[leadin]No chain needed. That’s one message Gates Carbon Drive hopes to communicate with a re-branding initiative launched this week.[/leadin]
Stark, all-white bikes with belt drives (not chains) populate the visuals, which the company says were made to “eliminate some of the grime” associated with regular riding.
Chain lube is not required with a Gates setup. Two metal sprockets and a high-strength belt embedded with carbon-fiber cords are the heart of the system, initially launched in 2007.
Gates Corp., which is a leading seller of automotive and industrial belts, touts its bike product as “clean, quiet, light and strong. . . no greasy lube, weighs less than a chain drive and will not stretch.”
Brands like Trek, Specialized, Raleigh, BMC, Scott, Focus, and Spot offer belt-drive bikes. With the campaign, Gates wants to grow its market share, no doubt, but it also hopes to promote biking to a larger audience “outside of the traditional bike community,” a press release states.
Campaign tag line? “Cycling Simplified.” Works for us.
—Stephen Regenold
