Touring Bike Update: Co-Motion Americano
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2023
- After owning this bike for several months, riding it on multiple tours, and surpassing 2,500 miles of use, it's time to share my thoughts on how my new touring bike has performed.
Co-Motion: @co-motioncycles7269
Belt Drive and Internal Gear Box Info: @Cyclingabout
Industry 9 provided excellent Customer Service: @industrynine3931
Thanks for a clear, well thought out review. Much appreciated.
You’re welcome. Thank you for commenting.
I have the tension of my bike’s Gates belt with Rohloff hub set quite low as like you I fear a tighter belt could cause premature bearing wear of my Rohloff hub. I have never ever experienced the belt slipping or coming off in the 3-4 years I have had it.
Your Americano is a lovely bike. The ultimate low maintenance touring bike.
Thank you for your update review.
Yup, I also feel that the drive train is a bit smoother at a slightly lower tension. Thanks for the comment.
That looks like one sweet ride.
Thanks. I've enjoyed your GDMBR videos. Ride on!
I'm on the verge of ordering one so Thank You for this review--I'm sold! I'm hoping your rear hub experience was due to belt over tensioning and a manufacturing flaw (it happens). Oh, I can't wait! And, although the prices have gone up, the wait time has gone down I've been told!
If you can afford it, go for it! I have not had any trouble since my rear hub was re-built under warranty. I've got over 6K miles on my Co-Motion now and ride it almost every day. I love it! Thanks for commenting Kim.
Glad to see your bike is whole again
It was a good thing that I had my trusty Randonee for backup! Hope all is good in SoCal, been a wet winter here.
I just re-watched this video. Re belt tension. I have my Gates belt not loose but not tight. I tension it to the degree that I can turn the middle of the belt with my thumb and forefinger, through almost 90 degrees, say 75-80 degrees. If I can only turn it 20, 30 or 45 degrees it is too tight, where as if can turn it more than 90 degrees then it is too loose. But be careful twisting it too far in case the risk of damage to the structure of the belt although Gates belts are very robust. This is how my father taught me to tension car cam belts when changing them. He never had a cam belt snap and neither have I, so I use the same rational. This app requiring so many hertz vibrations for correct belt tension just seems like a load of rubbish as from what I have seen the belt tension is far too high and it is highly inaccurate. I value my hub's bearings. I have never had a belt slip or indeed brake using this technique riding thousands of miles up and down hills fully loaded.
I hope you are still enjoying your Co-Motion Americano taking you lots of places making good memories. It's a great looking bike.
As a retired engineer with a lot of experience with bearings (and owner of a gates/pinion) - I believe that a high belt tension definitely would lead to a much accelerated failure rate.
Thanks, good feedback! Yeah, no doubt, the belt drive train does have potential to stress bearings and other components. Although it seems it was more of an issue with earlier belt drive bikes that used less- stout hubs and bearings with higher belt tension.
Here is what I did to add another bottle cage on the topside of the downtube above the existing cage. First, add a a Wolf Tooth B-Rad slotted mounting base to allow the existing bottle cage to be slid as far down towards the bottom bracket. This provides more room on the downtube to add another bottle cage bracket. To add another cage, use Velo Orange hinged water bottle cage clamps on the downtube between the existing bottle cage on the Wolf Tooth base and the headtube. You now have two water bottle cages on the topside of the downtube. You could also add a Wolf Tooth sliding base on the seat tube bottle cage to move it up which would allow the existing downtube cage to move further down. From the looks of your downtube, there is plenty of length to do this. I have used this setup for years and another advantage is that you don't have to reach as far down to grab the water bottle from the upper cage.
Good info, thanks!
Great review. I have 3 Rohloff bikes and maybe I should try a Pinion bike. I found that the belt squeaking can also be fixed by spraying the belt with silicone spray. It seems to stay on when the bike gets wet but I need to reapply every couple of days if I'm riding gravel trails. Looks like a great bike. Thanks for the video.
Wow! 3 Rohloff bikes! I considered a RH but the Pinion just called my name. I've used silicone spray but it was difficult to carry while traveling, where as a small hotel size bar of soap is packable and seems to work well. Thanks for the comment.
Just ride what you have. Pinion is just plain goofy, IMO.
@@GordoGamblerwhile I think it’s better ride than to not ride, pinions are actually amazing drivetrains that are only limited by the amount of mainstream frame builders that offer it. They are one of the most durable drivetrains that can handle any extra debris far better than a conventional drivetrain, making them optimal for serious touring bikes. A lot of the industry is focused on racing performance, but personally, I’d much rather have a bike setup for super durability and low maintenance of something like this bike.
Great video. I am in the market for a bicycle just like yours. Actually, I could see me buying your exact bicycle, color and all. I do have some concern over the noise that you posted due to the pinion gear, so I will have to think about that more. Wonder if a Rohloff would be less noisy? I do sort of want the pinion. Very cool color.
Thanks commenting Curtis. For clarity, the Pinion gearbox itself does not make any noise. It’s the Industry Nine rear hub that has a noisy free wheel when coasting. Conversely, the Rohloff seems like a good option too, it would replace the I9 hub on the rear wheel so less noise for sure.
The geometry is of interest with the top tube position. Looks like it yields a more upright riding position which would benefit my neck issues?
Yes and yes. Upright = less neck, shoulder and wrist stress.
8:21 - A bottle of Cab for the win! lol. What is your height? I'm 6'4" / 193cm (in bare feet) and I'm looking into Co-Motion. I also prefer a bit more of an upright riding position, so your experience is helpful - thanks!
I'm also 6'4" and could not find any "stock" touring bikes that gave me the desired geometry. Was hesitant to spend so much $$$ on a bicycle but almost 2 years later I have zero regrets. Thanks for the comment!
@@TheOutsidePerks I feel your pain lol. But being the same height and about the same age, I'm considering treating myself too. Thanks!
Ali from cycling about runs his belt very loose. Not saying you should but certainly think you could run a little loose.
Ali @Cyclingabout has been my go-to source for Belt Drive info and for most anything bike travel related. His Koga is setup with crazy low belt tension. However, his bike is equipped with a belt tensioner (retainer wheel?) at the rear cog, where Co-Motion does not use this component. I think I'd have issues running that low without it. That said, you are correct in that I think I could run lower still as the Americano frame is very stiff. Thank you for the comment!
Have you seen Flyscout Ryder 's newest videos? He had that setup on a Co-Mo Divide. Only went 1000 miles on the West Coast, till he got pissed at it and went back to his old bike. LOL. And his belt got broken trying to fix that hub. Ryan van Duzer broke his too. That rear hub is abysmal. Worse than 7th gear on my Rohloff14.
Your bike looks real nice. Find a better hub. R+E bikes make lots of bikes that shape too.
Rohloff14 is far superior, that's just a fact. Gets better all the time.
NO doubt you had the belt way too tight. One of the famous full time vloggers has his belt noodle loose.
Quit whining about the 36 lbs for that giant size frame. My custom is double that with my day ride load. LOL.
I have a 1/8" chain and DIY case. I finally got smart and I left the original grease on it. Still near zero wear in 2 years and maybe 4,000 miles with 2 different wheels. Chain only gets wiped occasionally.
Lubes are the biggest FAIL in cycling, IMO.
Seems Flyscout used a mechanic who was not familiar with belt drive bikes and they damaged the belt somehow when removing or re-installing the rear wheel.(?) Weird, because the Co-Motion drop outs and thru-axle wheel removal / install process is pretty simple and very straight forward. It was a similar scenario for Ryan VD when his belt snapped, where the belt was "mis-used" prior to it failing. Thank you for the info and feedback!
RvD seriously abused the Gates belt that broke on his Priority bike and he freely admitted it. User error. I don't think a chain would have survived either.
I don't find 7th gear on my Rohloff hubs bad or abysmal neither would I say it was far superior to the Pinion gearbox. Both are precision engineered quality gearboxes. You are presenting your opinions as fact which they are not, they are just your opinions.
I have the exact same bike as the author with about 4000 miles on it and have had zero problems with the hub, despite its somewhat loud angry bee noise. I believe that Flyscout Ryder preferred brifters. Each to their own.