Chain vs. Belts?!?

[asid61]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

There's no single correct answer (despite what some CDers would say) of what you should use. It all depends on your situation. If you need the weight, you may need to go with belt. If it's going to be a giant PITA to change a belt, you may need to go with a chain.

In my opinion, the "default" choice, when nothing really matters, you just need a reliable drivetrain, is to go with #35. It doesn't break, it's dead simple, it's forgiving, but is heavy. However, the "nothing really matters" portion is rarely the case and each situation needs to be handled on a case-by-case basis. What is important is knowing the tradeoffs (which have been outlined pretty well already in this thread). I wouldn't, however, deviate from the "default" of #35 chain without a good reason. The good reason may be weight related or space related, but you should at least have one.

Belt and chain weight is the same when you factor in pulleys/sprockets. That being said I 100% agree that #35 is bulltproof and should be used for a "first chassis" sort of deal.