted on Monday, April 13, 2009 - 12:14 am: |
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I do like their Ad copy on the color of my Buell (changed to reflect my CityX): For the rider who likes a touch of sportiness in the daily commute, the Valencia is the perfect ride. All-weather tough thanks to big perimeter front brake and a light weight fuel in frame design, the Valencia is ready to get you to and fro with purpose and style. Yep |
Xblaw
| Posted on Monday, April 13, 2009 - 11:45 am: |
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Haha. It comes with a coffee mug and mug holder instead of a water bottle. |
Aldaytona
| Posted on Monday, April 13, 2009 - 02:07 pm: |
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Zenfrogmaster, you must be a lot more powerful than me, bro, I have never broken a Campagnolo Record or Shimano Dura Ace chain on my road bikes. |
Zenfrogmaster
| Posted on Monday, April 13, 2009 - 03:30 pm: |
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Al - it gets worse. I broke the bottom bracket shell on my Orbea, and the bike was never crashed. On the plus side, they upgraded me to a 2009 Orca under warranty. |
Iamike
| Posted on Monday, April 13, 2009 - 09:43 pm: |
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Squids- Yeah, like the ones that walk right down the middle with earphones and then jump when you go by. On topic- Isn't Trek from Wisconsin too? Must be the cheese. |
Skinstains
| Posted on Monday, April 13, 2009 - 10:29 pm: |
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There is a short wright-up in the new 'Bicycling' as well. As for breaking chains. I've broken two Dura-Ace chains on my Cerve'lo RS. FWIW, never, and I mean never, buy one of those Whipperman stainless chains. What a POS ! Great idea having a masterlink but they really screwed up somewhere in the execution. |
Chippy
| Posted on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 - 06:57 am: |
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There's a mtb company, spot, they stole that from. Who knows, maybe they purchased it. While I've never broken a durace' chain, they do stretch at the frequency of a season for me. Mr. Frogmaster, try a wipperman. |
Aldaytona
| Posted on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 - 06:57 am: |
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Are you guys using a chain stretch measuring tool, synthetic lube? Park makes a real nice "chain checker". Although I have not broken a chain, I have exploded a Mavic rear wheel and snapped off a Campagnolo rear derailleur. |
Chippy
| Posted on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 - 07:00 am: |
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Sorry, skins, I suggested that out of the sheer indestructability of those things. And yes, they are ugly as sin. |
Crackhead
| Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 09:37 am: |
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you roadies and your wimpy bikes. I want a belt drive rohloff speed hub. |
Limitedx1
| Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 10:51 am: |
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pics? |
Ryanhook
| Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 12:35 pm: |
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Mr_grumpy
| Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 01:18 pm: |
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IF I GIVE HER ANY MORE CAPTAIN SHE'LL STRIP THE TEETH! |
Chippy
| Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 03:34 pm: |
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Looks just like the spot setup. P.s. They squeak and creak when they get dusty. Rode some spots at interbike year before last. (Message edited by Chippy on April 16, 2009) |
Dogdaze
| Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 10:16 pm: |
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I tried explaining the virtues of a belt drive system to this douche bag....... but nooooooo, he wasn't impressed.
So what's it like living in a yurt in Kazakhstan, big boy? |
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