What's the deal with gearboxes? Why don't more mountain bikes have them?

Today we'll look at the Zerode Taniwha, which features a 12 speed Pinion Gearbox. Gearboxes shift fast, require little maintenance, are protected inside a solid metal casing, and have all the advantages of a belt drive. Why don't we see more of them?
Today we'll talk about that.
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[@ChefIan73]

They really make the most sense on e-bikes. That motor/gearbox combo Pinion released with electronic shifting is the ideal situation for this.

[@thescerigai]

not having a derailleur to smash off on a regular mtb doesnt make sense?

[@iboysven]

The only Problem left with these pinion mgu bike is that they start at 5500€😅 So the gearbox - motor combination most likely costs at least 2500€

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Although I have not tried Pinion's new electric drivetrain, it makes total sense. Gearboxes have already proven themselves on other motorized vehicles, and with how much abuse E-bike drivetrains deal with, it's a natural fit.

[@NikolaiVozza]

@@thescerigai People say like this happens all the time.

[@thescerigai]

@@NikolaiVozza you ride cross country dont you?

[@drvski]

Another advantage on full-suspension bikes that I think was missed was that you are removing a lot of unsprung weight off the back wheel. Getting rid of the cassette and derailleur can make a huge difference in suspension performance by minimizing unsprung weight. I think gearboxes would make a lot of sense for downhill bikes where suspension performance supersedes all and weight doesn't matter as much. Also, this would be a great application for electronic shifting, get rid of the grip shift and just use a button shifter and solenoid or motor-based actuation.

[@someindividual7920]

For all interested how a dh bike with a gearbox looks, zerode has one ( i believe its called g3) and theres a swiss brand called gamux bikes

[@mikemanthe]

You make a great point! You could even design the ‘buttons’ to look and feel like traditional thumb paddle shifters to help ease the transition.

[@sp00n]

I've seen a couple of riders somehow losing their chain during a race run as well, this would (probably?) be eliminated with a belt drive as well. Although you can also use a gearbox with a chain instead of a belt.

[@mcarmstrong14]

Pinion recently released their Smart.Shift Gearbox which is electronic :)

[@sungear]

Mtb riders embraced 29 in wheels, bigger frames and low pressure tubeless tires. These things are heavier and have more rolling resistance than their older counterparts. It bugs me when people talk about efficiency and weight as drawbacks to gearboxes. They have already proven they will tolerate extra weight and rolling resistance if it has other advantages. Gearboxes are tons better in lots of ways. Cost is the only barrier.

[@mtb_prodigy4856]

The thing with MTB is all unique parts have advantage and disadvantage, so basically you can waste your money in different ways 😩😭

[@zoladkow]

nah, it's not just a MTB thing ☺️ But it means how lucky we are, in cycling, to have so many absurd (or not) ways to get lighter on money 🤪

[@jaacl7383]

😂

[@SnakebitSTI]

Road bikes are even worse. Proprietary bottle cages, proprietary seat posts, integrated stem-handlebar-control units that only work with the manufacturer's frame… Though I assume TT bikes are even worse than road bikes.

[@Metal-Possum]

Ride single speeds, waste no money at all!

[@Metal-Possum]

@@SnakebitSTI The idea that bicycles should be standardised between brands confuses me. I work in the bike industry and think we're exceptionally lucky that so many parts are cross-compatible. Try that with a car or motorcycle and you're going to need a milling machine, lathe, drill press, and tig or mig welder.

[@adamweb]

You briefly mentioned it but yep, these are best suited for ultra endurance cyclists that do thousands of miles on crazy terrain. Ryan Van Duzer is a big belt drive fan.

[@BodieMoto]

I want to build a gravel bike with this

[@printerror]

Just spent a week riding with RVD and watching him billy goat up the hills on that Pinion drivetrain is pretty wild. He's unstoppable on the climbs!

[@andreas4687]

or if you dont have time or money to replace and clean parts. my Gates belt lasted 10 years on my daily and almost got no love at all.

[@jurekgadzinowski2895]

@@BodieMoto Bikepacking one!

[@devswell6538]

@@andreas4687most mtb bois arent using a bike for 10 years anyway

[@garethquinn2185]

Really surprised the topic of noise while descending was not mentioned. It's basically silent going downhill, all you hear is the trail chatter on your tyres. So so refreshing. Not to mention a massive reduction in weight off the rear hub with no cassette / derailleurs etc = rear suspension performance through the roof.

[@frankm9334]

i want a silent hub for this reason! the zerode is STUPID quite going down

[@DaveLivesey]

I tested one of these for a few days in NZ - best descending bike I have ever ridden and i loved that it was silent

[@senior_java]

I'm surprised he didn't mention how many times you smash the derailleurs system during the rides. I smashed three systems which cost in total over $2'000. You can't really enjoy the ride fully, worrying it may cost you a lot of money and time.

[@mircomuntener4643]

Makes for a much stronger wheel as well, with less hub flange offset.

[@brnzhut]

just curious how rear suspension performance better with light weight on rear wheel? the weight on rear wheel doesn't fall on the rear suspension tho.

[@Macks_Mustermann]

For about a month I have been riding a Rohloff speedhub in my commuter- and travel-bike and I must say, I love it! Sure some of the lower gears are a little bit noisy but you get used to it very quickly. For me the instantaneous shifts, low maintanance and durability are way more important than a silent drivetrain.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Rohloff has been getting a lot of love in the comments, and I haven't tried one in close to a decade. I'd be interested in checking a newer one out!

[@tarstarkusz]

You are comparing apples and oranges. The Rohloff hub is 98% efficient (it is the most efficient internally geared hub). Also, it lives in your wheel and not your bottom bracket. Frankly Rohloff hubs are not for mountain bikes. But, also, this pinion box is a POS. I don't know why seth is shilling it other than greed. These things are really inefficient. 9 meshed gears plus windage losses because of the oil bath inside it. Where they may shine is cross country where conditions can be horrific. Pedaling through mud in a heavy downpour and other bad environments and where reliability is really, really important. But the Rohloff is already the king of this application. Where pinion really is bad is service. Just try getting it serviced in some small town in the middle of the back country in Mexico or something. You could be off the road for weeks waiting for replacement parts.

[@rff999]

I disagree... I love my Rohloff MTB and it works well! Been running it for 2.5 years now

[@victorrguez1405]

I have a Rohloff hub on a surly pugsley. I love that thing just from how different it is compared to my other bikes.

[@maddox0110]

After destroying 2 Alfine 11's in 1 year, I went Rolhoff. 2 years later, I'm still riding my obese recumbent tadpool with a BIG grin, and the second oil change coming up.

[@TheOutsidePerks]

Worth mentioning, from a touring bike perspective, the Pinion's even spacing between gears makes it easy to keep an even pedaling cadence over rolling terrain. Also with no derailleur protruding, and no oil covered chain, it's easier to load bike into cars, buses, hotel rooms etc.

[@lifted_above]

@enriqueamaya3883 Where is he? If he's in Heaven, it's a little hard to follow because I'm on earth. Explain.

[@edwardhook8173]

I recently bought a Zerode Taniwha a few months back and i absolutely love it. Effectively zero maintenance and super reliable. Efficiency is hardly noticeable. Best thing i’ve ever bought and i could never go back to a conventional drive chain, especially since conditions here in the UK are regularly wet and gritty, wearing out chains and derailleurs super quickly. It is just so much better 😂😂

[@senior_java]

I'm surprised he didn't mention how many times you smash the derailleurs system during the rides. I smashed three systems which cost in total over $2'000. You can't really enjoy the ride fully, worrying it may cost you a lot of money and time. Completely agree! It's a game-changer. Zero maintenance - omg, it's a blessing. So much time is spent on cleaning, putting oil on a chain, and changing the chain. All that mess is gone! These two systems can't compete. Pinion wins in every aspect. There is no debate!

[@lifted_above]

Do you people know of any other brands besides Zerode who are running the Pinion on trail bikes, enduro bikes? Carbon or alloy frames, either? Being in the USA, the shipping from NZ is wildly expensive.

[@alpascua3348]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@lifted_aboveCheck out priority bike 600 HXT hard tail. Half the prize compare to Zerode.

[@lifted_above]

@@alpascua3348 Yes, I've known about that model for a little while now. Quite interested in it. It's not to the same purpose and use case as the full suspension Zerode but from where I sit, probably covers the first 70% of its capability.

[@PsychicDavidJames]

I'm one of these people with a pinion gearbox on my bike (priority 600) and I ride it because it works in all conditions, and deals with off-road and road riding equally well. I love the maintenance being minimal, and the lack of any real issues with having to deal with a chain.

[@JTDPM]

Have you ridden it in really muddy conditions?

[@federaldelii]

How is the ride when the battery dies 🪫 and motor went off?

[@infinitebirch]

@@JTDPM I've ridden mine for a few years now through all seasons (city conditions), mud, snow, salt, water. It's perfect, I've done zero maintenance so far except for an oil change, which was easy. When it gets really dirt it can be hosed down, the seals in the gearbox are solid.

[@PsychicDavidJames]

I’ve ridden in muddy conditions and there is mo battery or motor on the bike

[@federaldelii]

@@PsychicDavidJames how is the pedal feel without motor power?

[@aruppert314]

Also one of my favorite features of the pinion gearbox is the ability at the bottom of a hill to switch it to its first gear and instantly get up the hell without having to move around first and change gears on the go. Especially useful in traffic when you stop at a red light at the beginning of or in the middle of an uphill climb!

[@someindividual7920]

Well said

[@aboutthearthur]

Also useful when mountain biking and failing to drop enough gears and having to put a foot down. Being able to drop into 1st and start pedaling rather than having to hike-a-bike to a flat spot is really nice for those of us who suck at mountain biking.

[@ImpactWench]

But that's not how you go up a hill unless you're on an ebike. You start out quick, but gradually slow down when going up the slope. You *want* to shift on the go, under load, to keep your cadence constant.

[@M.F.Hafizhan]

Just shift down before a climb if that's a concern? Well tuned derailleurs shift quickly anyway

[@jrludwig1]

Gear boxes are great for bike packing in remote places with rough terrain. One less thing to worry about.

[@Metal-Possum]

Maybe, but in the event it does fail, good luck bodging it to get back home.

[@twillyspanksyourcakes]

@@Metal-Possum Bruh. Traditional drivetrains are more prone to failure than internal gear hubs/gearboxes. You've never ridden ultra distance have you?

[@Metal-Possum]

@@twillyspanksyourcakes Just because an internal gear setup isn't as prone to failure doesn't mean they can't fail. The thing about a derailleur setup is I can bodge it to get myself home if I don't have the necessary tools and spare parts to repair it properly. If I'm really concerned about long distances in remote areas where I'm concerned about failure, I'll just use friction shifters and an 8 speed chain and cassette. I work as a bike mechanic, I've seen internal geared hubs and belt drives fail quite catastrophically, and there's absolutely no workaround except walking. Customers are also furious when their "durable" setup costs them several times more to repair, especially if it's failed much sooner than the marketing guys would have them believe its good for.

[@arbjful]

No chance of road side repairs though, but I think it partly depends on where you are riding though. Even the perfect system fails, after it fails my priority would be to get back on the road.

[@twillyspanksyourcakes]

@@arbjful Again. If you're not an ultra distance rider who have not tried this system. Better to not talk about shit you don't know about.

[@etherealicer]

I have one for commuting, all day, every day, every weather (try salted snow slush with your deraileur, and a couple of freez/thaw cycles). To keep the efficiency advantage of a derraileur you need to do a lot of maintencance.

[@andyfpt]

Ryan Van Duzer rides all around the world with the gates pinion drive. Seems impressively reliable.

[@Quinnebaug]

It was designed by two engineers from Porsche transmission

[@tri-seeker2753]

Thank you for this video, I was waiting for it from you for years 🙂 Being one of those gearbox enthusiasts, I have one thing to add: efficiency is not that bad as it may sound from your vid, difference betweens factory fresh piece and meshed in one is significant. Also that efficiency stays there no matter what, so if you have well maintained, clean deraileur, you can beat gearbox. Once you start clogging it with mud or whatever, conventional system starts taking a nosedive, while gearbox is still as "ineficient" as it was in the begining. So yeah, enduro, MTBO, commuters, long distance travellers... You should really try it in a long term, because that is where it shines the best...

[@HighlanderNorth1]

✔️ He's right in what ^he said in the first 5 secs of this video, about the big companies who wield major influence over the bicycle component industry. As far back as the 1950s, President Eisenhower warned Americans about 3 big industries that threatened the health and well being of our international society. He warned about: 1). The military industrial complex 2). Big tobacco 3). Big derailleur. Ike was way ahead of the curve on that last one! 😁

[@termitreter6545]

Tbh at least with the ~8-11 gear boxes that are often used on city bikes today, I found they have palpable resistance, especially at low speed. My slightly cheaper bike with derailleuer has less resistance on high and low gears. Although the bikes in the video are on the extreme end, so idk if thats really comparable.

[@nickzarnetske9994]

Belt drive with an Onyx hub on a nice fall morning would be epic!! Just the tires rolling and your heart beating through your chest on the climbs. Amazing.

[@infinitebirch]

I got a Priority 600 with pinion c1.12, hydro disks, belt drive, and dyno hub. Some of the components are pretty cheap but it's been completely reliable, which is what I was going for on a commuter bike. It lives outside through all seasons. I do definitely feel the friction a bit but it's worth it for casually getting around. The gear range is insane

[@aboutthearthur]

Love my 600 as well. The components that are "cheap" aren't bad by any means. They're just not luxury. They chose totally competent but affordable parts for everything they could to be able to afford Pinion at $2500.

[@infinitebirch]

@@aboutthearthur i totally agree. i'll upgrade over time as things wear out. my lights recently stopped working so i'll move to some better ones (or a better dynohub if that's what failed... i haven't checked yet). they made really smart choices to hit the price point, and i'm really grateful that they made it possible to afford

[@yard2380]

Great to see Pinion mentioned on this channel! :) I don't maintain my bikes. I suck at doing that, that is the main reason I ride Pinion since 2012. Currently on my 4th Pinion bike (all Nicolai's) this one with a C 1.12 box. (612% range out of my head.) 1.18 is available, same range, smoother ratio. It is indeed 0 maintenance also in bad bad winter weather. (Rain, snow, mud, salty roads, etc, I don't have a car, so I always commute on this as well.) Just inject fresh oil once a year, or roughly once a year. I once did no oil change for 2 years, because it is "maintenance", but no problems. :) The grip shift they use is now quite outdated, later this year they will release the electronic shifter for the general public. For my riding style it has very little drawbacks. If I have to mention 2: You indeed loose a percentage of the power that is put into it, especially on the higher gears. (I would say 5% average compared to a perfectly new and fresh chain+cassette setup.) I never was able to feel that loss on a full suspension bike, but now that I ride a hardtail, I start to notice it a tiny bit when I put over 330 watts in it, but that is seldom. (But we are nowhere near early Nexus hub levels of loss, or the spongy feeling that gives.) A second issue: in a 12 speed box there is 1 point where you can't shift under load, I think somewhere between 8 and 9 in gears. I have that habit of "clutching" during my shift because of this. I never know when that gear is going to come along. That manual clutching I do now, (0,5 sec off the power) will be done by the electronic shifter in the newer, upcoming box. (probably in a matter of milliseconds, and you can stay on the power.) I don't care about the weight, but the system is in total about 700 grams heavier than XX1. It is heavy, but the weight is in the right place, with very little unsprung mass, a plus for a fully. All in all, very reliable. I ride about 6000km a year without issues, and without maintenance. Yes pricey, but worth it, and I don't own a car, so that money has to be wasted somewhere. :D Oh one last thing: the silence of this drive, especially with belt is something else, it is swooshy, but never grindy so to speak. :)

[@michaelgeisert289]

Great bike. I kind of like the loud coasting freewheel noise while encountering people walking. They hear it!

[@cr4igsmith]

Great to see a bike from New Zealand on your channel Seth. I've wanted a Taniwha for ages. Jamie from @NewZealandMountainBiking rides one. For those considering it, it's pronounced, "Tah-nee-far"

[@Narakiwi]

Also worth mentioning n Maori mythology, taniwha are large supernatural beings that live in deep pools in rivers, dark caves, or sea. Cool name for a bike

[@bl4st4hh]

regarding belt drives: I've been using a gates cdx belt for 30k kms so far. the maintinance i've done: I washed it twice with regular tap water

[@mscudde2]

Seth, your reviews leave me completely satisfied every time!! Appreciate you sharing with us.

[@Cassie_MTB]

I get my Pinion geared Nicolai next week. Nearly no maintenance, robustness, especially in winter conditions, and the better weight distribution. I didn't have too much time for riding, so I don't want to lose time due to maintenance. I had a test drive with a Pinion bike a few months ago and loved it.

[@agrmbl]

Amen to that. Myself just got GTB PI two days ago. Loving it. ;)

[@Cassie_MTB]

@@agrmbl nice, congratulations! I will also be an Argonaut, with a GAM PI 👍 I will pick it up on Wednesday at the Factory

[@Cassie_MTB]

@@agrmbl nice, congratulations! I will also be an Argonaut, with a GAM PI 👍 I will pick it up on Wednesday at the Factory

[@someindividual7920]

​@@Cassie_MTBwerde mir wahrscheinlich dasselbe bike holen... Viel spaß damit

[@MrSupermugen]

although the mud, makes the belt drive, SUCK.

[@DJ-Daz]

I asked a couple of local bike shops what they thought of these, both said they are sweet, fairly easy to install, incredible to use. But, they both agreed, if and when they do go wrong, they are very difficult to repair. Not impossible, but it's going to be expensive because they take a lot of time. Maybe that's their lack of experience with them, if we all had them, they'd be far easier, as there'd be a lot of information on how to do it. But the entry fee here in the UK is around £2,500 plus fitting and setup. Should you get a great gearbox, it should last decades with only an oil change every year and new cables as and when. Of course, should get a lemon... But don't Dutch bikes have them? Or at least a lot more of them?

[@bestdayevermtb2]

I have a Zerode Taniwha and love the bike. I must commend you on pronouncing Taniwha correctly. Very few people do.😃

[@inx1252]

That was a great entertaining and informative video Seth. Loved the variety of trails you rode and the also the different scenes you chose to explain your different points about it. Love the bike.

[@pieb0y1]

One thing to note of efficiencies, the timing belt actually has nearly the same efficiency as a roller chain, its the gearbox which is the primary cause for the difference in overall efficiency of the system

[@lifted_above]

The consistency of the gearbox would bring the efficiency comparison closer, because derailleur and chain systems are all over the place in their efficiency numbers with a host of non-consistent factors. The average comparison between the two makes this more of an emotional debate than anything anyone would actually worry about. It's like the people who obsess over a few grams difference in weight, when they could lose 5 pounds of body fat to start with.

[@zbronstein3901]

I think the biggest reason they aren’t as common is because they need a compatible frame to work with and those same frames are not compatible with traditional bottom brackets either. It’s less about upgrading your drivetrain and more about getting an entirely new bike. I’m sure established bike manufacturers have a harder time adapting to pinion because they don’t want to invest all the money into retooling their frame production to accept the gearbox and selling the bike for $1600 more than it would with a traditional derailleur.

[@aboutthearthur]

Totally agree with this. I now have two Pinion bikes, but that's only because I wanted specific full-bike upgrades for specific purposes (touring and bikepacking) and made the decision to select a pair of Priority bikes. Since you have to buy the whole thing as a purpose-built package, it's not like I could have "upgraded" to a Pinion setup on the Trek and Fuji I had beforehand.

[@FiddleSticks800]

They aren’t adopted because of 1) inefficiency, 2) cost, 3) compatibility, in that order. Why would I pay more for a bike that is sluggish? I have played around with one, the added drag is very noticiable.

[@hjacobsen9306]

I'm yet to hear the efficiency numbers but I know the old planetary gear hubs had a pretty low efficiency. Around town the old Raleigh's I used to ride daily did a great job. Wondering how much Pinion has been able to improve efficiency? Seems like it would be geared more towards everyday riders rather than race types(except DH?) given the need for maximum efficiency over convenience and ease of maintenance. Also the other potential benefit of a gearbox is a stronger rear wheel as all the dish for a cassette is no longer needed so even spoke tension in addition to instant shifting could be a real boon to the DH set.

[@michaelgeisert289]

I do not find the Pinion sluggish at all!! Definitely better than my Alfine 8 bike. And no chain lube needed.

[@acidrums4]

I mean, they'd do it in no time if they wish. They did for disc brakes which required different designs and considering different fatigue points in both the frame AND the fork vs. rim brake bicycles.

[@agrmbl]

Literally two days ago got Pinion hardtail. So far it’s the best bike investment I’ve made.

[@willlange9978]

Great to see a balanced review of the Zerode. I’ve been on one for over two years and can’t see myself ever going back. Your pros and cons were on the money. Nice work - as always. 👍

[@senior_java]

'm surprised he didn't mention how many times you smash the derailleurs system during the rides. I smashed three systems which cost in total over $2'000. You can't really enjoy the ride fully, worrying it may cost you a lot of money and time. Completely agree! It's a game-changer. Zero maintenance - omg, it's a blessing. So much time is spent on cleaning, putting oil on a chain, and changing the chain. All that mess is gone! These two systems can't compete. Pinion wins in every aspect. There is no debate!

[@Bozza36]

The Pinion MGU already makes so much sense for e-MTB's from reliability, to unsprung weight off of the rear wheel (and only adds a few hundred grams over a regular drivetrain). Once they make a gearbox within a few hundred grams of a regular analog-MTB's drivetrain and very efficient, they will soon take over. Not to mention, there would be a massive benefit in terms of pedalling by taking a heavy cassette off of the rear wheel.

[@andrewparley6850]

They also argue that by moving the mass of the cluster off the rear wheel and into, the centre allows improved suspension design. The pinion gearbox motor + electronic shifting looks exciting!

[@rff999]

I have heard the argument, but I can empirically tell you is that my FS bike with a Rohloff rear has really good suspension performance.

[@lifted_above]

Depending on gear selected with today's derailleur systems, the effective chain pull angles on rear suspension is chaining between pro-squat and anti-squat geometry. With a belt drive, it never changes no matter the gear.

[@BTAJoe]

Thanks for doing this one. I was one of the people that wanted your take on them.

[@MastahKyler]

this is the video i've been waiting for, thanks seth!

[@driftedkart2593]

I’d love to see a video on the difference between a bike with and without an O-chain

[@rostislavkirchev]

Pinion and Rohloff with belt drive are used by lots of bikepackers. Pinion especially is preferred by lots of around the world bikepackers, because of virtually no maintenance need.

[@rosomak8244]

Thus far I have ever seen them only on youtube and never ever in the wild used by actual bike-packers.

[@ashley-tm1uk]

the most informative and honest assessment of the gear box comparison i’ve heard…i like the cvt gear box or hub…with no transition between gears…you can set your gearing, within the full range, at any setting…you can also change setting when you are stopped …i would like to see you cover an assessment of these…thanks brother!

[@aruppert314]

Glad you got to try that bike and to comment on the pinion gear box! I’ve been riding the Priority 600 for several years now and I absolutely love it. I think it’s perfectly suited for touring and commuting, but I’m not sure about how well it would work on a mountain bike. I know the same company makes the Priority 600 X which Ryan Van Duzer helped design to be their gear box hardtail. It looks pretty sweet but is well out of my price range. The Priority 600 really is my favorite bike but it’s expensive enough that I would prefer to beat up a much cheaper bike out on the trail.

[@michael.finally]

To be honest, I'm going to get a gearbox for my next bike no matter what. Maybe I just need something new, or maybe I've been successfully brainwashed, but I'm going to go for it!

[@rff999]

That was me three years ago... I love my Rohloff MTB... mine is an SVObikes Strato. You will not regret it.

[@Durwood71]

I love the idea of reliability with low maintenance.

[@Scabadart]

Sus out Kavenz bikes, they’ve got a gearbox model on the way

[@frbrable]

Do it! That's why I bought a Priority 600X. I like bikepacking, and just wanted to try a different drivetrain. Turns out, I really like the Pinion gearbox and belt drive. No major complaints. I'm not totally giving up on derailleurs either. Different bikes for different situations!

[@Specce]

I had the Ikea bike untill they recalled it! It came with a beltdrive and a two speed automatic shiftingsystem. It worked great, snapped a belt after a few months use, had to replace it and because it was not expected by anyone that a belt would break, atleast not so fast, the process was hell. The stores did not have the proper tools or parts to do it inhouse (as promised they would be able to do) so I had to make a yank as hell solution. When they recalled the bike for whatever reason (cant remember) I got it back to them, insurance etc etc if I fell using it. But the beltdrive and shifter felt awesome!

[@GyokkoRyuKosshijutsu]

I had been wondering this for a long time actually, thank you for the video!

[@clipblocks]

Also there are in hub gearboxes that cost way less

[@zoladkow]

While i already knew that belts and gearboxes made it's entry into MTB scene, i never yet seen a prominent MTB influencer cover it 😁 Also - what you said about people owning it using it out there is so right! It's particulary useful for bike touring wher low maintenence and low failures are really nice to have. 😁

[@senior_java]

'm surprised he didn't mention how many times you smash the derailleurs system during the rides. I smashed three systems which cost in total over $2'000. You can't really enjoy the ride fully, worrying it may cost you a lot of money and time. Completely agree! It's a game-changer. Zero maintenance - omg, it's a blessing. So much time is spent on cleaning, putting oil on a chain, and changing the chain. All that mess is gone! These two systems can't compete. Pinion wins in every aspect. There is no debate!

[@julihanser8548]

Hey Seth, i‘m doing an internship as an engineer at Pinion. It is truly a fascinating company with a lot of innovations yet to come. Especially with ebikes or smart shifting solutions there will be some huge impacts on the bike industry in the future!

[@FunctionFIVE]

Hey Juli, I have no engineering background but I'm trying to build a trigger style trigger for the pinion from the ground up! If you know about pinion working on something like this I think it would be fun to collaborate.

[@thesmuuuuggh]

I will have one of these some day. This captured everything they're all about perfectly.

[@Dasmanfred]

Thanks for making this video! I was actually really interested in your opinion on these 😁

[@wyaflo]

who would have thought that canyons would have grip shifters 😂

[@lifted_above]

Pinion has released electronic trigger shifters of late that goes away from grip/twist shift.

[@waity5856]

I'm surprised that you didn't mention hub gears, where the gearbox is shoved in the rear hub. They're somewhat common on commuter bikes where I live, where the (unmentioned) advantage of shifting whilst stationary is quite useful

[@geepeerces]

they add unsprung weight to the rear wheel, which impacts the effectiveness of th rear suspension, I'm sure I heard that mentioned in the video. I'd love hub gearing with a belt for my middrive commuter/urban ebike which currently is a Shimano 9-speed with a Shimano middrive

[@utrose]

“You could even call it a transmission…” That about killed me. Touché!

[@quiquileroux7856]

I've been wondering about gear boxes for ages. Thank you for this informative video. I would love to try it paired with a motor, hopefully we'll see that option in the US soon.

[@Rubardock]

I suggest looking into the hubs of Rohloff. They replace your back hub with a gearbox, so you won't need a six bolt frame

[@neurokinetik]

Yup. Has most of the same advantages and drawbacks of the pinion system, and can be setup to use either a chain or belt.

[@drvski]

Would be terrible on a FS bike though... all that extra unsprung mass...

[@agrmbl]

You definitely feel a bit of efficiency loss. Although it’s probably less than a dirty derailleur (i.e. after 15 minutes on trail). And it’s supposed to break in after 500km or so, would become much smoother.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

This is an interesting point a lot of people have brought up. When a derailleur gets all mucked up and dirty on a long ride, it too loses efficiency while the gearbox remains constant. Depending on the nature of your ride, a gearbox could be equally as efficient and cause you fewer issues.

[@streddaz]

@@SethsBikeHacks the derailleur system is also less efficient at either end of the cassette due to cross chaining. Add some mud and grit and they would be pretty similar.

[@lifted_above]

Just like a car or motorcycle transmission, they have a wear-in time where the meshing teeth lose their tiny machining variances and smooth out, reducing friction and reducing noise. An oil change would be advisable to remove the tiny flecks of metal probably, and thereafter, good to go.

[@agrmbl]

@@SethsBikeHacks long-term review incoming: So it’s 8 month later and 3K kilometers, mostly gravel and bikepacking-like tours in Cyprus mountains. Gearbox became buttery smooth long ago, had yet to have any issue at all. In total I can remember like three times the gear skipping (for a quarter of a turn) probably due to very unlucky shift and very hard pedalling. No maintenance, no nothing, just wash the bike once in a while. Several times went through clay after the rain, bike got unbelievably dirty, no issues with the belt drive. Due to change the oil soon (kit is like 20 euro or something), which is a very straightforward operation. Also got spare belt, just to be sure on them extended mountain trips (not expecting current one to break, but new belt is not that expensive and weights nothing). I’ve got 12-speed version (with 600% range), which means that 1st gear is waaaay to low to move (steepest climbs are like 3rd gear for me), but the 12th is OK for pedalling for up to about 40km/h with my gearing - which is road bike territory. Al in all - it’s a dream come true. Would surely recommend.

[@bjorne46]

A Pinion MTB is my great white whale... You forgot to mention the unsprung weight that's less when using a gearbox. Also a conventional drivetrain is more efficiënt, but only when it's clean. So during a muddy ride that can go south pretty fast. There are Pinion bikes with conventional gear levers (Instinctiv bike) but the two cable's remain.

[@Larpy1933]

Another 10/10 video. Thank-you!

[@musk8695]

Looks like something from the future haha

[@trulsdirio]

If I had the money I would be riding a Rohloff, recently had one in the store that was shipped to Rohloff for a full overhaul, it did over 50000 kilometres so far and still is going strong. The inspection log had one oil change every year on it for the last eleven years and this was the first time it went back to Rohloff according to the documentation provided. On the efficiency statistics, regular drive-trains are almost always stated in perfect conditions, so no dirt or wear what so ever. Not really realistic out on the trail where the only time your chain is clean is in the garage after it was just washed. So they are closer together, tho there still is a difference for sure. But one you will only notice if you race I guess.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

I got to try a Rohloff about 7 years ago, and am curious how far they have come. I remember it being really compact, and it was on a pretty normal looking bike. That could be another cool thing to look into.

[@frostsmoke]

Rohloff Speedhub is great, I have one on my hardtail and I love it. Not ideal for a full suspension bike though (high unsprung mass).

[@trulsdirio]

@@SethsBikeHacks they are just regular gear hubs that fit pretty much every normal bike. They also have the grip shift with two cables but offer electronic shifting with Bosch or Panasonic ebikes. The hub itself is pretty much the same with only iterative changes over the years. Still expensive at a thousand bucks, but at least works with normal frames. Great range of over 520% (more than a 10-51 tooth!) with 14 gears. There are multiple ones doing 100000 kilometres so longevity really is there too. But you still have a weight penalty but efficiency is around 4% better than Pinion.

[@mattspen]

Seth I’m so glad your free of any specific bike brand!!!! Keep this type of content coming!

[@harrygrimley4352]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@danielm593]

Every single vid from Seth is entertaining or informative. This gearbox looks awesome, but with that grip shifter, don’t you find yourself having to adjust your grip with every shift? 🤔

[@Skawagon]

As far as I understand it the gripshift is said to be neccesary as the gearshifting mechanism need strong pull in each direction in order to change gear. It would be cool if they could engineer around this problem, perhaps they will in the future.

[@SimonBauer7]

​@@Skawagonyou should be able to engineer a trigger shifter to do that, or go electronic.

[@sandymcarthur]

​@@SimonBauer7I've seen the is at least one out there, but it's spring based for the second cable. Haven't tried it, but seems it means you do 2x the work to up shift so it can down shift for you.

[@yard2380]

Yes, I sometimes find this annoying, but only under very specific circumstances. A company called Cinq makes a trigger shifter (left and right paddle) for Pinion (C-line) It is too expensive for me. The upcoming electronic shifter (and proprietary updated Pinion box) will finally get rid of the twister. :)

[@Skawagon]

@@SimonBauer7 I suppose isom sort of trigger shifter will be done eventually. As fot the wireless - as Seth mentioned the gerabox is well suted to the most extreme conditions - Like a guy pedaling over Gobi desert. In those conditons I guess the simple soliution wins over and is a one thing less to take care of. With that being said, I still belive it could go a long way to spread the apeal od gearbox drivetrain.

[@Himothythethurd]

MOM SETH UPLOADED!!!

[@thuggooch1776]

I picked up a Priority 600X almost 2 years ago now. It has over 1300 maintenance free miles thus far on it. It hauls all my bikepacking gear for me and I love this bike!

[@printerror]

I saw dozens of them on RAGBRAI last week. They're everywhere!

[@JediAndrey]

Great video! It may be interesting to compare gearbox bikes with internal shifting ones. The idea is more or less the same, and there are even bikes with belt drives, and Big Derailleur has been making them for a while.

[@klauswolfsberger5793]

Hi, I own a Zerode taniwha enduro since a few weeks. Yes, the pinion gesrbox has at the beginning some noticeable drag, but it wears in and after a few rides with serious climbing the drag is way lower. I also was skeptical about the grip shift, btw Instinctiv bikes offers a trigger shifter for their pinion bikes, but know I think, after getting used to it, it is the best way to go. Cheers

[@edwardhook8173]

recently bought a zerode too, best thing ever, could never switch back to a normal drive chain

[@lifted_above]

Is there anything about an early oil change in the owner's manual, to flush out any metallic debris from the meshing of gear sets when they wear together? All manufactured gears in transmissions have machining variances on gear teeth that will bed to other mating gears, and shed microscopic bits of metal initially, and smooth out with a bit of use.

[@sandymcarthur]

I offered to let you test my Zerode weeks back but heard nothing. Glad to see you put out a video on them.

[@verocimil]

Great presentation, enjoyed watching it very much, thanks!

[@rff999]

Two years ago I bought a high end trail/enduroMTB bike with a belt drive and rohloff hub made by a small french company..... I love it and have absolutely no regrets! I don't race, but I do ride long and hard most times. The clean reliable shifts are fantastic, especially after a day of rain and mud! I have an Ohlins fork and a monarch rear and the suspension works really well for me as well!

[@Wizler71]

Interesting. I have wondered why bike technology hasn't moved more in this direction since it seems more robust.

[@mgkleym]

Derailer is cheap, well established, highly efficient and generally works good enough.

[@thescerigai]

its something new, people are afraid of change, for a mtb its the only drivetrain that makes sense

[@TikeMyson69]

Derailleurs cost pennies to make and can be sold for several hundreds. No way they're going to be able to use such extreme markup on gearboxes.

[@fireman3857]

Who's this for? How about multiple world championships downhill winner Gregg Minnaar he was the first to use it and it was manufactured by Honda of all companies 🤔

[@shawnstar]

Great vid! Was just looking at putting a Pinion on my next design/build. Man, I miss Mills River.

[@aon1130]

Content has been great lately!

[@emnuke]

I’m excited for the smart shift version to get on bikes. Not down with the grip shift. Also you didn’t talk about the fact that you can change hear with out pedaling. I think the mgu will be a game changer for e-bikes

[@doctajuice]

The problem is that you can change gear without pedaling, but you can't change gear while pedaling 😂😂

[@Willard_guy]

@@doctajuice I may be wrong but I believe with the electronic shift version of the gearbox you can shift while pedaling. What it does is it wont shift until you are at the top of your stroke and thus the gearbox is under no load.

[@doctajuice]

@@Willard_guy yeah also I'm kinda out of the loop with it you might be able to shift while pedaling nowadays but I'm not sure

[@gman6059]

That's a really good assessment of the transmission. The pause needed to shift gears seemed way more intrusive than you made it out to be Belt drives are perfect for single speeds due to their quiet, simple, and reliable nature. The only issue is if you want to change gearing. You would need a whole new belt/cog combo.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

🤤belt drive single speed....

[@infinitebirch]

The shifting definitely takes getting used to, to me that's the biggest downside. That plus the extra drag. It actually reminds me more of driving a manual pickup truck than a smooth automatic car. I use mine for commuting mostly, for that's it's perfect

[@matthewvale4545]

The drag gets less and less as the gearbox wears in from what I've read. Its criminal how much sram expects you to pay for a high end cassette which is a consumable component

[@streddaz]

@@infinitebirchthe drag is actually less than you think. The best possible conventional chain drive (a single speed) is about 97% efficient. The Pinion gearbox is 90.5% efficient. The thing is, a 1X 12 speed drivetrain is most efficient in the midday gears and is close to the Pinion on the outer gears, due to the added friction of cross chaining. The 1X drivetrain is as efficient as 96.0% and as inefficient as 92.4%. On average it’s 95.1% efficient.

[@infinitebirch]

@@streddaz I've only ridden the priority 600, it also has very wide tires which I'm not used to. I'm wondering how much I'm feeling is huge heavy wheels and relatively budget hubs vs the gearbox itself. I'll have to try a more high end pinion bike at some point. One thing I can say for sure is the more I ride it the less drag I feel, but on group rides with people on road/cross bikes I have a pretty hard time keeping pace. Anyway, for me it's a commuting bike so I don't expect top racing performance

[@Vuulfe]

Literal best videos on KZbin. Preciate you

[@rupedog]

Totally fair and objective stuff🙌

[@NiSE_Rafter]

I've tried Shimano's internal geared hub thing while working at a bike shop. It was annoying to service but maybe that's just because I was more used to derailleurs. Thought it wasn't particularly something I'd get but was a fraction of the pinion price so I'd bet my thoughts would change if I tried the pinion.

[@maddox0110]

If you want low maintenance for commuting, you can't go wrong with a Nexus 8. Costs about 1/8th of a Rolhoff. But I wouldn't advertise them for heavy duty.

[@wyaflo]

in 10 years we will be looking back on bikes of today like they are ancient

[@RealMTBAddict]

Not really. Geometry has already peaked. Not everyone wants gearboxes or even full suspensions.

[@ugge101]

very well explained.

[@snat6299]

Hello from New Zealand where you do see the Zerode in the wild! Taniwha is a Downhill track in Rotorua, you should come ride it, rowdy with tech and big jumps.

[@R2debo_]

I remember asking "why are they giving this away to the bike industry? What's in it for them?" Back when they gave the bike industry the UDH. Fast forward to this past March and Voila, the reason is here.

[@spadeknifeworks]

Stolen comment from the Berm Peak Express video on the GX Transmission 3 days ago. Piss off, bot!

[@brassmnky33]

These belong on e-bikes. You can ditch the grip shifting for electric shifting, and the drag/weight won’t matter.

[@Diamondaine918]

They make exactly this (Pinion E1.12), since this year.

[@ryoukokonpaku1575]

You could likely even ditch manual shifting with the autoshift feature on shimano di2 on an ebike. Fully automatic transmission lol.

[@thescerigai]

gearboxes belong on bikes you actually want to ride in rough terrain without smashing them to bits just while riding, so they definitely belong on mtbs

[@jmdrstv]

Great video. They now have and electronic shifting system that ditches the grip shift. I’m gonna eventually get a bike with one of these. Chains etc are a PITA

[@thragnoth]

Good video man, I like the layout, delivery, and scenery. Also all I could think of watching you do that trail is how many spider webs you went through. Gick.

[@pwn3d_d1rt]

The gripshift is a big no thanks for me personally

[@BRNOOB_]

I guess it can be possible without grip shift. Not sure tho. But it's still too expensive

[@pwn3d_d1rt]

@@BRNOOB_ A lot to like about the idea... Price isn't one of those lol

[@johndalesmith]

By the way i love your channel! i watch every one and iv learned everything about biking from you. Thank you!

[@EckmanJones]

Couple of years back I had an NuVinici N380 Continuously Variable hub installed on my Catrike Expedition recumbent trike. I love the hell out of it, it's nice not having any gears or in between gear issues. Instead of a derailleur I use a chain tensioner, Origin 8. Those belts last forever ten times longer than a bike chain.

[@antoniom.andersen6704]

Got a friend whose cousin rides around Europe and he went from a Rohloff hub to a gearbox about a year ago, he's very satisfied with the switch. He says it's great for long rides where you don't have an option to fix the bike out on the road if something goes awry and the belt drive is great too.

[@printerror]

Killer timing Seth. I just road RAGBRAI with the team from Priority Bicycles and got to experience their variety of belt drive bikes and Pinion gearboxes. Super neat technology and I'm looking forward to adding their upcoming 600HXT to the fleet.

[@toverei]

It's not a planetary gearbox, but a cassette-style manual sequential gearbox, as found in many racing motorcycles.

[@sethmoyer]

My commuter bike has a belt drive with a Shimano Alfine hub and I love it for that. I've heard of people using that kind of setup for mountain biking, but I haven't seen any in person before.

[@oiyile1971]

What is the name?

[@sethmoyer]

@@oiyile1971 The name of what?

[@oiyile1971]

@@sethmoyer your bike

[@sethmoyer]

@@oiyile1971Sorry I missed your previous comment for so long! I have a Brilliant L-train with the 8-speed hub and disc brakes. Recently they stopped selling it with the 8-speed though :(

[@oiyile1971]

@@sethmoyer all good and thank you!

[@miloontheready7814]

Love the video, and learned a lot from it. A more in depth of how it works would be great. I have an idea, but your knowledge would make it really clear.

[@tonyjoffre2909]

Ty, this video came at a good time for me. Please talk about Light electric mountain bikes soon.

[@kristianjeppeschouguld5131]

Belt drives and gear hubs or boxes are awesome! I was lucky enough to get a commuter bike with pinon gears and belt drive at a great discount back in 2019. 4 years and thousands of kilometers down the line I've had no issues with the gearbox (or bike in general) and I really can't fault it. Yes, it weighs quite a bit and the grip shift is not the most ergonomic shifter you can get, but drivetrain maintenance is cut down to a 5 min oil change a year. For winter riding or commuting it's a no brainer.

[@AnomadAlaska]

I've never tried a belt drive gearbox. Thanks for sharing. Seems worth a look if I change bikes.

[@simonrook5743]

A ride buddy has a Pinion, works very nicely. But as with everything there are upsides (range, less day to day maintenance, cleaner) and downsides (limited choice of frames, weight, cost new). It has to use a grip shift as the gearbox has to be positively shifted both ways although an electronic shift is coming which will fix that.

[@minime453]

Good to see a New Zealand mountain bike get some shine

[@sabakvavilashvili8239]

The best thing is that Pinion released their own E-Bike motor with integrated gearbox. That makes the most sense, since the gearbox drag is going to be negligible on an E-Bike. Right now I'm riding a Turbo Levo and I can't wait to get my hands on Pinion E-Bike.

[@davidf.8497]

Your videos are fun and very useful to make decisions. Thanks !

[@ianferch7970]

This was the bike I wanted to buy 3 years ago but 29er sizes were too large. Then I discovered the Instinctiv brand and took delivery of a M9 last year. It can be ordered with a tigger shifter another advantage of a gearbox bike is the rear wheel isn’t dished. It’s probably stronger than the front wheel. My bike is modified with a Pinion rear spider equipped with a 36 tooth narrow wide chainring. The first gear is super low and the frame holds 2 water bottles. The perfect bike for an old guy in British Columbia and I get constantly asked if it’s an e-bike.

[@Eltoca21]

I would LOVE to try this out.

[@telebus9949]

I'm rocking an IGH (shimano alfine 8) with a mid drive motor, and I LOVE it, and that's basically the same thing. I do run it mostly as a commuter though.

[@neopentan1686]

i got a pinion commuter and the reliability is out of this world. really gives me easy of mind for the early morning shift that starts at 4am.

[@SuperCookiemonser]

I really want a "big derailleur" shirt now! THank you for the video Seth, I didnt even know gearboxes for bikes exist.