Gates Carbon Belt Drive is widely regarded as a strong drivetrain option for long-distance touring bikes. I currently have both a belt drive touring bike and a belt drive tandem in my garage, each running over 30,000 km on its original belts.
To put that into perspective, a conventional derailleur drivetrain will often struggle to maintain smooth, reliable shifting much beyond roughly 10,000 km without component replacement or adjustment. By contrast, belt-driven touring setups remain quiet and require very little ongoing maintenance beyond occasional cleaning with a brush and water.
There are, however, two main constraints to consider with belt touring bikes:
- They require a belt-specific frame
- They must be paired with an internal gear hub or gearbox, which increases overall system cost
Because there is significant interest in compatible bikes and frame options for Gates systems, I’ve compiled a reference resource covering the key manufacturers in this space. Most of these brands are based in Europe (around 87%), though many offer international shipping or have established dealer networks worldwide.
Belt Drive Touring Bike Manufacturer List
The Santos Travelmaster as shown is not the 3+, but the 2.9.
My mistake. Thanks.
raleigh cadent i8
Might be nice to mention the associated costs vs. standard drivetrain. 30,000km is great but if it costs you x4 times as much to replace sprockets and belt vs. conventional chain and chainring/sproket then the value point is a bit moot. That’s from the viewpoint that you’ll get increased/good longevity from a chain running a straight/fixed chainline on a similar IGH/Pinion setup.
Amazing that the Rose Activa Pro 3 Touring has a middle kickstand. How often wants Rose see that bike fall down, when fully loaded? I recently met a touring cyclist with that bike; he was not amused! The #1 mistake by a manufacturer of touring bikes.
A good custom builder can make pretty much any frame Gates-compatible. Cycle Monkey in Northern California, for example, sends their frames out for VERY clean mods at incredibly reasonable prices.
A good point. In fact, my own touring frame has been modified by a reputable builder.
And just announced today, the new Salsa Fargo Ti. Frameset only however.
From the Netherlands please don’t forget the affordable Batavus Dinsdag Exclusive, and the pricier but very desirable Koga F3 6.0
Thanks. I added it at the same time you left this comment!
Thanks for the suggestions, Alwin. I’ve had a look at those models and decided they’re a little more city/commuting than most of the bikes on this list. It’s a fine line, but I had a good look through the frame geometry and parts to arrive at that decision! 🙂
Fair enough on the Batavus, but I think the F3 6.0 is too sexy and too similar to the Kalkhoff and Cube bikes. I know I’m biased though, can’t wait to get one in September. Anyway thanks for a really helpful compilation!
There’s a few other manufacturer’s not mentioned like Schindelhauer and 8bar. We import them to the United States and we ship for free to the US and Canada. thesuperiorbikeshop.com
Hi Ruben. Those brands haven’t been included because they don’t make touring-specific bikes. Alee
Ive never ridden a belt drive bike before but am considering purchasing an alpinechallenge alfine 11 with gates belt drive.i believe it has 8 gears and im wandering if this will be sufficient enough to cope with a hilly small island i live in .
It depends how strong you are as well as how steep the hills are. This article will give you an idea how the Alfine gears will compare to typical derailleur drivetrain. https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/
Is there no release of Canyon Commuter Bikes’ with Belt drive + ALFINE11 2018 model?