Gates Carbon Drive

Singletrack.com has published a comprehensive review, video and photo gallery of Spot Brand’s new Rocker 29er singlespeed, the first mountain bike to come to market with Gates Carbon Drive’s new CenterTrack system. Writer Gregg Stone calls the Rocker “one of those classic rigs that is sure to stand the test of time regardless of the latest industry trend.” Stone, the reigning Nevada state mountain bike champion, wasted no time putting the hammer down, taking the Rocker on a marathon ride his first time in the saddle:

“When I first got this bike my idea was to do a nice mellow ride on some easy trails to gain some confidence in both the belt drive as well as the bike itself. As it turns out, my first ride was a seven-hour epic that started in the rain on a technical creek-bed climb on a trail I’d never ridden in an area I’d never been.”

Check out the photo gallery, which shows closeups of Spot’s elegant Kobe sliding dropouts that make dropping a wheel and changing a flat easier than ever. Stone also enjoyed the power, smoothness and low-maintenance of the Carbon Drive:

“As for the Gates Carbon Drive belt, well, I love it. As a full-time bike mechanic I like the fact that I really never had to do any maintenance on the bike. I could just grab the bike and go without trying to remember if the chain needed lube or re-tensioned. The belt runs smooth and the power transfer to the rear wheel is instantaneous and solid.”

Don’t miss Spot CEO Andrew Lumpkin explaining the Kobe Slider and other features on the Rocker.