Gates Carbon Drive

Cycle Monkey is an innovative bike builder and belt drive specialist based near Berkeley in Albany, California. They are also the North American distributor for the Rohloff Speedhub, which pairs well with Gates Carbon Drive to produce a clean, quiet and low-maintenance drivetrain without derailleurs or chains. Cycle Monkey has produced many fine custom bikes featuring Carbon Drive, and here are some of our favorites.

Pictured above is theGreen Troll, a do-it-all travel bike with couplers to take apart the frame for packing in a suitcase. “This modified Surly Troll frame was put together for a customer who lives in Southern California, but spends a fair amount of time in the rural East Coast every year,” says Cycle Monkey owner Neil Flock. “He wanted a versatile full-sized bike that he could easily pack up to take on an airplane and was sturdy and reliable.”More info on the Green Trollhere.

The Independent Fabrications 29er above was customized for a customer seeking his dream commuter bike. “He wanted a good looking bike that he could use to comfortably explore the East Coast bike paths and city streets near his home,” Cycle Monkey writes on its Monkey Lab blog. Click for more info.

Below is the Surly Krampus modified to run a Gates belt. “The goal for this build was to create a bike that could be ridden more aggressively through rock gardens, off drops and jumps, and down steep descents.” More info here.

The Surly Moonlander, below, was built for a customer in snowy Minnesota. “When riding in sand, snow, mud and other messy conditions, the bike’s drivetrain must be able to withstand all the different kinds of grime that come up off the trail,” say the Monkeys. “Derailleurs and chains on fat bikes can sometimes live up to these conditions but are often found lacking. Because of the wear that these conditions put on components, the lifespan of a fat bike drivetrain is notoriously short. However, theGates Carbon Driveand Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14combination solves these problems and has developed a reputation as the drivetrain that every fat bike rider covets.” More info here.

Above is the Twenty2 Cycles 29er. “This gorgeousTwenty2 Cyclesframe is the latest in a handful of builds we have put together using the new “29+” platform. These bikes use three inch wide 29er tires mounted to 50mm rims, which provide ample float and traction like a fat bike, yet roll fast like a standard 29er.” More info here.

To see more cool belt drive bikes visit the Monkey Lab blog, and visit them at the upcoming North American Handmade Bicycle Show.