Gates brings a carbon belt drive team to the races, starting on Spot frames. © Gates Carbon Drive
Has singlespeed cyclocross jumped the shark? Or are more people finally seeing the light? We’re fans of the simplicity and have shown how it’s easy to convert your current ride. And if you like the one gear way? SSCXWC awaits you. But now there’s an entire team gunning for the Golden Speedo. Press release and bike photos below.
Hoping to grow the popularity of singlespeed cyclocross racing, Gates Carbon Drive Systems has created Team Gates Carbon Drive: the first belt-drive singlespeed cyclocross squad in the history of the universe. The team will make its debut at CrossVegas, Sept. 22, and will compete in Colorado’s ACA league this season.
“We are really excited to field this team and get out and mix it up with the competition on these beautiful belt-drive bikes,” says Todd Sellden, director of Gates Carbon Drive Systems. “This is the first time in the history of civilization that there will be an entire cyclocross team racing on bikes with Carbon Drive. We are going to turn some heads for sure and win some converts to the belt drive brigade. The lightweight, strong and clean Carbon Drives, which weigh less than chain drives and are designed to shed mud and slop, will provide a nice advantage on foul weather days,” Sellden adds.
The team, which will race on the Gates CDX drivetrain, will start the season riding on Spot Brand Mod frames. Later in the fall Gates plans to announce a partnership with a leading bike maker to race on their carbon fiber cyclocross frames. Stay tuned!
Primary sponsors include Easton Cycling, whose EA90SLX wheel sets will provide sure-footedness on rough and sloppy race courses, and FSA, whose high-performance bars, stems, posts, cranks and bottom brackets will power Team Gates Carbon Drive to glory.
“Gates wants to give a huge shout-out to Easton for sponsoring us with its category-leading wheelsets,” says Frank Scurlock, global business development director for Gates Carbon Drive Systems. “Likewise, FSA’s sponsorship shows that they see a bright future in the singlespeed cyclocross scene.”
The team roster includes Brian Hutchison, Carlos Casali, Derek Strong, Mitch Westall, Ben Ollett and Garrett Davis. Hutchison is a veteran singlespeeder with numerous podium finishes including firsts in the singlespeed category at Cult Cross, Pikes Peak Supercross, Frisco Cross, Velocross Boulder, as well as winning the title of Colorado’s Best Singlespeed Cyclocross Rider in 2009. In 2008 he was Colorado State Champ in singlespeed.
In the team’s inaugural race at CrossVegas, several Gates employees, including Brad Marshall and Pete Thompson, who last year won the 35+ open category in Michigan, will toe the line for Team Gates Carbon Drive. In addition to CrossVegas and the ACA schedule, Team Gates Carbon Drive plans to belt it out with the competition at the always-rowdy Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championships in Seattle in October.
Team Gates Carbon Drive Bikes and Spec:
- Frames: Spot Brand Mod steel (stay tuned for news of a new bike sponsorship this fall)
- DriveTrain: Gates CDX
- Wheels: Easton, EA90SLX
- Bars, Stems, Posts: FSA SLK
- Cranks: FSA Energy
- BB: FSA Mega EXO
Photo gallery:
