One of the best benefits of owning a belt-driven bicycle is the almost complete lack of maintenance required to keep the belt running.

Traditional metal chains need to be lubricated frequently for a smooth ride and to prevent the chain from rusting. Metal chains also must be constantly cleaned and degreased to remove stuck on grime from interfering with the power generated. 

How many memories do you have of your chain slipping off the gears of your bike growing up? 

The only solutions were to get your hands filthy with grease trying to reattach the chain or walk your bike to your nearest friend’s garage so their parents could attach the chain for you. It would sometimes take hours or even days before you were able to ride again. 

In addition to being grease and maintenance-free, the belt essentially prevents any snags on clothing and, unlike a chain, will not stretch or easily slip off the gears. - Dennis, verified Amazon customer 

Belt-drive bikes, on the other hand, are virtually maintenance-free.

Belsize bikes use Continental belts with an average lifespan of 15,000 miles or more - far longer than one kid could ride before growing out of the bike. The belt could last for several of your kids before you resell the bike or pass it off to a friend for their growing child to ride. 

Let’s go over our recommended guide for maintaining your Belsize belt-drive bike to keep it in tip-top shape.

Clean the Bike Frame

The frame of your bike can be cleaned in a variety of ways. 

If you have access to a hose and a sponge or rag, you can use that to wipe off the aluminum frame, handlebars, seat/saddle, and other parts.

This could turn into a great learning experience for your child in teaching them that they have to clean up and take care of their things if they want them to last. 

Once you have the frame and other components cleaned up, it is time to move on to the belt itself.

Inspect the Belt for Damage

Although it is very unlikely, you should begin belt maintenance by checking for any major cracks, missing teeth, tears, or holes in the belt. 

A few nicks or minor fraying is nothing to worry about and should not happen until you get thousands of miles on the bike, but extremely dry weather conditions could have an effect on the lifespan of the belt. 

Clean the Belt with Soapy Water

The next step is to clean the belt with a toothbrush and some soapy water. 

You can use a bucket filled with soapy water and dip the toothbrush in to clean in between each tooth on the belt to remove any dirt, mud, or debris.

Another great idea would be to recycle an old spray bottle and fill that with soapy water so you can squirt water in between each tooth directly. 

When you're done, rinse the belt with clean water to remove any remaining soap and you should be good to go!

Do Belt-Drive Bikes Require Lubrication?

The short answer is no.

Since the belt drive is not made of metal, it does not require the lubrication that a traditional metal chain would. 

The belt drive is known for it’s ease of maintenance and clean attributes because it doesn’t need to be oiled, cleaned or adjusted like a bicycle chain. - Michael, verified Amazon customer 

The slightly longer answer is that if you are riding in extremely dry or dusty conditions, or if you notice a squeaking sound that annoys you, you can use a few sprays of silicone-based lube on the belt and sprockets to eliminate this noise. Do not use a water-displacing spray like WD-40 as this may cause dirt to stick to the belt over time.

This is not required and the squeaking will not cause any long-term problems, this is purely a concern of just removing the noise of the belt. 

If you are looking for a recommendation, we have found that this silicone spray from CRC does the trick.

FYI, we are not affiliated with CRC and do not receive compensation for mentioning them. This is just a friendly tip based on our experience and the experience of our customers!

Conclusion

As you can see, maintaining a Belsize belt-driven bicycle is incredibly easy and requires almost zero mechanical skills.

As long as you can use a toothbrush and soapy water with the occasional spray of silicone-based lube to remove squeaking sounds, that is all you will need to maintain your belt-driven bike for thousands of miles to come.