Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewtp
How is the durability of the drives? I don't want to end up buying $1000 plus kayak and have to paddle in it.
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The 2009 and newer Mirage Drives are quite reliable. They have improved drums, cables and sprockets. There have been further improvements since then, but these are important to have for reliability IMO. Older Drives can be upgraded but it can be expensive. You can recognize these Drives by the "Micky Mouse style drums (big ears) AND visible brass inserts on the sprockets where the fin masts (rods) thread in.
I run about 800 to 1000 miles annually and pedal pretty hard through about 2/3 of that (would probably be considered a hard user). The Drive experiences a parts failure about every 600 to 800 miles on current equipment, with regular inspections, lube and adjusting.
You can see most parts failures coming if you know what to look for. So in a way, Drives become more reliable with an experienced eye!
One final thing -- you can break almost any part on the Drive and still keep going. That includes drum, cable, chain, fin, or mast. Most people don't realize that and break out the paddle if they have any problem with the Drive. I don't carry spare parts for daily use, not only because of that, but trying to do the simplest operation in the water, on the lap with wet hands just doesn't work at all for me. For those who do carry spare parts, be sure you know how to install them (actual practice) and have the tools to do so.