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Sometimes we just stumble onto a near ideal solution early. A chain on a cog for a bike drive for instance. People keep trying other things but they are all les

Sometimes we just stumble onto a near ideal solution early. A chain on a cog for a bike drive for instance. People keep trying other things but they are all less efficient.

burfog 7y ago
This is more efficient: https://www.digitaltrends.com/outdoors/ceramicspeed-chainless-bike-drive/ https://www.digitaltrends.com/outdoors/ceramicspeed-chainles... It's a shaft with a weird gear at the end. The gear teeth spin on ball bearings.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- layoutIfNeeded 7y ago
  According to whom? The manufacturer? This company is known for selling snake oil products to amateur cyclists. When I see this on Tour de France I’ll believe it.
  - 8note 7y ago
    competitive cycling doesn't let racers use whatever setup they want for their bikes. if something is too good, like the really aerodynamic handlebars, they won't be allowed
    - sliken 7y ago
      Aero is quite regulated. So you can't play with wheel size, or various non-traditional bike designs. But other things seem like fair game, tweaks to geometry, different bearing technologies, new bearing races, electric shifting, disc brakes, etc. The spirit of racing is that the race should be won largely by the best bicyclist, not the best bicycle. I'd expect a more efficient transmission would certainly be considered.
      - legulere 7y ago
        Disc brakes were also banned for pretty long.
        sliken 7y ago
        Right, but aren't now. Progress is being made, fortunately mountain bikers (and their organizations) are much more open to progress.
  - sliken 7y ago
    Or at least tested by a well known 3rd party. There's been quite a bit of research on bicycle efficiency, if this worked I'd expect it to be big news in various bike research related circles. For now I'm quite dubious, especially the claim that it gets more efficient the faster you go.
8note 7y ago
for pedalling speeds, my understanding is that a belt drive is more efficient than a chain
- sliken 7y ago
  Not sure exactly what you mean. But every test I've seen shows the traditional chain is more efficient than a belt. The belt justifications I've seen are less maintenance, cleaner (no oil on clothes), and quieter. Never seen anyone claim it's more efficient. Thus almost all bikes and nearly all motorcycles use chains, the higher the performance the more likely they are to use chains. However electric bikes (where efficiency isn't as important) or harley motorcycles sometimes use belts. As do folding bikes where you might come in contact with the belt. But racing bikes or motorcycles are pretty much always chains.

Sometimes we just stumble onto a near ideal solution early. A chain on a cog for a bike drive for instance. People keep trying other things but they are all less efficient.

burfog 7y ago

This is more efficient: https://www.digitaltrends.com/outdoors/ceramicspeed-chainless-bike-drive/ https://www.digitaltrends.com/outdoors/ceramicspeed-chainles... It's a shaft with a weird gear at the end. The gear teeth spin on ball bearings.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
layoutIfNeeded 7y ago
According to whom? The manufacturer? This company is known for selling snake oil products to amateur cyclists. When I see this on Tour de France I’ll believe it.
- 8note 7y ago
  competitive cycling doesn't let racers use whatever setup they want for their bikes. if something is too good, like the really aerodynamic handlebars, they won't be allowed
  - sliken 7y ago
    Aero is quite regulated. So you can't play with wheel size, or various non-traditional bike designs. But other things seem like fair game, tweaks to geometry, different bearing technologies, new bearing races, electric shifting, disc brakes, etc. The spirit of racing is that the race should be won largely by the best bicyclist, not the best bicycle. I'd expect a more efficient transmission would certainly be considered.
    - legulere 7y ago
      Disc brakes were also banned for pretty long.
      - sliken 7y ago
        Right, but aren't now. Progress is being made, fortunately mountain bikers (and their organizations) are much more open to progress.
- sliken 7y ago
  Or at least tested by a well known 3rd party. There's been quite a bit of research on bicycle efficiency, if this worked I'd expect it to be big news in various bike research related circles. For now I'm quite dubious, especially the claim that it gets more efficient the faster you go.

8note 7y ago

for pedalling speeds, my understanding is that a belt drive is more efficient than a chain

sliken 7y ago
Not sure exactly what you mean. But every test I've seen shows the traditional chain is more efficient than a belt. The belt justifications I've seen are less maintenance, cleaner (no oil on clothes), and quieter. Never seen anyone claim it's more efficient. Thus almost all bikes and nearly all motorcycles use chains, the higher the performance the more likely they are to use chains. However electric bikes (where efficiency isn't as important) or harley motorcycles sometimes use belts. As do folding bikes where you might come in contact with the belt. But racing bikes or motorcycles are pretty much always chains.