In February, I gave my trusty commuter bike a month off and put the Gates Carbon Drive System to the test.

Gates Rubber Company, a 100-year-old Denver business that is more well-known for automobile, motorcycle, and industry belts, has stretched to the cycling world. Instead of the traditional bicycle chain, the Gates Carbon Drive System uses a polyurethane core belt that never needs maintenance and lasts twice as long as a normal chain.

What does that mean for commuters like me? No more rolling up one leg of your pants, no more lubing the chain, and a super quiet drivetrain. After a month of February slush and early spring weather, my jeans lacked their signature grease marks thanks to the Gates belt. I’m a bike nerd, yes, but even newbies will love this low-maintenance alternative. Watch the video below to see my complete review of the system.

Bike Geeks: A Review of the Gates Carbon Drive System from 5280 magazine on Vimeo.