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Abstract
The development of the chain drive helped make the bicycle that we know today possible. The chain drive eliminated the need to have the cyclist directly above the wheel. Instead the cyclist could be positioned between the two wheels for better balance. More recently, bicycles with a shaft drive have been developed and it is slowly changing the bike industry. They both have unique advantages and can produce nearly the same efficiency. This paper illustrates the characteristics of the two alternate drive mechanisms, chain drive and shaft drive. After carefully examining the two alternatives, the conventional shaft drive was selected for the project.Typically gears are sealed inside a housing that is attached to the main shaft. The number of the shaft drive manufacturers is increasing and public interests are growing as well. It is slowly changing the bike industry.