Author Topic: Belt Drive and gear inches??  (Read 4295 times)

Thomas777

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Belt Drive and gear inches??
« on: August 13, 2019, 05:15:13 pm »
Considering changing my wife's bike to belt drive but not sure how to calculate gear inches.
Advice would be great!
Thanks!

rualexander

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Re: Belt Drive and gear inches??
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2019, 10:56:55 pm »
Same way as with a chain
Chainring teeth divided by sprocket teeth, multiplied by wheel diameter.

Danneaux

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Re: Belt Drive and gear inches??
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2019, 11:22:36 pm »
Quote
Considering changing my wife's bike to belt drive but not sure how to calculate gear inches.
Use the same formula as usual for calculating gear-inches: Ft/Rt * Wd  [Number of teeth on chainring divided by number of teeth on rear cog or sprocket multiplied by the outside diameter of the mounted and inflated tire (or a nominal equivalent if you aren't fussy about accuracy).

It all works out the same. For example (with a nominal 27in wheel)...

40t x 20t = 54 gear-inches

20t x 10t = 54 gear-inches

10t x 5t = 54 gear-inches

As for Gates' take on ratios compared to gear-inches, they provide a useful comparison here: https://www.gatescarbondrive.com/~/media/files/gcd/oemfactoryresources/gatesshimanomanualen.pdf?la=en
There are not direct equivalencies on belt drive to chain drive, but pretty close. For example (again calculated with a nominal 27in outside wheel diameter):

46 x 22 = 56.45
Gates offers the close equivalent: 38 x 18 = 57

50 x 22 = 61.36
Gates offers the close equivalent: 40 x 18 = 60

55 x 22 = 67.5
Gates offers the close equivalent: 44 x 18 = 66

60 x 22 = 73.63
Gates offers the close equivalent: 50 x 18 = 75

You'll note that like gear-inches, the ratios are also only approximately equivalent but still close. For example, a 50 x22 in chain drive gives a ratio of 2.27 (F/R) vs a belt-drive equivalent (40x18 F/R) of 2.22. This is because there are not so many tooth options available in belt drive as in chain drive.

Best,

Dan.


Thomas777

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Re: Belt Drive and gear inches??
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2019, 03:13:15 pm »
Daň,
Thanks for your reply.
I must be having a brain freeze because I don't get it!
Also trying to figure out the range of gear inches in her current setup but I can't seem to find a gear inch calculator. Currently 16/36.
Thanks!

John Saxby

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Re: Belt Drive and gear inches??
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2019, 03:58:04 pm »
Hi Tom,

Here's a web-based calculator:  http://www.gear-calculator.com/

Here's Sheldon Brown's calculator: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html

The drill for the Rohloff is this:

     Chainring teeth (yours, 36) divided by sprocket teeth (yours, 16) =  2.25

     2.25 x wheel diameter (inflated tire, outer edge to outer edge) - let's say 26" = 58.5

     58.5 wd thus be your gear-inch value in 11th gear, the Rohloff direct drive.

     For the gear-inch values of the individual gears, multiply 58.5 by the Rohloff gear ratios:

     1st:  0.279     2nd:  0.3.16    3rd:  0.360   4th: 0.409   5th: 0.464   6th: 0.528   7th: 0.600
     8th: 0.682   9th: 0.774   10th: 0.881  11th, of course, 1.00 
     Then, the "overdrive" gears:  12th: 1.135   13th: 1.292  14th: 1.467

Hope that does the trick,

Cheers,  John

Thomas777

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Re: Belt Drive and gear inches??
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2019, 08:39:47 pm »
Thanks! I will play with it.