Gates now offers five distinct Carbon Drive product families for bikes and eBikes, with an even wider range of performance and price: CDC, SideTrack, CDX:EXP, CDX, and CDN.
Amidst Global Surge in Bicycle Demand, Gates Carbon Drive Launches New Sprockets and Carbon-Fiber Belt Drive Products to the Bike Industry
– New CDC sprockets feature new tooth design & coating for electric bikes
– New SideTrack line brings low-maintenance belt drivetrain to leisure bicycles
– New CDX:EXP sprockets feature high-strength construction for adventure cyclists
DENVER, JUNE 2, 2020 — The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a surge in global demand for bicycles and eBikes as a preferred way to travel in crowded cities and exercise while social distancing.1,2 In response, Gates (NYSE: GTES), a leading global provider of fluid power and power transmission solutions, is launching a wide range of new products for bicycle & eBike commuters, recreational riders and adventurists alike.
Building on a 40-year legacy of designing & manufacturing belt-drives as a lower-maintenance, rust-free, quieter and stronger alternative to chain drives for two-wheelers, Gates Carbon Drive is refreshing its overall product portfolio with the new CDC & SideTrack™ lines, and an expanded CDX:EXP line.
“These new products show our commitment to advancing how the world moves,” says Joe Menzel, general manager of Gates Carbon Drive & global mobility. “The innovation will allow use of Gates belt drives on an even wider range of electric bikes & bicycles, which is especially important now as urban populations shift from public transit to personal mobility options.”
The CDC line with next-generation CenterTrack™ design, features a new patent-pending aluminum sprocket design, coating and tooth profile for optimized value and durability. Designed for leisure and light-commuter style mid-motor eBikes with ≤50 N-m torque, CDC will enable more consumers to experience the advantages of the Gates Carbon Drive system.
The CDC line of sprockets paired with CDX belt will initially be compatible with Bosch Active Line and Active Line Plus, and Shimano E5000 and E6100 motors. With 20 different spider assembly options and ten rear sprockets for internally-geared and single speed hubs, CDC covers the most popular drivetrain sizes.
The SideTrack system is a new solution designed specifically for manufacturers of entry-level performance and leisure bikes with few gears. It’s intended for seasonal, recreational cyclists looking for their first belt-driven bike. The SideTrack system features flanged front and rear sprockets is paired with the proven 11mm pitch Gates belt, constructed with carbon fiber cord & HNBR polymer. SideTrack is designed for use with most single-speed & 3-speed internally geared hubs.
Finally, the CDX:EXP line is expanding to include three new sprockets made of high-hardness, high-strength steel or aluminum for use with Rohloff internally geared hubs & Pinion gearboxes. Featuring the patented original CenterTrack design, these sprockets enable even bigger all-weather adventuring over the toughest trails and harshest environments.
With these expansions, Gates now offers five distinct Carbon Drive product families for bikes and eBikes, with an even wider range of performance and price: CDC, SideTrack, CDX:EXP, CDX, and CDN. SideTrack will initially only be available to OEMs. To learn more about products from Gates Carbon Drive, visit www.gatescarbondrive.com
About Gates
Gates is a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions. Gates offers a broad portfolio of products to diverse replacement channel customers and to original equipment (“first-fit”) manufacturers as specified components. Gates participates in many sectors of the industrial and consumer markets. Gates products play essential roles in a diverse range of applications across a wide variety of end markets ranging from harsh and hazardous industries such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and energy, to everyday consumer applications such as printers, power washers, automatic doors and vacuum cleaners, and virtually every form of transportation. Gates products are sold in 128 countries across four commercial regions: the Americas; Europe, Middle East and Africa; Greater China; and East Asia and India. More about Gates can be found at Gates.com.
1 New York Times, May 18, 2020, “Thinking of Buying a Bike? Get Ready for a Very Long Wait”
2 World Resources Institute, April 17, 2020, “Biking Provides a Critical Lifeline During the Coronavirus Crisis”
