Gates Carbon Drive CDX belt system a perfect fit for Kamran Ali, Ryan Van Duzer, Tristan Bogaard and Belén Castelló’s extreme pedal-powered adventures.- Partnership highlights shared values of bike life, sustainable travel, and pushing the limits of what’s possible on two-wheels.
- Read and watch their incredible stories at UnchainYourAdventure.com.
DENVER, April 11, 2022
“Whether it was the jungle of Central America, the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan, or temperatures of -20°c, the belt drive always prevailed.” – Kamran Ali
“Adventure is anywhere there’s an open sky and an open mind.” – Ryan Van Duzer
“We travel by bicycle because seeing the world from a saddle & two wheels is immensely different from any other way of traveling.” - Tristan and Belén
These are just a few pearls of wisdom from the ambassadors that have joined forces with Gates (NYSE: GTES), the world’s leading provider of belt drive systems for personal mobility. Their experiences are now documented together on a brand new site, UnchainYourAdventure.com, devoted to the awe-inspiring challenges of adventure cycling and to the spirit of adventure itself.
The site follows the adventures of riders Kamran Ali, Ryan Van Duzer, and Tristan Bogaard and Belén Castelló, who have traveled all over the world on bicycles equipped with the Gates Carbon Drive CDX belt system. These riders share some incredible and inspiring photography, video, as well as their “reasons why” adventure cycling has become their way of life.
Kamran Ali’s first unchained adventure began at the tip of Argentina, where he embarked on a four-year, 20,000 mile journey on a Stevens P18 Trekking bike featuring Gates CDX belt drive & Pinion gearbox, all the way to the banks of the Arctic Ocean in Alaska. “The duo of a Pinion gearbox and Gates Carbon Drive allowed me to enjoy the ride and focus on the people, places, nature and weather rather than wasting time on bike maintenance.”
Ryan Van Duzer is a travel journalist, a bicycle advocate, and like Gates Carbon Drive, was also born and raised near the Rocky Mountains. He rides a Priority 600x Adventure, featuring the Gates CDX system and 12-speed Pinion gearbox. His latest adventure took him from the top of Montana to the bottom of Mexico border along the famous Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. “My bike is an extension of me. It has joined me around the world and allowed me to befriend people I would never have otherwise met. There's something primal about being so exposed, yet so self-reliant, setting the pace for my life and always moving forward,” shared Ryan.
Tristan & Belen recently converted from chain & derailleur to the bullet-proof Gates CDX plus Pinion drivetrain on their Tout Terrain Outback Xplore 29. “Riding a bike is the single best way to connect with the planet we call home,” shared Tristan Bogaard and Belén Castelló, whose first belted journey will be added to the site later this month. “For me, it’s all about maintenance. I think these bikes are super cool because we don’t have to think about replacing parts on them very often,” said Tristan.
Launched in 2007, after extensive laboratory testing, the Gates Carbon Drive CDX belt system has been proven consistently to excel in extreme environments due to its unique combination of polyurethane compound, carbon-fiber tensile cords, and patented debris-shedding CenterTrack sprocket design. Offering three times the life of traditional chain drives, the clean, quiet, smooth, strong, and essentially maintenance-free CDX system is ideal for rigorous bike adventures as well as for the high torque demands of today’s heavy-duty eBike and cargo application requirements.
"In our 15 years in the business, we’ve seen so many adventure cyclists from all over the world challenge our CDX belt drive system in truly spectacular locations. Extreme riding requires extreme durability, and we’re grateful to our ambassadors for trusting in our products and battle-testing them to the ends of the Earth.” Said Joe Menzel, Vice President, Global Mobility for Gates. “We hope to celebrate and inspire cyclists everywhere to explore more by bicycle – whether in their own community or far beyond.”
