The best replacement for pulleys is gears.

The best alternatives to pulleys are rated as following:
★★★★★  gears
★★★★  sheaves
★★  steel
★★  v pulleys
★  overdrive pulleys
★  free weights

Your alternative for pulleys is not listed? Suggest!
Speaking about pulleys, one probably shouldn't forget about friction.

Other search terms related to pulleys and their ratings are:
★★★★★ friction
★ supercharger
You have in mind a companion for pulleys and it is not yet here? Propose!



Google Trends

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pulleys
gears
sheaves