ARCC Bikes and Gates Carbon Drive Technology

ARCC Bikes pairs its bicycle frames with only the best in modern bike componentry. From top-of-the-range, hub gear systems by Rohloff and Shimano to Schwalbe Marathon Plus anti-puncture tyres, ARCC Bikes selects brands on the cutting edge of bike mechanical design, making certain that each bike, and eBike, meet the first-class standard for safety and build quality. This includes ARCC Bikes’ choice in transmission system: the renowned Gates Carbon Belt Drive.

Taking their expertise in making drive trains for high-performance cars and motorbikes to the cycling industry, the Gates Carbon Belt Drive first launched in 2007 after years of rigorous research and development. Challenging the then-supremacy of chain-and-derailleur systems, Gates’ system offers an unbeatably smooth ride. But with strict regulations and frame testing required, it can only be paired with specially designed bikes (ARCC’s bike frames have been thoroughly tested by Gates's technicians and are officially approved by the brand).

Gates’s system is formed of a carbon fibre belt paired with CenterTrack sprockets; this belt is made up of carbon fibre cords strung into continuous loops, contained within a polyurethane casing with a ribbed exterior.

The teeth, which are curvilinear, are optimised for power output (Gates’ engineers have found that bike drivetrains are most efficient with teeth gaps of 11 millimetres). This acts as a compromise length between narrower spaces, which require excessive tension to prevent skipping, and wider ones, which require bigger and heavier sprockets, and have less options for gearing.

Gate’s durability lies in the carbon fibre having a high strength-to-weight ratio, meaning it is very strong but at the same time incredibly light. With this reduced weight, Gates Carbon Belt Drive have a much smoother ride action than chain drives.

Gates’s belts also last much longer than metal chains. This is because chains stretch over time as their components wear, until eventually the chains fail to connect properly with the sprocket teeth. Carbon fibre meanwhile does not stretch and so performance is maintained over longer distances. While individual chain life does depend on multiple factors, the Gates Carbon Belt Drive generally offers up to three or four times the service life of chains. 

Other benefits of the belt drive include no need for lubrication or degreasing. Carbon belts do not rust like metal chains and are chemically resistant, meaning they can be rinsed with most cleaning products, and mud and grit can be easily brushed off. They have also been tested in extreme heat and cold.

The only real drawback is that the belt drive does not fit to just any frame, but one’s which can accommodate for adequate tension. The options for retrofitting frames with belt drives are then limited. Likewise, belt drives are not compatible with derailleurs or normal sprockets, but can only be paired with internal gear hubs, like Rohloff and Shimano. The advantages of this, however, are that the gear mechanism is protected from acquiring mud and dirt, and the user is able to switch gear without having to pedal.

Providing ARCC’s Abington and Rosemont bikes with a smooth ride (the former recently made Velorution’s top 7 Gates’ belt-driven bikes) the Gates Carbon Belt Drive has been specifically picked for its impeccable standards and build quality, which complements ARCC Innovation’s own.