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I fell for the toothed belt meme. Pic related.
It wasn't a total disaster, it got the job done, but for a "long life", "maintenance free" solution it took a lot of maintenance and didn't last that long. It doesn't technically stretch, but then neither does chain. It and the sprockets do wear in some when new, and keeping the perfect tension is a big pain. I think that pre-tension killed my bottom bracket. When it wore out after three years, my LBS said they don't like winter. Winter was exactly why I bought it! Now I run plain old chain with plain old candle wax and that's working just fine, but I think a dutch style full chain case might be the way to go.
That Alfine eight speed hub though: I can't recommend it enough for city work! Might not be good for anything BUT city work, but with a downgrade to the Nexus grip shifter it's just the ticket. Smooth, tough, quiet, very fast shifting, cheap and light enough for me, and the uneven gear steps are no problem in traffic.
