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Chainless Bike? :s


Adrian

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The only place this will take off (in my opinion) is hybrid / commute bicycles! It only has three gears, which would not make it useful for any discipline other than the aforementioned.

There is no way it could handle the rough and tumble of trials...even if it could manage to handle the torque, what happens when someone lands on the tube, or falls off their bike and smashes it into a rock. (as an example).

Maybe I will be proved wrong, but im 95% sure I wont be!

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yea, your right... same as what iw as thinking

but lose the gears, and make a real sturdy single speed one xD

probs will never happen but i wouldnt say its impossible

its prabably the same sort of stuff people said when they thought about making the first ever freehub/freewheel lol

i thought it was pretty cool though haha

nice and clean nd tidy looking :P

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I think it's pretty decent. It simple for a start. Also if they created a rear cog with a universal pickup, it could be used for a number of gear ratios on the rear, they could be interchangable (not as easy to modify the front gear).

I prefer my good old chain system though. The direction of power doesn't have to be changed and then changed back like in this system which will cause more strain and make it more fragile.

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weight!? thats gotta add a fair bit, one sided as well and ye changing the direction of power via bevels can produce really weird torque effects and twist things in new ways meaning the frame would probably have to be massive to deal with the stresses.

works well on the BMW tourers mayb we could have something like this if we are going into this technology

http://www.christini.com/awd-technology.php

all wheel drive! :lol:

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Aside from all the points raised by others, there's one other factor I can see being a huge stumbling block for using a shaft drive system for trials.

According to that article, and I had heard this before the shaft drive system isn't as efficient as a chain, so you would loose more power through the shaft system, and compared to a chain bike wouldn't be able to do any moves involving pedal power as well.

Also on the note thats its pulled over from motorbike tech.... have a look at moto trials bikes, motor cross bikes, road racing bikes, how many of them use shaft drive? none. Its used on touring bikes and cruisers (and BMWs but they just like to be weird) not high performance bikes.

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Quite a few years ago I saw a Pashley prototype that didn't have a chain. It looked so sleek and so simple (obviously isn't but you know what i mean)

but as far as I'm aware they have never brought it out so there must be something wrong with the mechanics of the idea

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For the serious cyclist after a performance machine, then this system is a no.

For the casual rider or commuter who won't appreciate the difference in efficiency or ride over a quality 'traditional' machine, but enjoys the novelty, then this bike might keep them happy.

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2. It will never take off.

you've heard of the term "Thats what they said about mobile phones" ...

Nice to see deas still going round the bike market, shame they're not ALL step forwards but as said this one is, and could definitly be used on commuter bikes :)

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For the serious cyclist after a performance machine, then this system is a no.

For the casual rider or commuter who won't appreciate the difference in efficiency or ride over a quality 'traditional' machine, but enjoys the novelty, then this bike might keep them happy.

yeah as mentioned by others before, the idea is low maintenance. thats why the bmw tourers use this sytem, they have a sealed drivetrain so grit/dust/water doesnt cause deterioration. it means that the 'long way round' guys can ride those bikes around the globe without having to keep fitting new chains/sprockets and slide plates (on the swingarms of almost all motorbikes).

this reflects on the stresses caused to the engine and gearboxes, i have heard of those GS1200 things doing 200-300 THOUSAND miles with no major drivetrain/engine work just routine maintenance! imagine never having to replace a stretched chain on a road racing bike for example!

it also means that there are less exposed moving parts for things to get caught in (like baggy trousers or shoe laces which is ideal if you are renting them out for example)

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I think another massive problem is going to be the number of components a person would have to change at once to "upgrade" to this system.

(frame,hub,crank) The shaft wouldn't be to hard to protect would it? Possibly another tube running under it.

Basically if a trials company brought it out i wouldn't be interested until I had seen it hammered and come back asking for more.

bendy

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