Hello everybody!

I have been bike commuting for many years, and since I’m getting older, I’m getting sick of lubing my chain, adjusting my derailleur etc, so I’m seriously thinking about getting a bike with a belt drive and a gear hub.

i want zero maintenance.

The problem is that there are not many bikes like this sold at a reasonable price.

So here is what I found:

Alternative solutions:

  • Veer drive conversion kit

    • price: 540€, but I need to add at least a shimano hub (200 €) and someone to mount everything!

  • a bike with internal gear hub and a proper chain guard (thanks to @AchtungDrempels@lemmy.world)

    • since the chain guard protects the chain from rain and dirt, the lube should last much longer

If you know other companies and models that sell belt drive bikes below 2000 $/€ let me know, I will add them to this list. Bonus point if they are available in Europe!

Thank you!

  • huginn
    2·
    8 months ago

    I’m considering taking up seasonal bike commuting. Belt drive and internal hub seems like a must tbh.

    • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
      3·
      8 months ago

      Belt drive and internal hub seems like a must tbh.

      On paper, yes. But I’d like to know how easy it is to repair these when something does go wrong.

      On a standard bike with a chain and derailleur, you could fix any problem roadside in a few minutes. With internal gears… go watch a few teardown and maintenance videos… it’s not a simple process!

      That said, this combo should be very reliable. Unless you’re putting tens of thousands of KM on it on a yearly basis, it’s likely you won’t really have to mess with the belt or internal gears for a very long time. A bi-yearly tuneup should keep it very hands-off for the ride season.

      • huginn
        3·
        8 months ago

        It definitely changes the cost of ownership somewhat but I’ve had issues with chain and derailer for every bike I’ve owned at some point or another. Part of that is the American obsession with having both front and rear detailers.

        I’d take a bike that I’d 1/10th as likely to break down over a bike that is easy to repair when it does.

        • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
          4·
          8 months ago

          Different priorities, for sure.

          The question I’d ask is:

          Would you feel more comfortable touring remote places with a derailleur and chain, or a belt and internal gear hub?

          Nearly every problem on a bike, except for catastrophic frame failure, can be repaired fairly easily and with minimal tools, with a “traditional” setup.

          I think that for most people, especially those who wouldn’t do home wrenching anyway, a belt and internal gear system is going to be miles better to own.

          The Priority bikes have certainly caught my attention in the least year. Tom from Shifter rides one as his winter commuter.

          • huginn
            3·
            8 months ago

            Yeah I love Tom.

            The long distance touring cycling community consensus seems to be belt and hub… But bring a spare belt. That’s just from me lurking on bike buying advice forums because I’m too chicken to lock my bike up on the street and don’t have much room in my apartment.

            • lgsp@feddit.itOP
              1·
              6 months ago

              I agree Tom Is great, but the reason I want a belt and gear hub is this channel CYCLINGABOUT, he does long cycling tours in remote parts of the planet, and has done a lot of videos on technical stuff like comparison of gear systems or belt drive.

              He himself does the tours with a belt drive and gear hubs, and as @huggin@feddit.it suggests, he carries a spare belt (which is very light btw)

              • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
                2·
                7 months ago

                Thanks for sharing. He’s got some excellent points about belt drive systems.

                I’m sure at some point I will be getting one. They certainly seem to be the future.