Review of Dekra D-Drive Men's 26-Inch Chainless Comfort Bike

Dekra D-Drive Men's 26-Inch Chainless Comfort Bike
By: Kinetic by Kurt Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 12
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Damaged in shipping

On: 2008-06-12

I received this product as a gift. The first one had a bad set of gears. Since I liked the concep, I returned it for a new one. The second one had both front and rear rims badly bent. I spent hours "trueing" the rims. Now that that is over, it rides great. My longest ride so far is a little over ten miles. I commute 3 miles each way to work a few times a week.

I like my new bike!

On: 2008-01-16

I got it for just under $200 at Christmastime including free shipping, I could not pass up that deal for a shafty!
I brought it over to a friends place, we built it on his assembly stand (only mishap was one missing nib on a brake cable, we crimped one on).
I stopped by the next day & rode it across the city home with my buddy and his friend, who owns a bike store.
Neither of them would so much as sit on it, I guess they are both a little on the snobbish side.
I have to admit, it does have a slight slight amount more drag than a chain drive -- now I rode it 15 miles or better & the effect is only subtle.
But some guys will buy parts with literally grams of weight difference -- to certain people, subtle is major.
To me however, the worse aspect is the lack of gearing: 3 speeds is kind of limiting for climbing hills. Then again my snobbish friends both own single-speed bikes, so go figure!
I accidentally wore steel toed boots & brought lots of heavy tools for the built-in rack, just in case, so they left me in the dust lots of times.
But this is a nice, nice bike in this price category. Alloy everything, aluminum frame, nice headset brace detail welded in that resists cracking -- smart. Pedals are admittedly cheap, but easy to replace.
One time I hit a steep hill and just could not do it, so I had to walk it up. That will happen to you on this bike.
Under heavy torque the drive system "grumbles" a little bit, you can feel the 90º gear teeth meshing as you climb.
At the right price it is a real nice machine. And it has one pleasant saddle, let me tell you.

Started Using Right Away

On: 2007-12-27

My first bike since I was a teenager (now in late 30s).

Very easy to assemble - seems a little daunting with the multiple manuals - but actually quite easy. Just follow the Dekra owners manual. The only deviation from their assembly instructions is that there is no "retaining washer" in the wheel assembly - so dont look for one. You just have to fit the front fork over the wheel, drop the handlebar into the fork, drop the seat assembly into the seat tube, fit the pedals, and youre ready to go.

Driving is very easy. Gears are smooth and nice. I live in Pittsburgh, which is very hilly and I am not in super-fit shape. I found gentle grades (<7 degrees) easy going. But sometimes it got to 15 degrees and that was a lot - I had to get off the bike and push it uphill. Would it be better in Pittsburgh with 7 or more gears - not sure. Not sure whether the lowest gear in a 7 gear would be easier to get up the hill than with a 3-gear. Experts can comment here.

I think though, part of the issue is my fitness - the more I ride, the fitter I get, the easier the ride gets, even steep uphill. Again, for gentle or short uphills, this works just fine.

3 Gears in Pittsburgh

On: 2007-12-26

My first bike since I was a teenager (now in late 30s).

Very easy to assemble - seems a little daunting with the multiple manuals - but actually quite easy. Just follow the Dekra owners manual. The only deviation from their assembly instructions is that there is no "retaining washer" in the wheel assembly - so dont look for one. You just have to fit the front fork over the wheel, drop the handlebar into the fork, drop the seat assembly into the seat tube, fit the pedals, and youre ready to go.

Driving is very easy. Gears are smooth and nice. I live in Pittsburgh, which is very hilly and I am not in super-fit shape. I found gentle grades (<7 degrees) easy going. But sometimes it got to 15 degrees and that was a lot - I had to get off the bike and push it uphill. Would it be better in Pittsburgh with 7 or more gears - not sure. Not sure whether the lowest gear in a 7 gear would be easier to get up the hill than with a 3-gear. Experts can comment here.

I think though, part of the issue is my fitness - the more I ride, the fitter I get, the easier the ride gets, even steep uphill. Again, for gentle or short uphills, this works just fine.

Price conversational piece

On: 2007-11-18

I loved this bike when I rode it. It has a nice cushiony seat, very comfortable grips, and a gliding pedling experience. None of the sudden jerky motions you get from the chain with a derailer. Three speed are all a bike needs. I was much more inclinded to use the gearshifts because it felt much less intimidating.

Unfortunately this was also the first bike I ever assembled myself. When I had twisted on the bike pedals I had not noticed there was a left and right pedal. I had started off puting the left pedal into the right crank. I relized my mistake and switched back. Three weeks later the full impact of my mistake was brought to view. My right pedal felt odd, out of angle. Finally it fell off. The inside of the crank for the pedal was stripped. I tried supper glue, steal wool, and jb weld. Nothing keeps the pedal on. I need to take it to the bike shop but in the mean time I opted to by a new chain bike for $50 from Toys-R-Us.

Maybe this holiday I will treat myself to getting this bike repaired and reride this very comfortable experience.

Dekra D-Drive

On: 2007-08-06

It took 5 days to get here, but DHL said it was because the shipper was late shipping. It came in original packing, but there is a scratch on the frame from the way the wheel was packed, but that is common, according to the bike store owner who installed the fenders. The bike is smooth riding, smooth shifting and very comfortable. I put after market fenders on and with the quick adjust seat, can easily go 15MPH high and dry. Very good value for the money. And, three gears is all that is necessary for average riding.

Dekra Bike

On: 2007-05-15

The bike is great. The D-drive works very well. The only drawback is that I bought it as a low maintenance bike, which it is as long as you do not ride it in sandy or dusty conditions and dont get it wet. The rear bevel gear will allow dust and water to enter. They had to do this in order to allow for the removal of the wheel. Maybe some sort of seals would improve this.

Dekra Bike

On: 2007-05-14

The bike is great. The D-drive works very well. The only drawback is that I bought it as a low maintenance bike, which it is as long as you do not ride it in sandy or dusty conditions and dont get it wet. The rear bevel gear will allow dust and water to enter. They had to do this in order to allow for the removal of the wheel. Maybe some sort of seals would improve this.

Could not be happier with this purchase.

On: 2007-04-24

I received this bike through Amazon a few weeks ago.Amazon shipped quickly and in perfect condition. Everyone who i let try the bike could not believe how quiet and smooth shifting it is. The bike is well made and attention to detail is superb.One reviewer wrote that third gear was hard on his legs. I did not find that to be the case at all.In fact i also purchased a ride along trailer so my grandaughter could accompany me.Even with that attached i felt no strain on my legs.This is a comfort bike and not a racing bike.This is great for everyday liesurely travel and sightseeing.Although i must say when alone i have gone quite fast. Anyone looking to exercise, keep in shape, and enjoy riding without the hassle of grease and broken chains will be pleased with this purchase. Once again Amazons price was the best and shipping fast.

Could not be happier with this purchase.

On: 2007-04-23

I received this bike through Amazon a few weeks ago.Amazon shipped quickly and in perfect condition. Everyone who i let try the bike could not believe how quiet and smooth shifting it is. The bike is well made and attention to detail is superb.One reviewer wrote that third gear was hard on his legs. I did not find that to be the case at all.In fact i also purchased a ride along trailer so my grandaughter could accompany me.Even with that attached i felt no strain on my legs.This is a comfort bike and not a racing bike.This is great for everyday liesurely travel and sightseeing.Although i must say when alone i have gone quite fast. Anyone looking to exercise, keep in shape, and enjoy riding without the hassle of grease and broken chains will be pleased with this purchase. Once again Amazons price was the best and shipping fast.

Oh i got the SHAFT alright!

On: 2007-04-11

OK,
got this bike here at amazon, shipped in a timely manner, well packed, partial assembly took an hour, then I rode it around the block a couple times.
(face turns red) Whew! Sweat, groan, curse!!

It felt like i was pulling a fat man behind me! And im in pretty good shape.
It also kept popping out of third gear every time i turned a corner.
So, im disappointed to say, this is the first thing i have ever returned to amazon!
disassembly & repacking took 2 hours.
One week later got my refund from amazon (in full)

I then bought a better hybrid/comfort bike (CHAIN DRIVEN) on another AuctionTypeBayType site.
Am now happy...
So i really cant complain, but i still will...

this "chainless" concept in a bike is nothing new, it has been around for over a century.
Theres a reason why the shaft-drive bike hasnt caught on... it SUCKS!
There is just too much power lost between your legs & where the rubber meets the road in this worm-drive set-up.
I mean... 1st & 2nd gear are very smooth and easy,,, but once you get it going at jogging speed, you find that 3rd gear is a real leg burner, and you wont be able to keep up with the pack.

There is just no way this bike can be useful for commuting, errand running, or anything other than going up & down your short driveway like a special-needs person.
Even if you do have $300.00 bucks to spend on a "novelty" bike to show off to your neighbors,,, you better not let them ride it lest they think you a sap!

To quote Carries mother - "theyre gonna laugh at you"

This bike is good at one thing only... going DOWNHILL!

Smooth ride

On: 2006-06-20

Gear shifting and pedaling is smooth. Its durable. Great bike for the price!

Low maintenance

On: 2006-06-20

No more cleaning, lubrication, and annual bike check-ups. I never did that stuff anyway.

About the D-Drive system

On: 2006-06-20

From their website...

The Dekra D-Drive uses a drive shaft to transmit power from the bike pedals to the rear wheel. This drive shaft employs a fully-enclosed bevel gear system made of a lightweight, yet highly durable, aluminum alloy. Shimano internal gears within the rear wheel enable the D-Drive system to deliver smooth, quiet performance while optimizing pedaling efficiency. A three-speed Shimano "twist and go" gear system provides easy, responsive gear shifting operated at the hand grip. So theres no more grasping for hard to reach gear shift levers!

About the D-Drive system

On: 2006-06-19

From their website...

The Dekra D-Drive uses a drive shaft to transmit power from the bike pedals to the rear wheel. This drive shaft employs a fully-enclosed bevel gear system made of a lightweight, yet highly durable, aluminum alloy. Shimano internal gears within the rear wheel enable the D-Drive system to deliver smooth, quiet performance while optimizing pedaling efficiency. A three-speed Shimano "twist and go" gear system provides easy, responsive gear shifting operated at the hand grip. So theres no more grasping for hard to reach gear shift levers!

Just what the doctor ordered!!!

On: 2006-05-17

I was really looking for a very simple but yet nice bike. I looked long and hard. I went to my local Wal-Mart and I was not impressed with the quality of their bikes. You get what you pay for yet I did not want something overly complicated. My wife and I just wanted bikes that we could take a leisurly ride around our local lake. I was drawn to this bike because with the drive system, it seemed fool proof. I was not sure of this brand but I decided that I would buy one bike and if I was not impressed, I would return it. The box came in great condition and assembly was a piece of cake. I hopped on and I was hooked. This bike is smooth and easy to use. I can also wear long pants, I do not have to worry about them getting caught in the chain. I would suggest this bike to anyone that is looking for a quality bike that is easy to use and maintain. 5+ stars!!!