CeramicSpeed's ultra-efficient Driven bicycle works without a chain

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Low-friction ceramic bearings transfer torque from the rider's pedalling through the drive shaft and onto the rear cog

Danish company CeramicSpeed has developed what could be the world's most efficient bicycle drivetrain and has built a prototype to prove it reports Rima Sabina Aouf for de zeen.

The bike part manufacturer is one of the winners of this year's Eurobike Award with Driven, a drivetrain concept it developed together with the mechanical engineering department at the University of Colorado.

The Driven drivetrain has no chain or derailleurs, making it more than 99 per cent efficient. This means almost none of the power generated by a rider's legs is lost.

The prior drivetrain to beat was a Shimano Dura-Ace at 97.8 per cent efficiency — or 98.37 per cent when upgraded with CeramicSpeed parts.

The Shimano Dura-Ace, like the drivetrains on most bikes, is driven by a chain. While there are many advantages to chains, they can also become stretched and worn, particularly when the cyclist switches to extreme gears.

In contrast, CeramicSpeed's system is connected by a carbon-fibre shaft, which turns 90 degrees from the rear wheel and pedals. . . .