Whether you should choose the belt drive variant as a single speed - or the variant with a chain and gears depends on the intended use. Here is the comparison:
Single speed belt drive
In addition to the exceptional look, the belt drive is clean, durable, maintenance-free and quiet. Carbon fibres give the belt drive a longer lifespan compared to a conventional chain.
The single speed belt drive is the one for you if you live in a mostly flat area where the climbs are either short or not very steep. You should expect that you will have to get out of the saddle once in a while, so we recommend it if you like a “classic bicycle” riding feel for your e-bike.
Even if these models do not have a gear-shift, the bike's torque sensor measures the input you give on the pedals in correlation to the speed and adjusts the motor power based on these values.
Gear shift configuration
In need of extra gears for your daily rides? The gearing configuration with a chain gives you all the options to choose from when you next tackle a hill. The 11-gear configuration on Curt or 9-speed on Stout and Stellar is the one for you if you live in a very hilly area where your rides involve long and steep climbs. Here you can shift down the gears before the climb and continue pedalling comfortably – the motor does the rest.
On Curt, It is generally possible to switch from single speed to gearing with chain and vice versa, we offer the necessary Ampler-specific parts, as per availability. It is not possible on all other models.
As always, a test ride gives you the best impression for comparison!