IN THE NEWS
We are grateful for another stellar review, this time by Road Bike Action.
“We know, you’re looking at the Spot Brand urban bike and thinking, “That’s not a carbon race bike!” No, it isn’t, but the story worth telling about the Spot is the innovative Gates belt-drive system it uses. No other bike company in America has taken the lead with belt technology like Spot has. And, in pursuit of chainless drivetrain technology, Spot owner Wayne Lumpkin would be considered the motorman up in the lead car.
Back in the ’90s, Wayne made a name for himself as the founder of the… READ MORE
From the folks behind Bike Magazine, the gorgeous Paved Magazine raves about the Ajax Belt. In their Showcase section, which featured all black bikes, the Ajax Belt showed beautifully.
“Spot Brand is one of the pioneers in belt-driven bicycles, offering a belt-drive option for jest about every bike in its line-up. The Ajax is no different, pairing the maintenance-free Gates Carbon Drive [CenterTrack] with Shimano’s easygoing Alfine 8-speed internally geared hub to make for an extremely capable city bike. Disc brakes add to the package, with the carbon fork featuring nifty dropouts that are oriented to compensate for braking forces. Spot… READ MORE
“Somehow the purity (and, um, insanity) of a belt-drive single speed ride seems a perfect fit for cyclocross, and this bike is, excuse the pun, spot on. Plus, the Mod’s dropout actually allows for the addition of a derailleur. But as a single-speed machine, the bike is surprisingly smooth and responsive. The belt means no mud in your chain … and it provides powerful strokes without all the drama of mid-race derailleur failure.”
Outside Magazine has named the Rocker SS from Spot Brand as the singlespeed mountain bike of the year in its 2011 Summer Buyer’s Guide. Outside called it “the smoothest, most reliable singlespeed available.” The Rocker features the Wayne Lumpkin-designed Gates Carbon Drive CenterTrack system. The magazine heaped praise on this nimble 29er and it’s clean, quiet, light and strong belt drive:
“Single speeding is about simplicity, and belt drives–which replace the chain and chainrings with a clean, quiet belt-and-pulley system–are austerity incarnate. Testers loved how the Rocker SS’s new CenterTrack belt, with a center channel and shaped fin design, locked the belt… READ MORE
Excerpt from TheStreet.com
NEW YORK (TheStreet) — With new bike paths chasing around lower Manhattan and the outer boroughs, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s velocipede-friendly New York puts the Big Apple within drafting range of other two-wheel world capitals, includingl Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Beijing.
Bike makers are taking notice of this ride-to-work wave.
Bike giants such as Giant, Merida Bikes International and Trek and dozens of smaller makers such as Kona, Co-Motion Cycles and BMC are quietly moving away from their pure road-racing/mountain-bike heritage. Enter so-called hybrid bikes, which bring sporty features to all-around rides a small-business owner can take to and from the office.
We’re… READ MORE
Transcribed from Wired.com
By John Bradley
The Spot Ajax is the quietest bike I’ve ever been on. During one test ride, I found myself cutting through a deserted parking lot away from traffic. The only sound the bike made — and this was while pedaling — was the squeak of the tires against the asphalt. If the matte-black Ajax looks stealthy, it’s even more so once you ride it.
Though materials and build play a part in the Ajax’s silent operation, the main reasons are the 8-speed internal hub and belt drive at the heart of the bike’s derailleur-free drivetrain. Single-speed elitists are… READ MORE
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/business/24novel.html
Excerpt from the New York Times:
“The wheels on bikes haven’t been reinvented — though the chains are getting an update.
Those clinking roller chains that are now standard on most bicycles have long had a drawback known to any cyclist: they become grimy, and can soil a pants leg or a skirt. That’s because the metal links must be oiled regularly, and the oil attracts dirt.
Now companies are developing new designs and materials to replace these chains with grease-free alternatives like polymer cables or belts toughened with carbon fibers.
The Gates Corporation in Denver, a maker of industrial and auto parts, offers… READ MORE
Via Dirt Rag:
“The center track running down the center of the belt (that gives the drivetrain its name) fits tightly over the “fins” between the teeth on the crank’s pulley, keeping the belt in alignment and eliminating the need for a flange on either pulley. This version of the Belt Drive is lighter, allows smaller pulleys and better chainstay clearance, and is also supposed to shed mud better – we’ll have to try it somewhere with enough water to make mud.”
http://www.dirtragmag.com/images/interbike-2010—dirt-demo-day-1—bt—web-37-45
PRESS RELEASES
Your next urban rocket sled.
Via Dirt Rag:
“Yes, they did get the name from Looney Tunes! The Acme was designed by Spot owner Wayne Lumpkin and new employee (but not new to the industry) Sky Yaeger, and features the new Center Track Belt Drive by Gates.”
http://www.dirtragmag.com/images/interbike-2010—dirt-demo-day-1—bt—web-34-45
Travis Ekenberg is a 32-year-old amateur Colorado Springs racer and father of two young kids who has been charging hard this summer on his Spot Brand singlespeed with Gates Carbon Drive. In early July he took first place in the non-championship singlespeed division of the Firecracker 50. It was an impressive ride, and his time would have been good enough to take third place in the championship field. Earlier, he finished second in the singlespeed men’s category of the three-race Ascent Cycling Series.
“I have nothing but great things to say about the belt,” Ekenberg says. “I wanted a singlespeed belt… READ MORE
They were revolutionary on paper, awe-inspiring through production, and pure magic during testing. Now, they’re just flat out irresistible. The new line of Spot Bikes has officially arrived – 11 belt compatible bikes, 10 of which feature the unique Kobe Slider Dropouts. That means frames that can easily accommodate belt drives, chain drives or chains with derailleurs. It adds up to a level of versatility that has truly never existed in high-performance bikes. And 9 of the bikes are available as frame-only or complete set-up. Enjoy examining the complete line. And best of luck deciding which 10 not to… READ MORE
Golden, Colorado—June 29, 2010—Andrew Lumpkin, CEO of Spot Brand bikes announced today that they have hired Sky Yaeger for a newly created position as Senior Product Manager. Yaeger started immediately, working out of a Marin County, California office. The majority owner of Spot Brand is Wayne Lumpkin, having founded Avid in 1991 and, after successfully building the international brand, selling it to SRAM in 2004.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for me, as I have always admired Spot Brand and been a huge fan of Wayne and Andrew. After they acquired Spot Brand I was excited to see where they would… READ MORE
Andrew Lumpkin, CEO of Spot Brand bikes, announced today the launch of a complete re-design of the company’s website. Spot Brand partnered with Mondo Robot to create a retail site for the 11 new Spot models. With seven of the models belt-driven, Spot Brand is the industry leader for the Gates Carbon Drive System. Both stock and custom models are available, in steel and titanium, single-speed and geared; in mountain, urban and cyclo-cross categories. Ten models incorporate the patent-pending Kobe Slider dropouts, allowing elegant belt integration and usability with unprecedented modularity of bike models.
“We are extremely pleased with the streamlined look… READ MORE
SPOT BLOG
The Position: Mechanic
General Summary
Spot Brand is a manufacturer of innovative, high-end bikes in the mountain, cyclo-cross and urban categories. As a pioneer of single-speed mountain bikes, 29ers, and belt-driven bikes, there’s always something fresh and inventive at Spot Brand.
We are seeking an experienced mechanic to work at our office in Golden, CO. The ideal candidate has significant bicycle experience.
Key Responsibilities
Final frame preparation, assembling complete bikes, and shipping/receiving.
Additional information
Submit cover letter as to why you are qualified for the position and background information about yourself
Submit current resume
Position Type: Full Time
Location: Golden, CO
Minimum Bicycle Mechanic Experience Required: 5 years
Compensation: Commensurate with… READ MORE
The 2012 Rocker SS, equipped with CenterTrack, shined bright under gray skies at Outerbike.
Our interpretation of using a beautiful model to sell bikes.
This is the 2012 Rocker Geared in its Steel Blue color.
And the choice is …
Wayne of course.
http://www.roadbikeaction.com/fly.aspx?layout=content&taxid=69&cid=2647
Hank Pool of 303 Racing whisked his Rocker Ti SS across the finish line at the Half Growler, placing first in the SS division and 6th overall. And yes, he was on CenterTrack!
Cyclocross fans, meet one of the coolest new racing squads on the scene: Team Gates Carbon Drive, the first ever belt-drive singlespeed squad. The team made its debut at Cross Vegas last week and got a nice mention from Cyclocross Magazine, which wrote a story about the new team, which is racing on Spot Mod frames decked out with Easton wheels and FSA components.
The team is competing in Colorado’s ACA league, and will appear at Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championships in late October. Team Gates Carbon Drive is already off to a fast start. The squad bagged the top five spots… READ MORE
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