PedalSmart.blog

SB20 drive belts don't break very often.  When they do, installing a new belt is quick and easy. The most difficult task is finding a replacement a belt.  The Stages web site no longer lists drive belts for sale .  Fortunately, standard  Gates Manufacturing  belts fit the SB20. How to Replace Here's the video. SB20 Drive Belt Attributes Here are the attributes of the SB20 drive belt:   Tooth Shape: Curvilinear Tooth Pitch: 8 mm Tooth Count: 200 Pitch Length: 1600 mm (8 mm pitch x 200 teeth) Belt Width: 9 mm Tooth Depth: 4 mm Belt Thickness: 7 mm Orignal Manufacturer: Gates The GT 8 mm tooth pitch means this is a timing belt and not a bicycle belt.  No big deal. Just don't look for bike belts. The Gates catalogue shows no GT belt with 8 mm tooth pitch having a 9 mm belt width . This means the Stages OEM belt was a custom belt. Closest match is a 12 mm wide belt . That's good.  A 12 mm belt fits comfortably in the 20 mm wide Stages driv...

A concern of many SB20 owners as their bikes age: Shifter buttons become erratic or stop working altogether.    Can the shifters be fixed?  Yes, they can. Who Should do this Work? You should consider doing these repairs if your shifter buttons miss presses, produce double clicks or simply don't work. Difficulty If you are comfortable working with electronics, PCBs, SMDs,  and perhaps like doing watch repairs, you have the necessary skills. I'll suggest the difficultly level for you is 7 out 10 .  If you have never worked on small electronic devices or are uncomfortable working at sub-millimeter precision, the difficulty could be more like 11 out of 10 😳. The good news: Misbehaving shifter buttons can be fixed to work better than new.   The bad news: Doing this work is not for everyone.   ⚡️ Fixing a bad shifter can save an SB20 bike that would otherwise be headed for early retirement. Tools and Supplies Here's what's needed: Electronics ...

The stock SB20 shifters are OK-ish on a good day, and borderline awful on a bad day. If you have considered rebuilding the SB20 membrane switches  and have optimized your remote buttons by wrapping your handlebars with new tape , improving the physical shifter buttons will take your shifting to a new level. From Worst to First? Some people complain that their SB20 shifters are the worst they have used.  The modifications described in this post will make the stock shifters among the best anywhere.  Tools Needed Masking tape Scissors Small files along with 300 & 800 wet sandpaper Tweezers J-B Bond Plastic Epoxy Applicator sticks (tongue depressors) Precision screwdriver / hex driver kit Paint sticks/markers  (optional) Wood block (where you will drill some small holes) You will also need an  X-Acto knife  if you choose to cut brake hoods for better button performance. Difficulty Building better buttons requires working with epoxy glue plus doing filing a...