Leaderboard

Well I've not had the opportunity to ride the same bike with chain and then with belt, so I can't say from experience (Larry could :-), but I have ridden chain drive bikes and belt drive bikes and I can't say I noticed any difference that I could put down to the different final drive methods. However, you will be correct that the lighter components will have an effect, but I'm sure they'll be too small to notice and why would feel be any different? As long as a chain is correctly adjusted so no actual slack when riding, or at least no more than a belt, there really can't be any great difference in feel. The current state of our potholed roads here in the UK is of far more importance to bikers than trying to judge infinitesimal changes in 'feel' of the drivetrain and in any case the crashing of the suspension on the dreadful roads would mask any actual differences anyway. But when you get home the back end of the bike is still nice and clean. Well, at least not covered in chain lube. Wonderful.