Strange, Belt drive (pics)

fletch8928

Called in to the LBS post ride for a quick chat and John the owner pointed out his new build. Orange Strange, no shock there as he likes his Oranges. Then he said I hadn't noticed? Noticed what? This he said moving another bike to show it off in all its glory.

This is what he revealed









Not sure there are too many of them about. I could be wrong and you all may have ridden one.
Going to try and blag a go. i was a touch to mucky before.

Anonymous

That's so ugly it could trick or treat down the phone.
i foresee serious suspension issues having the swingarm pivoted at the BB as well.

fletch8928

Never said it was good looking. I can see a few issues, My 1st thought was where does the all the trail shoot go as it surely can't stay on the belt and just get squished out.

Fair play to the guy for trying.

Anonymous

The "sprockets" have holes in them, so any muck built up would just fall through.

Deputy Dawg

Knowing how often an engine cam belt needs changing over a cam chain I think I'll give it a miss. The only real positive I see is the weight saving.

Anonymous

Deputy Dawg wrote:

Knowing how often an engine cam belt needs changing over a cam chain I think I'll give it a miss.

That's my thinking as well.
There was some excitement on the forum not too long ago, with several people wanting to see belt drives, with a few saying they expected to see less maintenance, and longer lasting transmissions.

I'm not convinced. Ok, so a cam belt is in a cleaner environment than a mountain bike drive chain, but I'm still not convinced.

Andy B

Strange are prototypes from Orange & that one looks very similar to a Kona A, but with a belt drive.

It's not a pretty bike at all but it's not designed to be, it's a test bed for some idea that someone at Orange thought of and they built one too see if the idea worked or not

I'd love a go on the Strange 5, 16" seat tube and 18" top tube length, would fit me spot on

That's one thing I like about Orange, they can think of an idea, nip out into the workshop, build it and go test it in a very short space of time. Most major manufacturers don't have the ability to manufacture prototypes as quickly as they don't have a shed in their back yard with some sheet aluminium in it & a bloke called Keith armed with a toothless grin & a welder.

fletch8928

Andy.
Funny you mention the Kona A as he has a hubgeared one of them, or at least some Kona or other. So are you saying its not his bike? The frame was tiny, but the bike didnt look small. I shall go down tomorrow and have a chat, a cuppa and a bit of cake.

I like the idea, not sure just how practical it will end up being. Maybe its because the clart up on the moors is extra sticky, gritty and plentifull at the moment, that makes me unsure about its longevity.

Andy B

It might be his bike, Orange have been known to sell their Strange bikes

If his Kona has a BB mounted pivot it's an A, pretty sure that's the only Kona to have a BB pivot

I'm interested in seeing how belt drive fares up in the long term, would be good to hear his thoughts on it's performance

pilsburypie

Looks like someone has cut and welded the rear dropout in their shed - did Orange do this or the bloke in the shop?!

ps - sorry re-read - yes he did.

nicklouse

pilsburypie wrote:

Looks like someone has cut and welded the rear dropout in their shed - did Orange do this or the bloke in the shop?!

looks just like normal Orange welding.

Raymondavalon

Deputy Dawg wrote:

Knowing how often an engine cam belt needs changing over a cam chain I think I'll give it a miss. The only real positive I see is the weight saving.

Fail... you just cannot compare a car cam belt to a final drive belt, the cam belt is a high RPM and high heat environment

Harley Davidson have been using belts as a final drive for almost three decades with no issues. I have a freind with an original 80's Harley Sturgis, the very first belt drive hog and it's gone over 80,000 miles and is on its 4th belt, they were only changed due to the age of the bike as a precaution

I seen an Alphine equipped Tank bike with a similar belt drive a few years back, so it's not quite a new technology

dan shard

Wow that is ferociously ugly....even by orange standards!

Really cant see any benefit from having belt drive at all, the chain isn’t exactly the heaviest component on the bike, and you could never use it on a traditionally geared set-up so really don’t see the point other than novelty value

Anonymous

Raymondavalon wrote:

Deputy Dawg wrote:

Knowing how often an engine cam belt needs changing over a cam chain I think I'll give it a miss. The only real positive I see is the weight saving.

Fail... you just cannot compare a car cam belt to a final drive belt, the cam belt is a high RPM and high heat environment

He's not though. He's comparing a cam belt to a cam chain.

Daz555

Deputy Dawg wrote:

Knowing how often an engine cam belt needs changing over a cam chain I think I'll give it a miss. The only real positive I see is the weight saving.

Belts on motorcycles last far far longer than chains and very little maintenance - BMW belts only need inspecting every 6000 miles for tension, require no lube, and can comfortably blast past 30,000 miles without issue.

I used to ride in all weathers and even with good care and regular lubing I could munch through a chain in just a few short winter months. Getting fed up with this is why I ended up getting a BMW R1100S which is shaft driven.

If it were not for the derailleur the belt drive would be the first choice for bicycles by now I reckon.

Anonymous

It's not just the mech that causes the problem. It's the chain/belt growth that's required in order to make an effective full suss mountain bike.

robdaykin

why would you get chain/belt growth on this?
The chain stay is pivoted around the bottom bracket, and doesn't look eccentric, and the rear axle bolts through the other end of the same piece of metal.
Or am I missing something?

nicklouse

dan shard wrote:

Wow that is ferociously ugly....even by orange standards!

Really cant see any benefit from having belt drive at all, the chain isn’t exactly the heaviest component on the bike, and you could never use it on a traditionally geared set-up so really don’t see the point other than novelty value

you have not ridden one have you.

when i get round to making my own frame it will be belt drive.

dan shard

I think he talking about when the rear triangle moves under suspension compression, you need chain growth to allow movement, on a chain with normal gear setup, the derailleur does it for you, if you cant have have a derailleur then the rear trianlge wont move (unless you have a rear pivot setup that follows the natural arc around the BB)

dan shard

nicklouse wrote:

dan shard wrote:

Wow that is ferociously ugly....even by orange standards!

Really cant see any benefit from having belt drive at all, the chain isn’t exactly the heaviest component on the bike, and you could never use it on a traditionally geared set-up so really don’t see the point other than novelty value

you have not ridden one have you.

when i get round to making my own frame it will be belt drive.

unsurpisingly no

Anonymous

robdaykin wrote:

why would you get chain/belt growth on this?

You won't get chain growth on that bike, and because of that it will ride like a bag of balls.
Chain growth is neccesary for anti squat.

jairaj

So does that mean with belt drive you are limited to what suspension systems you can use?

Or are there other ways to get round the lack of chain/belt growth?

Raymondavalon

jairaj wrote:

So does that mean with belt drive you are limited to what suspension systems you can use?

Or are there other ways to get round the lack of chain/belt growth?

Inded there is, I think it would be called a belt tensioner.. a little like a deraileur with a double feed jockey wheel setup methinks

Dick Scruttock

Andy B wrote:

I'd love a go on the Strange 5, 16" seat tube and 18" top tube length, would fit me spot on

Biggest mistake Orange have ever made is not putting that bike into production.