BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Gates has targetted the electric bike market, linking with Bosch, SRAM, MPF, BionX, Höganäs and others to integrate its belt drive technology into the motors that power pedal assist bikes.
Shown at Eurobike, the manufacturer further broadened the reach of the belt drive by introducing products specific to Di2 clad bikes, Pinion sprockets that integrate with Shimano and an own branded crankset.
“Electric bikes are the largest growth category for Gates Carbon Drive and we are working diligently to provide eBike manufacturers with belt drive options for all the leading motor systems,” says Todd Sellden, global director of Gates Carbon Drive.
“Electric bikes are the future, and we believe Gates Carbon Drive can help drive consumer demand with our clean, strong, and low-maintenance belt drives.”
Gates new own label crank comes attached to a belt drive specific sprocket. The Di2 sprockets and Di2-specific cranksets come assembled for easy mounting to Shimano’s electronic shifters. Gates has likewise partnered with Pinion to provide Carbon Drive sprockets that easily mate with Pinion’s gearboxes.
Further to those partnerships, Gates also revealed it has links with both Yamaha, Panasonic and Nuvinci. These tie ups will see Gates sprockets applied to the three label’s own motors.
Eight belt lengths are now available to manufacturers wishing to spec belt drive, up from just three in 2008 when the system was introduced. For 2014, the company is offering two new shorter belts (108-tooth and 111-tooth) to accommodate more eBikes, folding bikes, and bicycles with shorter chain stays.
“Our goal,” Sellden says, “is to continue offering more belt lengths and sprocket sizes every year, and to continue integrating with the leading internally geared hub, gearbox, and eBike transmissions so that we have belt drive solutions for every bicycle category–from BMX to eBikes, mountain bikes to city bikes, foldables, tandems, cargo bikes, and even one day, low-cost beach cruisers.”
In 2014, the low-maintenance Carbon Drive will appear on 220 bike models from more than 90 brands.
