Originally Posted by operator
Er, shouldn't it be the opposite? New bb's seem hard to turn while the easy to turn ones are worn out? (Cartridge ones anyways).
Well, sort of. New cartridge bottom brackets are a bit stiff to turn but are smooth with no binding and no spindle play in any direction. Worn bbs can be easy to turn but be loose and have noticable play or can be very stiff with binding and obvious irregular resistance. It depends on how the bearings failed.