BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Hutchinson, the French tyre and cycling accessories manufacturer with over 130 years of innovation, has today announced an expansion of its cycling offering with the official production launch of the Crossdyn belt drive system made in France.
Hutchinson has a long history of Belt Drive System (BDS) manufacture across a variety of industries, producing belts and components in France since 1965.
The introduction of Crossdyn marks a significant entry into the rapidly growing e-bike and urban mobility market, leveraging more than 60 years of engineering expertise in BDS and combining two previously separate parts of the wider Hutchinson company.
Vincent Boucher, Product Development Manager at Hutchinson: “The launch of Crossdyn is more than a new product; it’s the transfer of decades of automotive and industrial expertise into the cycling world. We didn’t just want to create another belt; we wanted to create a complete, reliable system.
Through extensive lab testing and close collaboration with OEMs, we have developed a solution that offers a tangible performance advantage. We are providing a robust, ‘fit-and-forget’ transmission that enhances the riding experience.”
The Crossdyn system will make its OEM debut on the brand-new ‘Montmartre’ extralight urban e-bike from renowned French manufacturer Origine, with further OEM projects in development. The ‘Montmartre’ will be on display at the Hutchinson booth, Hall 11.1, Booth 04 at Eurobike in Frankfurt from June 25-29, 2025.
Talking about the collaboration, Rémi Lefèvre, Co-founder & GM of Origine, notes: “When developing our new ‘Montmartre’ model, we wanted a transmission that matched our vision of a clean, efficient, and reliable urban bike.
Choosing Hutchinson’s Crossdyn was a natural fit. The ‘Made in France’ aspect was important, but it was the technical performance, the system’s durability, and the truly collaborative spirit of the Hutchinson team that sealed the deal. They provided the engineering support we needed to seamlessly integrate this next-generation technology.”
The Hutchinson Crossdyn system is engineered to directly address the primary demands of both bicycle manufacturers and modern cyclists: reliability, durability, and a maintenance-free experience. Unlike traditional chain-driven systems, the Crossdyn belt offers a clean, silent, and significantly longer-lasting alternative, estimated to have twice the lifetime of a standard chain.
The core of the system is a patented, innovative belt architecture that combines two principles for unparalleled performance:
- Synchronous Teeth: High-performance moulded rubber teeth ensure efficient, slip-free power transmission, capable of handling the high-torque demands of modern e-bike motors.
- Self-Centring V-Profile: A unique central V-shaped rib provides lateral guidance, allowing the system to be self-centring. This innovative design eliminates the need for flanged pulleys, actively expelling mud, water, and debris to ensure consistent performance in all weather conditions.
Hutchinson is launching Crossdyn as a complete system solution for OEMs, including:
- Crossdyn Belts
- Sprockets: Front and rear sprockets in various sizes and materials (steel, aluminium) to achieve a wide array of gear ratios.
- System Accessories, like snubbers, to ensure optimal performance.
- OEM Engineering Support: Hutchinson offers collaborative design services, including simulation and system validation on test benches, to ensure perfect integration based on customer specifications.
