Hutchinson enters ebike market with Crossdyn belt drive that has “twice the lifetime” of a chain 

Hutchinson has entered the electric bike and mobility market with the Crossdyn belt drive.

The French company has made belt drive systems since 1965 for the automotive, industrial and household appliance industries. 

Launched at Eurobike, the Crossdyn focuses on the concerns of brands and cyclists, including reliability and durability. It also offers a “maintenance-free” experience, which is cited as an advantage by many belt drive proponents. 

“Unlike traditional chain-driven systems, the Crossdyn belt offers a clean, silent, and significantly longer-lasting alternative, estimated to have twice the lifetime of a standard chain,” Hutchinson says. 

Patented belt architecture

Hutchinson says the Crossdyn has a “patented, innovative belt architecture” consisting of two elements. 

Firstly, the Crossdyn’s belt has moulded rubber teeth to ensure “efficient, slip-free power transmission, capable of handling the high-torque demands of modern ebike motors”.

Then, the belt has a central rib that provides lateral guidance to keep the belt running on the correct path in the cogs’ V-shaped groove. 

The profile is also said to help expel mud, water and debris for consistent performance across weather conditions. 

Origine Montmartre ebike 

The Crossdyn debuted on the Montmartre urban ebike from fellow French brand Origine, which “serves as a powerful proof of concept,” according to Hutchinson. 

Origine’s co-founder, Rémi Lefèvre, says the fact the Crossdyn is made in France was an important factor in choosing the belt drive. “When developing our new Montmartre model, we wanted a transmission that matched our vision of a clean, efficient, and reliable urban bike,” Lefèvre adds.

Vincent Boucher, product development manager at Hutchinson, says: “The launch of Crossdyn is more than a new product; it's the transfer of decades of automotive and industrial expertise into the cycling world. We didn't just want to create another belt; we wanted to create a complete, reliable system.”

While the Montmartre uses a rear hub motor, the Crossdyn system can also be used with mid-drive motors. 

It can also be used on non-electric bikes.