Looking for a belt-drive bike

Highcontrast1

Hi all. Just started a new job that's about an 11 km cycle mostly flat back roads. I am looking for a belt driven bike similar to the one below. Never been big into cycling so I am a novice and appreciate any help/pointers. I'll be getting the bike through the bike to work scheme so any advice regarding that would also be much appreciated.
Thanks

Something like this

DJ WIPEOUT

That’s the exact same distance and bicycle (albeit I have the 2015 model) I use everyday and throughout all seasons! I’ve been cycling for 36 years and can tell you this is a bicycle like no other! It’s smooth quiet stealth at pace is a joy to experience every day. Just buy it and you won’t regret it...

nilhg

Whether BTW will work depends on how your employer works the system but Canyon do a great range of that type of bikes.

https://www.canyon.com/en/urban/

ILIKEFOOD

free wheeling on Pearse Street do these belt bikes - they are things of beauty

https://www.schindelhauerbikes.com/

ford2600

nilhg wrote: »

Whether BTW will work depends on how your employer works the system but Canyon do a great range of that type of bikes.

https://www.canyon.com/en/urban/

https://www.canyon.com/en-ie/urban/commuter/2018/commuter-5.html

Mid range, belt drive, mudguards, racks and supernova dynamo lights included for 1300 is going to be hard to beat.

Google for reviews of the 8 speed hub.

You are going to find that pretty hard to beat. You could use that bike for audax

Highcontrast1

the prices seem to be a bit steep for the belt drives , they look gorg though :cool:. I'm probably gonna get one still but 1000 is my max through the scheme I think. Any cheaper options?

py

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057796093/

Should be some relevant information in that thread. While it's about hubs, there's a good bit of chat on belt drives.

seanin4711

https://www.citylab.com/life/2017/03/we-rode-the-ikea-bike/519315/

ILIKEFOOD

Cube Hyde for €999 on bike24 - you might be able to get it on btw depending how your work administers it. Saw a guy in work on it - big fat tyres and belt drive

https://www.bike24.com/p2239693.html

Highcontrast1

ILIKEFOOD wrote: »

Cube Hyde for €999 on bike24 - you might be able to get it on btw depending how your work administers it. Saw a guy in work on it - big fat tyres and belt drive

https://www.bike24.com/p2239693.html

Is it possible to order form Germany?? I was looking at that bike but i'm not so sure about the fat tyres . i've only just started working there and they told us to go onto biketowork.ie. 420 in savings on that 999 bike :eek:

py

Highcontrast1 wrote: »

Is it possible to order form Germany?? I was looking at that bike but i'm not so sure about the fat tyres . i've only just started working there and they told us to go onto biketowork.ie. 420 in savings on that 999 bike :eek:

I've got the Hyde race which is the next model up. I replaced the stock tyres with 38c marathon plus and there's a huge difference from the 25c I'm used to running on my road bikes. The extra comfort is most welcome.

Highcontrast1

py wrote: »

I've got the Hyde race which is the next model up. I replaced the stock tyres with 38c marathon plus and there's a huge difference from the 25c I'm used to running on my road bikes. The extra comfort is most welcome.

Is it just the tyres that you replaced? How much did it cost you for the replacements? sorry i'm new to all of this
currently have my eye on this but i'd consider the 999 one if i can get it through btw.

py

Highcontrast1 wrote: »

Is it just the tyres that you replaced? How much did it cost you for the replacements? sorry i'm new to all of this
currently have my eye on this but i'd consider the 999 one if i can get it through btw.

Just the tyres I replaced but I added some racks for pannier bags, mudguards and my own Shimano SPD pedals from another bike. Really enjoy cycling it. Very rugged, a smooth and quiet cycle each day to/from work. I've not done anymore than 25Km on it as of yet.

TychoCaine

Highcontrast1 wrote: »

the prices seem to be a bit steep for the belt drives , they look gorg though :cool:. I'm probably gonna get one still but 1000 is my max through the scheme I think. Any cheaper options?

The Gates and Continental parts are big money on their own, even before you start to build a bike around it, so €1k options are thin on the ground. The belt, sprocket and chainring are ~€300 more than equivalent chain versions. The frames are non standard too, with horizontal dropouts and a rear triangle that can be split apart to slide in the belt. Non-standard means lower volume and higher prices. Serious corners may have be cut elsewhere to get under your budget.

I like the Canyon above, but I really like the Cannondale Bad Boy 1.

Lumen

Highcontrast1 wrote: »

the prices seem to be a bit steep for the belt drives , they look gorg though :cool:. I'm probably gonna get one still but 1000 is my max through the scheme I think. Any cheaper options?

Get a bike with a chain. Single speed chains are incredibly reliable, less fussy about installation, frame quality and contamination than a belt drive and don't need much maintenance.

droidus

Highcontrast1 wrote: »

Is it just the tyres that you replaced? How much did it cost you for the replacements? sorry i'm new to all of this
currently have my eye on this but i'd consider the 999 one if i can get it through btw.

The Hyde race is higher spec and lighter than the Focus Planet.

I too went for the Hyde race after months of agonising. You can get it for €1100 in irish shops which should all work for bike to work. Currently waiting on a set of Continental 4 seasons 32's (€80 from Germany) to replace the ridiculous tyres on it at the moment. Will probably replace the saddle as well. Oh, and mudguards.

The Cannondale is OK - I have an older version, but the new lefty fork is super weird, the wheels are a strange size and if I had that kind of money Id go for the BMC alpenchallenge.

droidus

Oh and one thing to be aware of when looking at belt drive specs:

Gates make 3 belt systems, CDN, CDC & CDX.

The CDN is their 'urban' system designed for light commuting.

CDC is for cyclocross and gravel and doesn't have the centretrack.

CDX is the premium system with a tougher belt & more lightweight sprockets, designed for touring bikes and high mileage, this is what the Hyde Editor has.

The good news is that CDN and CDX are cross compatible, so in theory the Hyde race could be upgraded to a CDX system, which would definitely be cheaper & easier than replacing or repairing a dodgy Alfine 11 hub. The only other difference between the Hyde race and Editor are the brakes and tyres.

Documentation here: http://www.gatescarbondrive.com/~/me...tion.pdf?la=en

droidus

ford2600 wrote: »

https://www.canyon.com/en-ie/urban/commuter/2018/commuter-5.html

Mid range, belt drive, mudguards, racks and supernova dynamo lights included for 1300 is going to be hard to beat.

Google for reviews of the 8 speed hub.

You are going to find that pretty hard to beat. You could use that bike for audax

Their urban bikes are nice alright, but thats a Nexus hub unfortunately. Their alfine alternatives are much pricier.

droidus

Off the top of my head, both Fitzcycles in Stillorgan and Humphries in Finglas can get the Hyde race in for you in about a week. A lot of shops stock Cubes.

droidus

These are the mudguards to go with it. Perfect fit. Some of the other raceblades dont play well with disc brakes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00R2WJ2P8/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3HJQVK6QC45UL&colid=3PS56M3UHMXZ0&psc=0

Kop Idol

Haven't seen anyone mention BMC yet. Its quite nice looking. (edit: just seen it was actually mentioned above ;)  good taste)

If you need a bricks and mortar shop, Fitzcycles do an Alfine based model for a little over your budget at €1199, comes with full mudguards by the look of it > AC02 One
Here's a 'walkaround' video from Youtube > AC02 One Video

There seems to be a few 2017 BMC AC02 Nexus models around being sold off for less than €1k but they would all be from online merchants.

droidus

Yeah the BMC's are nice. 2 problems though, the AC02 is a Nexus hub (there used to be an alfine 8 version) and you wont be able to get one until at least March or April - thats the lead in time if ordering through bricks and mortar in ireland.

TychoCaine

droidus wrote: »

The Cannondale is OK - I have an older version, but the new lefty fork is super weird, the wheels are a strange size and if I had that kind of money Id go for the BMC alpenchallenge.

I had the new model Cannondale Bad Boy 3 (before it got pinched) and the 'strange size' wheel you speak of is 650b, as found on most MTBs on sale today. The lefty fork is unusual, looking like half a downhill triple-clamp fork, but I like it.

droidus

Yeah sorry, couldnt remember what the wheels were called. The question is, why would you want smaller wheels on a commuter? it makes no sense.

This is the old one with a nicer (IMO) lefty and 700c wheels. I can testify that it is rugged and durable, if a touch clunky.

TychoCaine

droidus wrote: »

Yeah sorry, couldnt remember what the wheels were called. The question is, why would you want smaller wheels on a commuter? it makes no sense.

That's the thing - they're not smaller. Your 700c wheels are actually larger than a 700c road wheel, because wider tyres are also taller. Shrinking the rim brings it back down to a similar size to a road wheel. 650x40c would be a similar diameter to a 700x25c.

Highcontrast1

So much to learn about bikes . I'm sold on this this now. Is it possible to get this bike on the btw scheme considering the shop is neither Irish nor in the eu(??)?

TychoCaine

Evans are from London and the UK was still in the EU last I checked. Legally you can, but if your employer uses a 3rd party company to manage their scheme you're out of luck, because those companies only support a specific list of shops. BMC have loads of dealers in Ireland anyway.

colm_mcm

seanin4711 wrote: »

https://www.citylab.com/life/2017/03/we-rode-the-ikea-bike/519315/

Had a look at this when I was in IKEA last time. It feels VERY heavy

Highcontrast1

TychoCaine wrote: »

Evans are from London and the UK was still in the EU last I checked. Legally you can, but if your employer uses a 3rd party company to manage their scheme you're out of luck, because those companies only support a specific list of shops. BMC have loads of dealers in Ireland anyway.

we were told to go to this site, would they be a third party? I'm suspecting they are ...

droidus

Yeah, youre out of luck there Im afraid. Really not a good idea to buy your first bike online anyway, you'll need to check sizing and comfort, and the only real way to do that is sit on the bike.

The only place in Dublin that I found stocking BMC was Fitzcycles. If youre keen on that bike it'll €1200 and you'll be waiting a couple of months. Id recommend going out there and checking out some of the other AC02's and taking them for a spin, they all have the same frames you'll get an idea of how it suits you. They also have the cubes so you could check both bikes out at the same time.

http://www.fitzcycles.ie/p/3240/bmc-bikes

Highcontrast1

droidus wrote: »

Yeah, youre out of luck there Im afraid. Really not a good idea to buy your first bike online anyway, you'll need to check sizing and comfort, and the only real way to do that is sit on the bike.

The only place in Dublin that I found stocking BMC was Fitzcycles. If youre keen on that bike it'll €1200 and you'll be waiting a couple of months. Id recommend going out there and checking out some of the other AC02's and taking them for a spin, they all have the same frames you'll get an idea of how it suits you. They also have the cubes so you could check both bikes out at the same time.

http://www.fitzcycles.ie/p/3240/bmc-bikes

you are right, i should try them out first.
thanks so much!