bryanfellenbaum

I ride a fixed gear bike. It's nothing special, a Mongoose Detain, though at this point not much is original on it other than the frame. My bottom bracket cartridge is a square taper.

Anyways, I was giving it a good clean the other day, and I had take the chain off to try and clean it better. While I was pulling the chain off of the chainring, I noticed a very faint sound coming from the BB. It wasn't quite a grinding, as I didn't feel the sound, but it was loud enough, almost like something was too tight and it was straining to spin. I gave the cranks a spin with the chain off, and it spun as smooth as it ever did, but still made that sound.

Do you think this warrants a BB replacement? I just had mine replaced last summer, as there was play in the bearings and lots of creaking. I ride a few times a week, but I don't think I've ridden enough for it to have degraded that much in only a year. I've looked up people who gone many more years, and a ton more miles, before ever having issues with theirs.

fietsbob

To See.. Take it apart and Look.


Overhaul, clean and fresh grease , new Balls if of loose ball type. type

Bill Kapaun

There is going to be "some" bearing noise when you give the crank a free spin.
Don't worry about it until it makes a "real" noise when you pedal.
With a cartridge BB, it's not like you'll damage something else when it starts to go bad.

CliffordK

If you are sure it is a cartridge BB, then I'd ride it until it gets loose (or you have a critical multi-day ride you're going on). Perhaps start hunting for a good replacement (plus a crank puller and some BB tools).

If you aren't sure, take it apart and verify that it is a cartridge and not a cone and cup bearing.

cale

Hold the left crank in one hand, the right in the other and pull and push the crank arms firmly back and forth. If you feel any play, replace the BB.

bryanfellenbaum

Thank you for the responses! I am sure that it is a cartridge. These are all the things I thought about myself when I was considering what to do. As a novice rider, and one who hasn't done a ton of bike maintenance, it's always good to hear advice from more experienced riders and mechanics.

fietsbob

UN type JIS square taper cartridges are Pretty Cheap, So buy a new one and throw the old one away.