3 ms·
Motorcycles have had shaft drive, belt drive, and chain drive off the lot for decades. Many Harleys are belt-driven. Many BMWs are shaft-driven. Nearly all o
by kemitchell 7y ago
Motorcycles have had shaft drive, belt drive, and chain drive off the lot for decades. Many Harleys are belt-driven. Many BMWs are shaft-driven. Nearly all offroad and racing bikes are chain-driven.
It's not just friction efficiency, but weight and other factors, too.
The split pinion reminds me a bit of a DCT. Especially when they put the cover on.
- 13of40 7y agoHere's an off the shelf bike from 111 years ago with a shaft drive: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1908-columbia-shaft-drive-model-804-reduced-again.95571/ https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1908-columbia-shaft-drive-... For some reason there's a tendency to assume that unusual things in the bike world are crazy new inventions.
- ska 7y agoI think the point was more that although other solutions exist is production, you won’t see them in high performance applications. Both shaft and belt drives have benefits fir the consumer, but performance isn’t one of them. It’s probably similar bicycles.
- _nalply 7y agoInteresting, but this bike with a shaft drive doesn't seem to have gears.
- mikestew 7y agoColumbia did make a two-speed version. It’s been so long that I forget exactly how it works, but it’s not an internal hub.
- mikestew 7y agoHere, this page has a picture of the two-speed. Third down, on the left: https://www.prices4antiques.com/Bicycle-Pope-Mfg-Columbia-Shaft-Drive-Male-Frame-2-Speed-1904-E8926673.html https://www.prices4antiques.com/Bicycle-Pope-Mfg-Columbia-Sh...