Krikit Belt Tension Meter CDS

The Krikit Belt Tension Meter CDS allows determination of proper belt tension, which is essential for optimum operation of the Gates Carbon Drive system. Too low a belt tension can lead to skipping, where the teeth of the belt slide over the teeth of the rear sprocket. Conversely, too high a tension can damage the bearings in the rear hub, cause the system to drag and increase wear on your drive system.

Tensioning arrangements vary depending on the bike. Common tensioning systems include sliding or pivoting dropouts and eccentric bottom brackets. Correct alignment of the belt must be maintained while the tension is adjusted. Tensioning can be achieved using the Frequency tab in the Gates Carbon Drive Tension Tool app (available through the App Store). The tension may vary along the belt, so you should repeat the procedure several times, rotating the cranks by a quarter-turn between measurements. The tools measure tension, but they do not specify the correct tension. Suitable settings vary with rider weight and riding style, but suggested settings are available in the app and are also given in the table below.

To find the correct belt and sprocket combination for your ride, you can use the Calculate tab of the Gates Carbon Drive Tension Tool to obtain the centre distance and speed ratio for a defined belt and sprocket combination. For more advanced calculations, download the Gates Drive Calculator (Microsoft Excel file; click “Enable editing” after opening) or use the online Bicycle Drive Assistant.

THREE KEYS WHEN WORKING WITH CARBON DRIVE

HANDLING

Gates Carbon Drive belts are highly durable. They offer long life when properly handled. However, caution must be used during installation to avoid damaging the carbon tensile cords.  When they experience excessive bending and twisting, this creates crimps, which can lead to belt breakage.

Because of the risk of damage, in handling the belt, you must NOT:

– back bend
– use as a chainwhip
– bundle
– crimp
– twist, or
– invert

ALIGNMENT

Alignment is critical. Hence, depending on the bike and setup, you may need to use spacers to ensure proper alignment. Noise, wear, or belt walk-off can be caused by sprockets that are out of alignment.

TENSIONING

Proper belt tension is needed for optimum operation of the Gates Carbon Drive system. Low tension can cause the belt to skip, and high tension can cause drag and unnecessary wear. Tensioning is possible using the Frequency tab of the Gates Carbon Drive Tension Tool phone app (available through the App Store).

The values below provide recommended starting values for belt tension, along with ranges within which the range can be adjusted to allow for differences in rider size, gear ratio and power on the pedals. Tension values in Hertz are obtained using the Gates Carbon Drive Tension Tool phone app; tension values in kilograms are obtained using the Krikit Belt Tension Meter.

For frames with vertical dropouts, changing a flat tire does not require you to retension your belt.

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