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11
Belt Drive / Re: Belt drive article from Thorn Blog
« Last post by JohnR on March 12, 2026, 01:03:05 PM »
Quote from: Danneaux on March 08, 2026, 03:35:39 PM
Quote
Tristan Ridley who is a long distance back packer has moved back to chain from belt.  He has a YT video explaining why….
Available here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx5nN3kyx5k
Thanks. Both mucky conditions and challenging terrain. I would be wanting a parachute in case I fell off some of those tracks!

Five winters ago I used a belt drive bike on my local roads and the bike started making lots of creaking noises. I eventually traced the problem to be the belt getting dirty. It needed a thorough scrub which was more maintenance effort than putting a bit of lube on a chain. The attached photo is of the bike I've been using on the same roads for the most recent winter and shows the typical accumulated muck over nearly 1k miles. Once the winter is over I'll fit a new chain which is less effort than cleaning the dirty one and costs less than £15.
12
Belt Drive / Re: Belt drive article from Thorn Blog
« Last post by WorldTourer on March 11, 2026, 02:36:13 PM »
Quote from: mickeg on March 11, 2026, 10:34:54 AM
I was surprised to see that Gates recommends that.  I do not recall where, but somewhere several years ago I saw that it was clearly stated that if you did that, it would damage the belt.  I might have seen that on the Thorn website somewhere.

If they said that, they would have to change the policy to get any business from all those long-haul cyclists who are traveling in countries where getting a replacement belt is not straightforward.
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Belt Drive / Re: Belt drive article from Thorn Blog
« Last post by mickeg on March 11, 2026, 10:34:54 AM »
Quote from: Tiberius on February 25, 2026, 08:17:13 AM
...
Re carrying/storing a spare belt - Gates say.....https://youtu.be/VgM-qeHGK_4?si=juJL4eavETswXT8s
...

I was surprised to see that Gates recommends that.  I do not recall where, but somewhere several years ago I saw that it was clearly stated that if you did that, it would damage the belt.  I might have seen that on the Thorn website somewhere.

But if Gates says it is ok, then it clearly must be ok.

There used to be a discount bike parts company in USA (Nashbar) that would pack their wire bead tires that way when you bought a tire from them, shipping boxes were much smaller that way.  Before I put a tire on a rim, I would have to unkink the wire bead in a few spots.

A decade ago on my Iceland trip, I met this couple there, see photo.  They were a mixed marriage, one had belt and the other chain drive on their Rohloff bikes.  They said they carried a spare belt because nobody in all of Iceland sold them.
14
Belt Drive / Re: Belt drive article from Thorn Blog
« Last post by PH on March 10, 2026, 08:50:21 PM »
Quote from: Danneaux on March 08, 2026, 03:35:39 PM
Quote
Tristan Ridley who is a long distance back packer has moved back to chain from belt.  He has a YT video explaining why….
Available here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx5nN3kyx5k

Best, Dan.
That was interesting, not just from a technical POV, it was worth watching for the scenery. While I accept the fragility of a carried belt, that has always been known and it shouldn't be an insurmountable issue. His not getting a better mileage from a belt than a chain is enough to put me off.  Though I'm not saying never...
15
Bikes For Sale / Re: Thorn Sherpa - XL for drops, needs assembly/work
« Last post by tt2cycletours on March 09, 2026, 10:32:03 PM »
Apologies just saw this. I imagine you have a frame now. I have almost finished building this up into a finished bike...
16
Non-Thorn Related / Carradice New Ponchos
« Last post by in4 on March 09, 2026, 11:35:28 AM »
https://carradice.co.uk/products/duxback-poncho

I think SJS stock this brand.
17
Belt Drive / Re: Belt drive article from Thorn Blog
« Last post by Danneaux on March 08, 2026, 03:35:39 PM »
Quote
Tristan Ridley who is a long distance back packer has moved back to chain from belt.  He has a YT video explaining why….
Available here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx5nN3kyx5k

Best, Dan.
18
Belt Drive / Re: Belt drive article from Thorn Blog
« Last post by Andyb1 on March 08, 2026, 02:21:10 PM »
Interesting to see that Tristan Ridley who is a long distance bikepacker has moved back to chain from belt.  He has a YT video explaining why….but his bike usage is pretty extreme!
19
Bikes For Sale / Thorn Sherpa 50cm
« Last post by robbieonthenet on March 06, 2026, 12:27:36 PM »
For Sale in BH7
Black Thorn Sherpa 511L 50cm
9 speed good condition £650
See EBay or msg me on here
Cheers
Robert in Bournemouth
20
Rohloff Internal Hub Gears / Re: Crack noise after shifting
« Last post by hendrich on March 06, 2026, 12:38:17 AM »
Thanks for the further suggestions. The ping/crack sounds only occurs in 8-14 once after switching gears and applying pedal force. Repeated attempts while climbing in 1-7 do not make the sound.  The sound does not repeat with any circular motion of the chain/pedal/BB timing. I agree that those items are difficult to eliminate as a cause in drive trains.

I loosened cable tension significantly, but the same sound still occurs. I have not yet whacked the hub axle, but the wheel does spin as free as it always did.

We are away from home for another 3 weeks. When at home I will try to study more carefully while bike is hanging. I'd like to lock the rear wheel, shift, and then put force into the pedals. However, the amount of force we apply while riding is significant, difficult to duplicate while hanging.

After that, I will give the hub a double cleaning, perhaps some grit will work loose. Then, I will contact Rohloff for ideas. The sound has not caused a problem while riding, but we are planning a 4000 Km heavily loaded tour this summer. Drive train sounds bug the hell out of me.
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