Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Spoke Too Soon ... Or Not

In my last post, I bragged about my Gates belt still chugging along without issue.  I also spoke fondly of my new VP Vice pedals.  Fast forward three weeks, and I may have jinxed myself. 

With less than 200 miles on those shiny new pedals, an audible squeak started chirping from the drive train ... every pedal stroke ... both pedals.  Some choice words for the VP Components company swirled through my mind, without making their way to my lips.  200 miles?  Both pedals?  Really?  Now apologies are swirling.  The squeaking wasn't coming from the pedals, but from my publicly praised Gates belt. It sounded off even when I pushed (or pulled) on the belt by hand.

Was this the beginning of the end for my belt?  Is squeaking the first sign that failure has neared?  Nope.  A quick internet search landed me on the Gates' FAQ section of their website.  Here's what it said:

The belt can make noise when forced to run hard against the flanges on the sprockets. This can be due to sprocket misalignment, wheel misalignment, or run out in the drive caused by damaged components. Spraying water on the belt may quiet the drive for a few minutes, but the permanent solution is to correct the alignment or replace the damaged components. Another possible source of noise is a loose front sprocket. Using thread lock on the sprocket bolts alleviates this problem.

In some cases, the noise can occur when riding in dirty conditions, particularly when mountain biking if grit and water temporarily stick to the belt.  This noise in no way indicates a problem with your Gates Carbon Drive.  In most cases simply hosing off the belt and pulleys after a ride will end the noise.  If noise persists, the solution is simple: spray the belt with water, wait for it to dry, and apply a thin coating of dry silicone spray to the tooth side of the belt.  Dry silicone dries instantly, helps shed grit, and does not affect the longevity of the belt.  We recommend this product.
Per the first paragraph, checked the sprocket alignment, wheel alignment and for damage.  Nothing found.  Front sprocket was tight too.  Next paragraph.  Okay, if you've read my blog, you'll know I don't clean my bike often ... annually at best ... but its been a year, so why not?  Washed the bike, hosed off the belt, let it dry.  Nary a sound ... absolutely squeakless!  Hit the teeth with some silicone spray just for good measure.  I recommend the stuff from Walmart.

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