Vintage Walens Trident Shaft Drive Bicycle? Any Clues?

http://www.fusionstudios.net/hill-climber/Album/hill-climber bicycle_story.html

http://bikesoup.cc/25/reviews/biomega-copenhagen-review-shaft-drive-designers-dream/

Some places I am reading that shaft drive with bevel gearing is less than ten percent less efficient than a properly fitted and lubricated chain. I wonder what the deficit is with belt drive?

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highlandsflyer":2g2jnocs said:
Some places I am reading that shaft drive with bevel gearing is less than ten percent less efficient than a properly fitted and lubricated chain. I wonder what the deficit is with belt drive?

Belt drive is practically as efficient as chain now I think, but I imagine that chain efficiency (well into the 99%s I thought :? ) diminishes more rapidly in the gloopy cack.

Only a few motorbikes use shaft drive, partly because of the weight but mostly I think because of the way it delivers power - twisting or squatting the suspension.

Somebody will give a much better account of that any moment now I'm sure! :oops: :lol:
 
highlandsflyer":3bcjp0ls said:
Some places I am reading that shaft drive with bevel gearing is less than ten percent less efficient than a properly fitted and lubricated chain. I wonder what the deficit is with belt drive?

I don't think RWD (Right Wheel Drive) BMW's use 10 times more fuel than FWD Audi's, where are you getting that from, LOL? Gears are typically very efficient!
 
Bevel gears have larger losses than a well-maintained chain system. While throwing away 10% of the power on a motorbike may be acceptable (and typically they only have a single set of bevels as the engine is usually rotated) it's a big hit on a bike.

Shaft is OK in a bike that would be poorly maintained, otherwise a disadvantage.
 
Interestingly, the Danish shafters reckon their bevel gearing is 10% MORE efficient than an 'average' chain and sprocket system, in terms of transmission loss.

Damn lies I reckon. (Just my opinion.)

Shaft drive motorbikes come in all flavours, and are generally well sorted these days. My oldest one was an early eighties Kwakker when i was dispatching. Had an old airhead BMW with the paralever, that was pretty sorted. Not really performance bikes though, but plenty doing the shaft thing now very well indeed.
 
gtRTSdh":1oo6u557 said:
highlandsflyer":1oo6u557 said:
Some places I am reading that shaft drive with bevel gearing is less than ten percent less efficient than a properly fitted and lubricated chain. I wonder what the deficit is with belt drive?

I don't think RWD (Right Wheel Drive) BMW's use 10 times more fuel than FWD Audi's, where are you getting that from, LOL? Gears are typically very efficient!

I don't really get where you are getting that from in my post, either. :)
 
highlandsflyer":2tb5ww9e said:
gtRTSdh":2tb5ww9e said:
highlandsflyer":2tb5ww9e said:
Some places I am reading that shaft drive with bevel gearing is less than ten percent less efficient than a properly fitted and lubricated chain. I wonder what the deficit is with belt drive?

I don't think RWD (Right Wheel Drive) BMW's use 10 times more fuel than FWD Audi's, where are you getting that from, LOL? Gears are typically very efficient!

I don't really get where you are getting that from in my post, either. :)

re-read your post, I read it as 10% efficiency, not 10% less than chain, my bad.
 
Well, a shaft driven bike would rule out a derailuer and those funky planetary gear systems are more lossy due to friction than properly looked after chain drive/derailuer setups... And only comparable in terms of weight at the very high end... Where they are pretty costly and when it goes wrong? £!

That's where the only real drawback to a belt system on a bike gets you too, rules out derailuers putting you in the SS/hub gear gang

- Don't think they is discernible deficit chain VS belt, maybe a challenge to make a belt system as light as a chain system?

In machinery high torque start stop heavy duty stuff is chain, but for a human powered machine a 3/8 or so reinforced belt would be cool and last for a loooong time some motor bikes are belt but it's usually only the two wheeled armchairs, not the light and fast ones!
 
Hub gears are coming on quickly (at very long last) though - I genuinely don't think we'll be seeing derailleurs for many more years...
 

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