Our Services

Due to a greatly increased volume of work, Bike Knack is no longer offering servicing of entry-level or children’s bicycles.

Are you looking for a Brisbane bicycle mechanic with pride in their work and attention to detail? If so, you have come to the right place. Bike Knack offers a high-quality service from our Salisbury workshop. Dave is trade-qualified in the mechanical trades and has over 30 years’ experience servicing bicycles. He is passionate about cycling and has a personal history of competing in road and MTB events across his life. He knows the importance of a well-chosen and well-maintained bicycle and the pleasure of testing your body on a hill, sprint, or technical trail.

If you know your specific maintenance needs, standard labour prices are available via our Pricing Table. Otherwise, book an appointment and Dave can assess your bicycle for wear and function to determine the necessary service tasks. For those with an interest in belt drive, Bike Knack also offers a frame conversion service for Gates Carbon Drive. The Gates system is compatible with either a single-speed setup or internal gearing. We can assist you in choosing the best option for your riding style. 

If you have a question, Dave can be reached on 0437 017022 or via email.

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Gates Carbon Drive belt drive bicycles require a specialized frame. Unlike with a chain, it is not possible to open and rejoin a belt around the chain stay for installation. Instead, to install a belt you need to open the frame itself. While some bike manufacturers make frames for Gates belt drive, the available range is still fairly small. But if you don’t want to buy a specialty frame, another option is belt drive conversion of an existing frame.

Some road or hardtail mountain bike frames can be altered to allow Gates belt installation. For frame modification, you can remove a section of the seat stay and replace it with a custom splitter matched to the seat stay diameter. A frame jig is essential to stabilize the frame during cutting and installation of the splitter. Once the splitter is in place, installation of the front and rear cogs and belt installation and tensioning can proceed.

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Bike Knack offers conversion of frames for Gates belt drive by installation of custom-made splitters. Frame materials can be steel, alloy, titanium or carbon. Both internally geared hubs and single-speed systems are suitable. However, the frame will need a sliding rear dropout or eccentric bottom bracket to allow belt tensioning. Unfortunately, not all bike frames are suitable for this method of belt drive conversion. For example, ovalized or very highly tapered seat stays are unsuitable. If you would like to confirm the suitability of your frame, you can email us or phone Dave on 0437 017022. 

Our standard price for frame conversion is $350, much lower than typically charged by frame builders. Shipping costs within Australia will vary with frame size and weight, but can be calculated here. If you already own a suitable frame, frame splitting can offer a price-competitive entry point to belt drive use. We can also supply your choice of belt and front and rear sprockets: a full range of Gates products is available in our Shop.

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Sliding rear dropout, left, and eccentric bottom bracket, right

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If you’ve bought a bicycle in the past 100 years, chances are it’s been powered by a chain. While the trusty bicycle chain has done cyclists well, it has its downsides too. Chains rust, stretch and need lubrication. They also wear out quickly. In looking for another option, Gates set out to not only improve cycling, but revolutionize it. In the process, they created Gates Carbon Drive.

Gates Carbon Drive belts use carbon fiber in a urethane body. The belts don’t require lubrication and last three times longer than a chain. Paired with matching sprockets, they provide a smooth ride without the downsides of a traditional chain. The Gates system is stronger, quieter and requires less maintenance than chain-based systems. It won’t leave any marks on your pants. And you’ll never have to pull over to fix a dropped chain. Come to think of it, revolutionary might not even do it justice.

Authorized Parts Distributor

Bike Knack is proud to provide Gates Carbon Drive to individuals and dealers via our online Shop. We can provide detailed advice on choosing a system that will meet your needs. Bike Knack even offers belt drive conversion for suitable frames. We can also alter gear ratios or upgrade from CDC Mudport to CDX Centertrack. The newer CDX Centertrack system allows for easier belt alignment and lower belt tension, leading to longer bearing life and improving performance on less rigid frames. CDX Centertrack Blue and Black belts are available in 108- to 125-tooth lengths. 

Gates Carbon Drive CDX Front Sprockets (22- to 70-tooth) mount on standard 130 mm BCD 5-arm or 104 mm BCD 4-arm crank spiders, as well as Bosch or Pinion spline. CDX Rear Sprockets can be fitted to Rohloff, Nexus, Alfine, Nuvinci, 9-spline, Surefit 3-lobe and thread-on (freewheel and fixed) configurations. CDX Cranksets are also available for both manual and Di2 shifting. Tandem bikes can use a CDX Tandem Belt and 66, 69 or 74-tooth CDX Tandem Sprockets. 

If you have questions about Gates Carbon Drive, you can contact Dave by email, on 0437 017022 or via the Contact page.

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Bike Knack offers both basic and full bicycle service as detailed below. However, we can also carry out more defined tasks, ranging from a brake bleed to a full rebuild and anything in between. If you are uncertain what needs doing, we will give you a professional opinion and let you make the call. Prices for individual tasks can be quoted on request: our minimum service fee is $30, in addition to any parts required.

Dave can be contacted on 0437 017022 or by email to book a appointment.

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