Importance of Bike Safety for Commuters

If you are looking for a belt drive bicycle for commuting, you need to look no further than Downtube. You will be able to find a bike to fit your commuting needs and more.

Introduction

More and more people are riding bicycles to work and because of this, it has resulted in an increase in bicycle accidents. When these accidents happen, they can result in death and/or serious injury due to the simple fact that people riding bikes to work are less protected than their fellow commuters who are travelling in cars, trucks and SUVs. The huge increase in belt drive bicycle commuters underscores the importance of bike safety for everyone that is going to use the road. 

Statistics of Bike Commuters

• Cyclists account for about 0.6% of all commuters in the United States.
• The western part of the United States has the highest rate of bicycle commuters at a rate over 1%.
• The southern part of the United States has the lowest rate of bicycle commuters with 0.3%.
• Portland, Oregonhas the highest rate of bicycle commuting at a rate of over 6%.
• Men were found to be more likely than women to ride their bike to work.
• The median commute time for people riding their bikes was found to be close to 20 minutes.

It is very likely that this trend will continue as gas prices increase and more and more. Americans also embrace the greener way of living. While this is a good thing, it is important to remember that safety is a key issue when it comes to bicycling to work.

Bicycle Accidents

• Most of your bicyclist deaths are going to occur in urban areas and at non-intersection locations.
• Teens and adults aged 45 years and older have the highest bicycle death rates.
• Children, adolescents and young adults have the highest rates of nonfatal bicycle-related injuries, which is close to 60% of all bicycle-related injuries seen in American emergency rooms.

Interventions to Reduce Injuries and Fatalities 

Ways for bicyclists to reduce injuries and fatalities include the following:

• Use of bike helmets: Bicycle helmets are going to reduce the risk of head and brain injuries in the event of a crash. All bicyclists should protect themselves by wearing properly fitted bicycle helmets every time they ride their bike, even when commuting to work.
• Active lighting and rider visibility: Fluorescent clothing can make a belt drive bicycle rider visible from farther away than regular clothing during the daytime. Active lighting may include front white lights, rear red lights or other lighting on the bicycle.
• Infrastructure: Providing bicycle riders with their own bike lanes can make a significant difference when it comes to reducing the number of serious injuries and deaths. 

Conclusion

The best way to keep people riding their belt drive bicycle safe is to avoid accidents, which is going to require both motorists and bicyclists to share the road and obey all traffic laws at all times. Drivers must be alert for bicyclists at all times, especially during commuter rush hours.

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Which Belt Drive Bikes are Quicker?

If you are looking for a belt drive bicycle, you need to check out of variety of bikes that you can find at Downtube. The following article will discuss which types of drive systems are quicker.

Toothed belt drive systems are popular with commuters because of them having a quiet operation. They also have an almost maintenance free design, are light in weight and are very smooth because there is no lubricant required.

Is a belt drive bicycle more efficient than a conventional chain drive? A conventional chain drive consumes 2.92 watts on average, while the belt eats up 3.93 watts. Although the difference is just 1 watt, it is not enough for most people to care about but the fact of the matter is it is a substantial 34.6% difference. The efficiency differences of installed systems are obviously good to know for track racers and any rider who wonders about the efficiency of a belt drive bicycle compared to a chain drive bicycle. As long as installed per the manufacturer's instructions, the belt drive is going to be less efficient than the traditional single speed chain drive bicycle. Chain drive bicycles are going to give you almost no friction when there is no preload applied, while a drive belt bicycle is going to still eat up 1.73 watts. 

The slope of the two lines is not equal with respect to increasing applied load. Even more so, this means that the chain drive is going to generate more friction than the belt with increasing applied load. The crossover point is going to fall at about 208 watts in terms of constant pedaling output and the belt drive's advantages are going increase even more from there.

Most of your recreational bicyclists (and even some of your bike enthusiasts) are not going to notice much of a difference between a drive belt bicycle and a chain belt bicycle. On the other hand, top level bikers are going to be interested in reducing frictional losses, especially given their much higher power outputs and the fact that races can be won or lost by just hundredths of a second. Systems with a shallower slope on the applied load is going to be simply too much to overcome. If you do go with a lower roller in order to prevent skipping on the cog, it is then going to be possible that bike racers could benefit from a toothed belt drive system. The unexpected portion of the results is going to become apparent when the efficiency of the belt itself is analyzed in an apples-to-apples tension comparison to the chain, without any preload. These results are going to show you how the belt is going to become more efficient above 208 watts.

The findings between the two drive systems can help to open up the door to new drive train concepts, which can help to take advantage of the belt's inherent high efficiency for power transfer but without any of the efficiency-robbing preload requirements.

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Tips for Riding Bikes in Winter Time

If you are looking for a belt drive folding bike, you need to check out the variety of folding bikes that can be found from Downtube. You will be able to find a bike to fit your needs. The following article has some handy helpful tips for riding your bike in the winter months.

Following Plows

Bike paths are regularly plowed in many of your major metro areas.

Road Conditions

During most winter commutes, it is often the same dry pavement as in the summer. Sand, salt, sun and snowplows can help to eliminate ice and snow from roads in the days after a snow storm.

Ride Steady

For slippery stretches, bike riders should slow down. You should brake only on the rear wheel in order to avoid spinouts on slick surfaces. You should be prepared to take your feet off the pedals of your belt drive folding bike if it starts to fishtail or tilt.

Watchful Eye
Cars are less aware of bikers in the winter months. Always ride your belt drive folding bike defensively and make eye contact with car drivers.

Cold and Clean

You should keep your Belt drive folding bike cold and store it in the garage. A room-temperature bike in new snow can cause ice to form on the brakes and gears more easily.

Going With Studded Tires

Carbide-studded tires can increase grip on snow and ice.

Protect Your Core

Layering is the key to staying warm and managing your sweat in the cold. A common configuration for biking includes a wicking base layer shirt followed by an insulating fleece top, then with a waterproof and windproof shell jacket. For your bottom half, one less layer is going to be needed. Many bikers wear normal pants like jeans covered up with a wind-shell pant. If you have a long commute, you should consider bike tights or shorts with a chamois pad combined with long underwear bottoms and the shell pants on top.

Headwear

You should not wear the hood on your jacket while you are biking because air can funnel in as you move. Many bike riders wear balaclavas and sunglasses or ski goggles. Tight-fitting fleece skull caps are popular as well. You should always top your headwear with a helmet, perhaps sized larger in winter to fit over all the insulation.

Warm Hands and Feet

You should not wear gloves but wear mittens or bifurcated lobster-style hand wear as they will keep your fingers close together and warmer. Winter boots are best for the coldest days but you need to use platform pedals with aggressive tread for good grip as you crank. If the temperature is 20 degrees or more, you can get away with bike shoes, making sure to have on neoprene covers to add insulation and buffer warm air.

Public Transit as Retreat

Many metro trains and public buses are going to allow bikes, letting riders surrender on the worst days and hop a ride home.



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Perks of Belt drive bikes

If you are looking for a Belt drive bike, you need to look no further than Downtube. You will be able to find a variety of the bikes to your liking. The following article talks about the perks of the bikes and what you need to know before you purchase one.

Introduction

A Belt drive bike is a chainless bike that uses a toothed synchronous belt in order to transmit power from the pedals to the wheel of the bike. The belts are usually made by the same manufacturing companies that produce timing belts for cars, machinery and other belt drive applications. The application of the belt drives to bicycles is growing, especially in the commuter bike market, because of the low maintenance and lubrication free benefits that these types of bikes offer.

Pros of the Bikes

You are going to find the following perks/benefits out of a Belt drive bike:

·         The drive belts are not going to rust.

·         Lubrication is not required of the drive belt.

·         They are going to stay very clean because of the fact that lubrication is not required of them.

·         There is little to no maintenance required of the belt drives.

·         The bikes offer a smoother operation compared to bikes with chains.

·         The bikes are much quieter than with bikes that have a chain on them.

·         You are going to get a longer life span than bikes with a metal bicycle chain.

·         Some belt systems are going to be lighter than conventional chain driven system.

Cons of the Bikes

The following are things that people do not like as much about the bikes:

·         Derailleurs cannot be used on the bikes.

·         The drive belt is not able to be taken apart as you can do with a chain.

·         A frame must be able to accommodate the belt by having an opening in the rear triangle.

·         Belts come in limited selection of lengths, which have to be accommodated in the design of the frame that you have.

·         A beltdrive bike and the repair/replacement parts are harder to find at bike shops than bicycles with conventional chains.

·         The front and rear pulleys or sprockets need to be well aligned in order to avoid excessive friction and wear.

·         Compared to bikes with a chain, the drive belts are usually going to run at a much higher tensions but the high belt tensions is going to reduce the life expectancy of the bearings in the bottom bracket and rear hub.

·         First-generation pulleys with dual guides had problems with snow becoming compacted and trapped in the pulley. The second and generation models have improvedwith the design.

Conclusion

The possibilities for Belt drive bikes are increasing as manufacturers of internal gear hubs are constantly innovating and introducing new designs of the bikes. When you are ready to start looking at the very popular types of bikes, you need to look into the many different bikes that are offered from Downtube. The bikes may be more expensive than bikes with your traditional chains but they are definitely worth the extra money.