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If the solution is not having to stop in Pinedale or Steamboat to replace a chain, in fact not having to stop at all to service the bike other than brake pads and possibly a flat, count me in. No lube/cleaning, maybe a dowse of water if it squeaks too much with dust.
The Gates lasts so much longer, you could easily do a yoyo before thinking about replacement. And if it fails- a spare is quite lightweight. The downside is that you have to carry the spare.
There are people that do the Divide on a single-speed, so what gears a person has seems a matter of what they want to claim. I've thought a lot about doing the Divide on a vintage bike right down to the 3-speed hub and waxed canvas bags, heck- its been done on a unicycle (yikes), but after a while I think about how hard enough it is to do with modern gear and so think about something else like dinner. So I'm not going to argue with anyone about what gears they do or do not want on the bike. But I can say this after riding Rohloff hubs for the last 15 years or so- being able to shift when you want to is really nice. As soon as the grade turns down- put it instantly in high gear and pedal lightly- the bike picks up speed sooner than you can do on a derailleur. The weight issue is gone if the belt is in play- so is the drag compared to modern 1:X drivetrains (so long as the Rohloff is broken in, which seems to take a good 1000 miles...), so it comes down to reliable shifting, not having to worry about rocks or mud snapping the derailleur mount or bending a cage... for me its peace of mind and the extra range of the gearing.
The Gates lasts so much longer, you could easily do a yoyo before thinking about replacement. And if it fails- a spare is quite lightweight. The downside is that you have to carry the spare.
There are people that do the Divide on a single-speed, so what gears a person has seems a matter of what they want to claim. I've thought a lot about doing the Divide on a vintage bike right down to the 3-speed hub and waxed canvas bags, heck- its been done on a unicycle (yikes), but after a while I think about how hard enough it is to do with modern gear and so think about something else like dinner. So I'm not going to argue with anyone about what gears they do or do not want on the bike. But I can say this after riding Rohloff hubs for the last 15 years or so- being able to shift when you want to is really nice. As soon as the grade turns down- put it instantly in high gear and pedal lightly- the bike picks up speed sooner than you can do on a derailleur. The weight issue is gone if the belt is in play- so is the drag compared to modern 1:X drivetrains (so long as the Rohloff is broken in, which seems to take a good 1000 miles...), so it comes down to reliable shifting, not having to worry about rocks or mud snapping the derailleur mount or bending a cage... for me its peace of mind and the extra range of the gearing.
Very good point sir!