Bicycle Mechanics - Flipping a BB around????

Ok so I have a truvativ gigapipe BB and have to use a 10mm spacer to make the BB work. Becasue of that huge spacer I can only really run the 4/5 smallest cogs. So I know I can't just put the spacer on the nondrive side of the BB because it just does not fit. So I was thinking I could just flip the whole BB around and have the spacer on the left side, and correcting my chainline. The only thing I guess i couldent do is use a BB mounted chainguide but that does not matter. So is this possible/safe???

You can't flip a standard English/ISO cartridge BB around because the threading of the two sides is different: the right side is left-hand-threaded while the left side is right-hand-threaded (the normal way). This is to prevent precession from loosening the BB cups over time (you can read the details on Sheldon Brown's site) and is a superior design. If you had a CUP-AND-CONE BB you could flip the spindle, while leaving the cups in the same place, but those are more or less obsolete for other reason.

The spacer won't work on the left side because it's threaded for the right side. It sounds like you have a BB that's seriously mismatched in length. Why can't you just remove the spacer altogether? As far as I know, the gigapipe BBs are just standard ISIS BBs... you can get a new ISIS BB in the right spindle length for about $20 from Nashbar.

Yeah, that's what I'm wondering too. Why do you need the big spacer if it has you spaced out too far?

You can't flip a standard English/ISO cartridge BB around because the threading of the two sides is different: the right side is left-hand-threaded while the left side is right-hand-threaded (the normal way). ... Of course, one can reverse just the cartridge itself, IF the cups are separable, as on many Campag. and Phil Wood units.

Of course, one can reverse just the cartridge itself, IF the cups are separable, as on many Campag. and Phil Wood units.
That's true. I believe the Phil Wood units also use lockrings on both cups that allow for adjustable chainline?

Oh wow, I totaly forgot the right side is left hand threaded. Guess it not going to work.

As for just removing the spacer that wount work either the BB is a 128 spindle and I need a 118

As for just removing the spacer that won't work either the BB is a 128 spindle and I need a 118
Then why not get the correct one?

Then why not get the correct one?

Because I'm cheap!

Of course, one can reverse just the cartridge itself, IF the cups are separable, as on many Campag. and Phil Wood units.

but you know what that accomplishes: nothing :eek: !

ed rader