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Shaft-Drive Bicycle

http://www.dynamicbicycles.com/chainless-bicycle-reviews/customer-testimonials.phpThe good folks at Dynamic Bicycles offered their "Crossroad" commuter bike to us for testing. In many respects, it is like so many other commuter-oriented bicycles on the market - TIG-welded aluminum frame, mounting points for fenders and rear rack, upright riding position. Where this bike differs, however, is how power gets from the pedals to the rear hub. This bike uses a very clever and deceptively simple shaft drive. Yeah, that's right - no greasy chain, no chainrings to chew up your pants. Overall, I think Dynamic has a winner with their Crossroad. It appears (and rides) in every way like the around-town errand, commuting and recreation bike it was meant to be, and you just can't beat its low-maintenance features. No more greasy chain tattoos, tattered pants cuffs or dirty hands from a mid-ride tire change!

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Shaft-Drive Bicycle

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  1. Review:Dynamic“Crossroad7″Shaft-DriveBicycle July26th,2007byJack"GhostRider"Sweeney DYNAMICBICYCLES-CROSSROAD7 Specifications: ThegoodfolksatDynamicBicyclesofferedtheir“Crossroad7″commuterbiketousfortesting.Inmanyrespects,itislikesomanyothercommuter-orientedbicyclesonthemarket—TIG-weldedaluminumframe,mountingpointsforfendersandrearrack,uprightridingposition.Wherethisbikediffers,however,ishowpowergetsfromthepedalstotherearhub.Thisbikeusesaverycleveranddeceptivelysimpleshaftdrive.Yeah,that’sright—nogreasychain, nochainringstochewupyourpants.Infact,Dynamictakesthingsastepfurtherbymountingtheshaft-drivetoaShimanoNexusInter-7internalhub.So,noderailleurseither! • AluminumFrame • Aluminumfrontfork • DynamicStreetShaftDrive • ShimanoNexusInter-7Gearing,All-internal • ShimanoNexus7-speedTwistGrip • Shift • AlexDA-16HighProfileAlloyRims • (28-38mmtires) • KendaTires,700C×35,50-85psi • TektroQuartzalloybrakes;frontdiscbrakeoptional • Tektro2-fingerAlloybrakelevers • Baseprice:$699.00 BikeReview:DynamicCrossroad7

  2. Review:Dynamic“Crossroad7″Shaft-DriveBicycle July26th,2007byJack"GhostRider"Sweeney chainringtocatchonobstaclesifaridershouldhappentofindhim-orherselfhoppingoverasteepcurb. Unique,StylishFrame DidImentionthepaintjobonthisbike?Inlowlight,itappearstobeadullcharcoalgrey.Insunlight,however,itshineswithpinkandblueiridescence…everybitasflashyandsexyasaJapanesekeirinbike!Here’sapictureoftheheadtubeandtheglossypaintjob…thephotodoesn’tdothiscolorjustice! Theframeforthisbikeisunique:anarrower-widthbottombracket(BB)shellthatisalsolargerindiameterfromatraditionalBBandelevatedchainstaysthatareweldedtothebaseoftheseattuberatherthantothebackoftheBBshell.Theelevatedchainstaysgiveroomtomounttheshaft-driveassembly.Therear-facing“trackstyle”forkendspositiontherearwheelintheframeandaligntherearhub’sspiralbevelgearwiththerestoftheshaft-driveassembly.Obviously,retrofittingthisshaft-driveassemblytoatraditionalbicycleframeisoutofthequestion. S-M-O-O-T-HRide Overthepastmonth,Ihaveriddenthisbikeover100milestoandfromworkandona numberofrecreationalrides.WhileIdon’thaveanywaytoquantify(withcold,hard numbers–thisain’taphysicslab)justhow muchmoreefficientashaft-driveisascomparedtoatraditionalchain-drivenbicycle,Icansaywithconfidencethatthisshaft-drivefeelss-m-o-o-t-h.Infact,itissosmooththatitfeelsoddlyboneless;chain-drivenbikesgivetherideralotoffeedbackintermsoffrictionasthechainwrapsaroundcogs,chainringsandderailleurpulleys.WhenIrodetheDynamic,theonlysensationwasthatIcouldveryfaintlyfeelthebevelgearsmeshingagainsteachother.ItisDEFINITELYdifferent-feelingthanachain-drivenbike! Bottombracketclearancetotheground with700×35Ctiresisawhopping10inches!Andthisispureclearance,too–thereisno BikeReview:DynamicCrossroad7

  3. Review:Dynamic“Crossroad7″Shaft-DriveBicycle July26th,2007byJack"GhostRider"Sweeney Anotherperceivedbenefitofthisshaft-driveisthereisno“gearlash”orlagwhenpedaling–pedalingforceisinstantlyandseamlesslyconvertedtoforwardmotion.Onachain-drivebike,thereisalwaysabitoflagaschainslackistakenupbythederailleurspringsandasthefreewheel/cassettepawlsengage.NotsowiththeCrossroad7–youpedalandGO!!! poundascomparedtoagearedbicycle,andthismakessense…afterall,theentireassemblyconsistsoffourchromolyspiralbevelgears,ashaftandaluminumhousing.Ithinkmostpeoplecanlivewithanextrapound…andfortherealweight-weeniesoutthere,afewjudiciouspartsswapscouldhelplosesomeofthatweight. EasyMaintenance Maintenanceis,forthemostpart,anon- issuewiththisbike.IrodethisbikeintwoheavyFloridasummerdownpourswithdeeppuddlesalmostuptothehubs,andIneverhadtoworryaboutarustychain.Dynamicrecommendsaddingashotofgreasetothedriveevery600-1,000miles.Theshaft-drivecomescompletewithazerk-typegreasegunfitting…justattachyourgreasegunandsquirtabitinthere.ThemanufacturerrecommendsFinishLine’sTeflongrease.Icouldn’tfindmygreasegun,soIuseda12ccsyringewithaplastic“gastrictubelavage”tiptoinject4-6ccofgreaseintotheshaft-driveafterremovingthezerkfitting. Therearspiralbevelgearoftheshaft-drivesystemattachedtotheNexushub: TheNexushubneedsoccasionalcableadjusting,whichtakesalloftwominutes,andthebrakescouldusesomeoccasionaltweaking.Isiteverthatsimpleonagearie?Nogreasegun?Noproblem,especiallyifyouknowamedicalprofessionalwithaccesstosyringes: Standingonthepedalstogruntuphillswaswhenthissystemfeltweirdest–andwhenthenearlyfrictionlessdrivetrainwasmostnoticeable(andappreciated!).Thesystemissilent–theonlynoiseitmakesissomeoccasionalfainttickingincertaingears,andthatcanbeattributedtotheNexushub,nottheshaft-drive.ThisbikeisSTEALTHalltheway!Shiftingisabreeze–theNexushubisspectacular.Ifoundmyselfshiftingmoreoftenbecauseitwassoeasyandsmooth,andIfoundtherangeofsevenspeedstobemorethanadequateformyrelativelyflatcommute.Forpeoplelivinginmorehillyareas,an8-speedCrossroadmodelisavailablefromDynamic. Howmuchdoestheshaft-drivesystemaddinweighttoabicycle?Themanufacturerclaimsthatthesystemaddslessthanone BikeReview:DynamicCrossroad7

  4. Review:Dynamic“Crossroad7″Shaft-DriveBicycle July26th,2007byJack"GhostRider"Sweeney thehubisbeefyandsmooth,andcomesdisc-ready(Dynamicoffersafront-discbrakeupgradeforanadditional$60). StraightForwardTireChanges Arethereadditionalstepswhenchangingaflatreartire?Yes,buttheprocessonly takesanextra30secondsfromatraditionalbolted-onorQRwheel.Withascrewdriver, removethetwoscrewsthatholdtheblack plasticrearhubcoveron.Slidethecoveroff.Pulltheshiftercablesharplydownwardstoreleaseitfromthehub’scableguideanddetachtheleadedendfromthehookonthehub.Unscrewtheaxlenutswitha15mmwrench,takingcaretokeeptheuniquewashersoneachsideofthehubinproperorder.Changetheflatandreversethedisassemblyprocess.Thosespecialwashersrealignthehubwiththetailendofthe shaft-drive,sonofiddlingisrequiredtogetthingsrunningsmoothlyagain.Hell,ittakeslongertowriteitoutthantoactuallydoit! TheAlexDA-16rimsaretough–realpotholekillers!Thehandlebarsandstemareworkmanlike…nothingfancy.ThesaddleissuchapersonalchoicethatIwhollyexpectedthis“VeloPlush”saddletobenotsoplush,andIwasright!Theseatwasabitstiffformypreference.(sincethisreviewwaswritten,Dynamichaschangedtheseatonthismodeltoamorecomfortablepaddedseat).Also,thepedalsthatcomewiththebikearedesignedwithanarrowprofilethatwereslippery.Evenwithluggedrunningshoes,myfeetslippedoffthepedalsacoupletimesinthedampnessthatissummertimeFlorida.(sincethisreviewwaswritten,Dynamichaschangedthepedalsonthismodeltoarubber-coated non-slippedalthatgivesverygoodtraction).Dynamicoffersavarietyofseatsandpedals andmanyoftheirotherbikemodelscomestandardwithsuspensionpaddedseatsand rubbercoatedpedals.Iwastoldsubstitutionsofthesecomponentscanbe madeatnocost,sofeelfreetoaskforsomethingthatmightbemoreyourstyle. RideWithConfidence Theframefeelsstiff.Tobefair,thisisthefirstaluminum-framedbikeI’veriddenmore thanacouplemiles–Idon’tknowifaluminumbikesalwaystransmitthis amountofshock.TheDynamicframeappearsutterlyflex-free,andwiththebeefy, ovalizeddowntube,aluminumforksand36-spokeddeepprofilerims,theridefelta littleharsh.Overtwomilesofmyround-trip commuteisovercobblestones,whichcanbeprettypunishing!Perhapsacarbonforkandasuspensionseatpostwouldhaveimprovedthe“seatfeel”ofthisbikeandtakensomeoftheedgeoff? The“track-style”reardropouts: CustomizeTheCockpit Thepartsspecificationsforthisbikehavehighandlowpoints.TektroQuartzlinearpullbrakesareaboutthebest“off-brand”Vbrakesmoneycanbuy;easytoadjustandtremendousstoppingpower.TheNexushubissuperlative–smoothandeasytoshiftandvirtuallymaintenance-free.ThefronthubisasealedbearingmodelmadebyAccess.Iamunfamiliarwiththebrand,but BikeReview:DynamicCrossroad7

  5. Review:Dynamic“Crossroad7″Shaft-DriveBicycle July26th,2007byJack"GhostRider"Sweeney Doestheshaft-drivewearout?Well,yes…eventually.PatrickPerugini,thepresidentofDynamic,indicatedthattheshaft-driveisdesignedforabout10,000miles(dependingonfrequencyofgreasing)beforeitrequiresreplacement.And,areplacementassemblywithallbearingsisonly$89.00,availabledirectlyfromDynamic.Now,comparethattoatraditionalgearedbike–canyouget10,000milesoutofonesetofchainrings,cassettecogsandachain?Ididn’tthinkso!Canyoureplacetwo(orthree)chainrings,8/9/10cogsandachainforlessthan$89.00?Onlyifyoureally, reallyshoparound! commuterbikes)comestandardwithrackandfull-coveragefenders. Overall,I thinkDynamichasawinner withtheirCrossroad7.Itappears(andrides)ineverywaylikethearound-townerrand,commutingandrecreationbikeitwasmeanttobe,andyoujustcan’tbeatitslow-maintenancefeatures.Nomoregreasychaintattoos,tatteredpantscuffsordirtyhandsfromamid-ridetirechange! • Hits: • lowmaintenance • smooth,effortlessdrivetrainandshiftingsystem • sexypaintjob • lifetimeframewarranty • perfectlysuitedforaround-towncruisingandmedium-distance(5-12miles)commuting • Dynamic’ssterlingcustomerservice–questionspromptlyanswered • greatwebsitedocumentationformaintenanceandserviceofthesebikes OnlyMinorGripes Twogripesstandoutinmymind:thefirst istheridingposition,whichisprettyupright.Whilethispositiongivestheridera commandingviewofthestreets,thereisnoplacetohideoncestiffheadwindscome intoplay.Withthisconfiguration,the Crossroad7isreallynotdesignedforlong-distancefastcommuting.YouroptionsherewouldbetoinstallalowerrisestemorchooseDynamic’sroadbikemodelwithdrophandlebarsandamoreaerodynamicridingposition. • Misses: • Frameandridemaybestiffforsomebumpiercommutes TheothergripeisthatwhileDynamicinexpensivelyoffersaccessoriessuchasarearrackandfenders,atthispricepointIwouldliketoseebothofthoseincludedasstandardfeatures(neverhurtstoask).Mostsimilarly-equippedbikesfromothermanufacturers(andhereImeangeared • Saddleandpedalsmayneedchanging(bothcomponentshavebeenupgradedsincethisreviewwaswritten) • Uprightstanceiscomfortable,butgivessomeaerodynamicissuesinheadwinds VisitDynamic’swebsite,www.dynamicbicycles.comtolearnmoreabouttheshaftdrive–thereisagreat“FAQ”onthesite–andtoseeotherDynamicmodels. BikeReview:DynamicCrossroad7

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