How Does Chainless Technology Work?
Dynamic Bicycles' chainless bikes combine two innovative technologies to create bikes that are smoother to ride, easier to operate, and simpler to maintain than traditional chain bikes.
- Patented shaft drive - smoothly transfers power from the pedals to the rear wheel using highly efficient and durable gears instead of a sprocket and chain. View the Shaft Drive Animation.
- Shimano's advanced internal gear hubs - all the gearing is neatly tucked away inside the rear wheel making it maintenance-free and protected from the elements.
The Shaft Drive
The shaft drive uses two sets of spiral bevel gears and a shaft rod to smoothly transfer power from the cranks to rear wheel. The bevel gears are made of heat treated cromoly and paired with high quality sealed cartridge bearings coupled to a steel shaft rod – all sealed inside lightweight, durable aluminum alloy. Our shaft drive, now in its third generation, has been in production since 1991, and is already on tens of thousands of bikes all over the world.
Internal Gear Hub
Dynamic Bicycles shaft drive bikes feature the Shimano Nexus family of advanced
internal gear hubs. These are the world’s best performing and most reliable
family of internal gearing. Internal gear hubs are an advanced gearing technology, whereby all the gears
are fully enclosed within the rear axle of the bike. These hubs are called planetary gears - much like the tranmission on a car - giving a wide range of gearing in a very compact space.
So unlike chain bikes that have fully exposed (external) sprockets and derailleurs, internal gear hubs compress all of this gearing into a compact, highly efficient cylindrical component (hub) inside the rear axle. This internal gear hub integrates seamlessly with our shaft drive to create incredibly efficient shifting and smooth speed changes. Shimano’s internal gear hubs require very little maintenance and are lifetime sealed and lubricated to safely protect them from dirt, debris and damage.
Smooth, Easy Shifting
Our chainless bikes are much easier to operate than chain bikes. Internal gear hubs are designed to require fewer gear changes to cover a wide range of gearing. For instance, each gear change on our bike is like changing 2-3 gears on a chain bike - so you can transition quickly from hill climbing to cruising with fewer gear changes. Our shifters also provide an easy to read gear indicator that tells you what gear you are in at all times.
In addition, with the internal gear technology, the gearing is independent of pedaling. So unlike chain bikes that require you to pedal through a gear change, you can change gears on our shaft drive bikes any time, even at a complete stop; so you are always in the right gear for any situation. Plus, with our bikes, gear changes are much smoother, ensuring more seamless transitions on any terrain or riding condition.
8-Speed Bike Models -Our 8-speed bike models use Shimano’s Rapid Fire Shifter that uses conveniently located levers at your right thumb and forefinger to provide fast and precise shifting control. These Rapid Fire Shifters also provide a gear indicator, so unlike chain bikes, you always know what gear you are in.
7-Speed Bike Models -Our 7-speed bike models Use Shimano’s Twist Grip Shifter that you twist like a throttle between your right thumb and forefinger to rapidly transition you through the gears. This shifter provides an easy-to-read gear indicator, so you always know what gear you are in.
Wide, Versatile Gear Range
Dynamic' bikes are available in 7-speed and 8-speed models. But don't let the number of gears mislead you. In a chain-derailleur system, there are tons of overlapping and redundant gears - so you really don't have 21-gears or 24-gears. You really only have about 10 or 12 distinct gears. With our bikes, we simply spread out our gears to more natural spacing, so each gear is distinctive and useful - so you use them all. And our bikes offer a versatile range of gearing so you can still tackle the same terrain you would on a chain-driven bike.
So think about it – how many gears do you really use? Shimano’s internal gear hubs merely spread out the gears for you, giving you tremendous gear range with fewer steps, easier and smoother shifting, and no dropped chains.
8-Speed Bicycles
Using Shimano's family of 8-speed internal hubs, these bicycles were designed to keep up with your riding ambitions with our widest available gear range. They offer a gear range comparable to 21 gears of a 24-gear chain bike to power you up hills as gracefully as they speed you along city streets or country roads. Depending on the Dynamic bicycle model, our 8-speed bicycles are configured using either the Nexus Premium 8-speed or Alfine 8-speed hub. The Nexus Premium 8-speed hub (identifiable by its red stripe) is a rugged and versatile hub designed using highly durable gears and high efficiency components for more aggressive riding. The Alfine 8-speed hub builds on the highly durable and efficient Nexus Premium hub design, but adds compatibility with disc brakes, offering improved all-weather, all-season braking performance. Our 8-speed bikes are designed for riding comfortably at 15-20 MPH at a pedaling pace of about 60 pedal revolutions per minute (RPMs). Faster pedaling speeds can readily exceed 25+ MPH. Note that compared to the 7-speed models, the additional gearing on the 8-speed is on boththe high and low range, but primarily on the low gear ratio end for faster, easier hill climbing. View a detailed gear ratio chart.
7-Speed Bicycles
Our 7-Speed bike models are proven workhorses featuring smooth, easy gearing for worry-free, everyday recreational riding. Featuring its smooth, responsive shifting, these bicycles are super easy to operate and fun to ride. Our 7-speed bikes offer a gear range comparable to 18 gears on a 24-gear chain bike. This provides cyclists with a wide range of gearing to conquer streets, trails - even moderately hilly terrain - with ease. Our 7-speed bicycles were designed for riding comfortably at 12-15 MPH at a pedaling pace of about 60 pedal revolutions per minute (RPMs). Faster RPMs can achieve 25 MPH. View a detailed gear ratio chart.
Learn More...
Shaft Drive vs. Chain
See how the shaft drive stacks up to a chain-deraileur system - Shaft Drive vs. Chain.
Competitive Advantages
See why our shaft drive bikes are superior to our competition - Competitive Advantages.
Top 10 Reasons to Go Chainless
You only need one reason to go chainless, but we'll give you ten - Go Chainless!.
