Road Cycling - Massive post-purchase anxiety!!

I agonized for months over some Scapin frames that a guy was selling for $750.
They are Columbus Genius with traditional size tubes, and this 58cm x 57cm weighs 1670g;
so I figure it's a good buy -- especially being a Scapin.

I'm a part-time student, so spending $750 on a frame (no fork) is a HUGE deal for me.
Infact, driving home, I felt sick with worry that I'd spent too much.

Anyway, I checked out everything on the frame (measured EVERYTHING), and, as I
was handing over the cash, I twice asked the guy, and his assistant, if the
bottom bracket was English, having already asked him over the phone -- they
said "yes". So I just got home to put it together, and notice the freakin' BB
shell is Italian!! :mad:

Over the years I've always been told that Italian BBs were crap.
I also have several English BBs ready to use.

So, are Italian bottom-bracket shells crap?

Have I wasted 'some' money? :(

Thanks

I hope not cause my new steel frame is Italian :( But those people sound like tools if they told you twice that it is English. From what I hear you have to really really tighten the Italian BB's since they are right handed threads but if done properly they are just fine...

of course not. threads are the same. the only difference is italian's a little bit harder to loosen it up, and actually, it's easier to tighten it, at least for me. this is because of where the downtube is relative to where your wrench is when you tighten it..

sd

Relax. The Italian BB problem is much more myth than reality

If it was such a huge problem the Italians (or anyone on an Italian BB bike) would never win a race would they?

PJ

Italian BB's are just as good as english threaded BB's. All those myths and hogwash about this thread and that thread, putting the wrench in a better place because of the placement of the down tube, blah - blah - blah.

The only difference is the size and if I'm not mistaken the amount of threads per inch. The Italian BB is 70 mm in dia. and the english is 68 mm. If you put an english BB into an Italian BB shell it will just slide through.

I've used both for over 20 years and never had an issue. It wasn't until about 10 years ago that many of the top Italian frame makers started to offer their frames with both types of BB's.

PHEW!! I think. I hope

Thanks all

um, unless i'm missng something here, "an Italian thread b/b" is jus a
threading designation.. same bearings spindles etc. are used on both
english and italian b/b's.
like different seatpost sizes, not better or worse, just different.