BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Gates has improved on its Belt Drive system with the creation of ‘CenterTrack’.
Introduced to Interbike’s crowds in a world first look, the belt drive design now includes a central spine which increases the performance of the drive train with a lighter, yet stronger, system.
CenterTrack features an innovative new design that offers all the advantages of existing Carbon Drives, but with 20 per cent more tensile strength, a slimmer profile and the most advanced dirt and debris-shedding ever.
"CenterTrack is a quantum leap forward for belt-drive technologies. It offers all the clean, quiet and strong advantages of our existing drive trains, but with an even higher level of performance," says Todd Sellden,
director of Gates Carbon Drive Systems. "We believe it will become one of the bike industry’s must-have components."
Instead of a raised flange on the side, the front and rear pulleys of CenterTrack feature a narrow track that runs around the center of their circumference. The CenterTrack belt has a channel on its underside that fits snuggly onto the track for perfect alignment every time.
The CenterTrack belt’s teeth engage with the pulleys, whose sides have been removed for optimal debris shedding. Dirt and grime simply fall away, making CenterTrack technology ideal for muddy or snowy
conditions. Gates will offer the CenterTrack technology on its new CDX-CT drive train, which will be the new premium component offering from Carbon Drive Systems. CDX-CT joins the CDX and CDC product lines.
The product’s cost is set to be announced in early December. OEM orders are welcomed as of Interbike. Production orders are not likely to be on offer until December.
