Gates Carbon Drive has partnered with White Industries to create the CDX Freewheel, a screw-on freewheel sprocket that marries the clean, quiet and strong Gates belt drive system with White’s high performance and strength. The Gates Carbon Drive CDX Freewheel brings singlespeed hub reliability and performance to a new level. It consists of a Carbon Drive CenterTrack™ sprocket mated to White’s sealed bearing freewheel system and features:
• A high-load capacity sealed bearing cartridge that is easy to clean and service.
• A heat-treated 8620 alloy steel body that is case hardened and nickel plated.

The CDX Freewheel eliminates the oscillation and looseness that is common among some freewheels on the market. Simply screw it on your fixed hub for the ultimate in belt drive performance. “This partnership with White Industries provides bike builders and consumers with more options for running a Carbon Drive system,” says Todd Sellden, director of Gates Carbon Drive Systems. “It also exemplifies how Gates is eager to collaborate with industry partners to integrate Carbon Drive with other leading components in the bike industry.”

CDX Freewheel is built on the ENO freewheel platform from White Industries, regarded as an industry leader in freewheel components. “More and more of our customers are interested in running Gates Carbon Drive on their freewheel bikes,” says Doug White, founder of White Industries. “When we decided to team up with Gates the goal was to create a belt drive freewheel that is durable, reliable, and easily maintained. The sealed cartridge bearing is impervious to mud, grit and water, and is easy to install.”

Like all Gates Carbon Drive belts, the Carbon Drive CDX Freewheel is made in the USA. It comes initially in a 22-tooth size and costs $275. Purchase the Gates Carbon Drive CDX Freewheel by contacting carbondrive@gates.com.

Nobody needs a 25,000 Euro bike. Then again, nobody needs a Formula 1 race car either. But for those with an extra $32,000 in their pocket, we present the “coren” fixie and singlespeed. The bikes are made by UBC, a German company that creates carbon fiber components for Formula 1 cars and clients including Porsche, Bugatti and Audi. Both spec the Gates Carbon Drive.  We spotted these two bikes at Eurobike, where they attracted a crowd. Pictured above  is the Coren fixie.  Below is the singlespeed.

UBC describes the high tensile strength T1000 carbon frame shape as “avant-­‐garde.” Both bikes were designed by UBC designer Christian Zanzotti. “Super slim top and down tubes lend the coren a unique visual lightness,” says a press release. The bikes weigh about 7,700 grams (17 pounds) and will be sold in limited quantities.   It takes about 40 hours to make a coren frame, which is molded and cured  in aluminum forms.

“The frame, like all UBC components, is manufactured in a clean room, in accordance with motor sport and premium vehicle construction standards,” says UBC developer Marco Noack. Go to www.ubc-coren.com to watch a slick video of the bikes being fabricated in the UBC clean room.  Scroll down to see more images.

Stay tuned, because UBC is now working on a pedelec. Want to see one up close? Rumor has it one of these corens will appear at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Denver next February.

Bicycles are for riding, but every once in a while one comes along that just needs to be stared at and appreciated as a piece of art. The pink belted Pablove fixie from Independent Fabrications is such a bike. In addition to being a stunning example of craftsmanship, it is a bicycle with a cause.

Gary Smith of Independent Fabrications built the fixed gear bike to raise money for the Pablove Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money for child cancer research. Smith got the idea for the stainless steel bike with pink accents after receiving a special one-time-only run of pink belts from Gates Carbon Drive, which produced the belts for Pablove. Gates plans to display the bike in its booth at the upcoming North American Handmade Bike Show in Sacramento in early March. Pablove, Independent Fabrications and Gates are now brainstorming ways to raffle or sell the bike to raise money for Pablove’s anti-cancer efforts. Stay tuned for details, and make sure to come by NAHBS in Sacramento to see the bike up close.

To read the full story of the bike and to learn more about Independent Fabrications click here for the blog post from Gary Smith of Indy Fab.

Milk Bikes is a great UK-based builder that is cooking up some sexy belt drive models. Check out the writeup from Road.cc, which took Milk’s prototype Bullet fixie for a test ride. Read more about Milk Bikes commuter bike the RDA with Gates Carbon Drive here.

8-speed RD1.0

Our friends at Australia’s Flying Machine Bicycle Design Studio are launching a new line of belt-drive bikes called BASE Urban, made for the rigors of urban living. Check out the Bike Rumor post about Base Urban, which called their RD2.0 a “commuting jugernaut.”

The RD2.0

Base Urban’s four models are all made of chromoly aircraft tubing, all have Gates Carbon Drive, two are geared and have disc brakes, and two are fixed gear. Based in the western Australian city of Perth, these guys know a thing or two about fashion and function. Here is an excerpt from their news release describing Base Urban’s desire to provide city dwellers with bikes “perfectly suited to the rigors of urban life:”

“Low maintenance, ease of operation, consistent performance, durability and longevity are all terms synonymous with high quality urban bikes. These were the primary focus during the development of BASE Urban , along with a unique look and feel to help owners conquer the urban landscape in style. At the centre of achieving the desired characteristics for urban cycling is the Gates Carbon Drive belt drive system. Receiving wide acclaim for super low maintenance, quiet operation, ultra long life and clean grease free operation the belt system really needs to be ridden to be understood. With perfect engagement between rider and machine the belt enables the two to become closer than ever before.”

The fixie FX1.0

Available April 2011. Check back in the coming weeks for dealer locations at www.baseurban.com.