Quality of BBB cycling tools and accessories

[AddictedToMusic]

I have quite a long shopping list now, because I want to fix up one of the old bike I bought second-hand. I need quite some parts, and some tools. My local bike shop sell mostly stuff from BBB, and I am wondering what are the general quality of their products. Could anyone had experience with them share please?

[RT]

I have a BBB stem on my cross bike and it works just dandy. Also, I am a fan of the BBB brake pads. I used the Vee-Stops (tri-color), and they are only marginally behind Kool-Stop salmon in both stopping power and wear for a fraction of the cost. It is not cheap stuff by any means, but a very good discount brand.

[AddictedToMusic]

I have a BBB stem on my cross bike and it works just dandy. Also, I am a fan of the BBB brake pads. I used the Vee-Stops (tri-color), and they are only marginally behind Kool-Stop salmon in both stopping power and wear for a fraction of the cost. It is not cheap stuff by any means, but a very good discount brand.

Could you explain what do you mean discount brand please? I actually find their stuff more expensive than Shimano. for example, a 8 speed cassette costs about 27 euro from BBB, whereas approximately 15 euro from Shimano.

[krazygl00]

The BBB Falcon helmet was worn by one of the teams (I forget which) in last years TdF, if that means anything. That has to at least mean it can't suck TOO bad. Goes for about $120 according to google shopping, but protip: it is the same helmet as the Scattante Spyder which is always on sale for about $79.

[RT]

Sorry, didn't realize you weren't in the U.S. The stem was only $14 and a set of brake pads (4) is $5.99 at nashbar.com

[mechBgon]

I bought some of their crank extractors because I like to use a crank extractor where one or both pieces can be driven by a deep 15mm socket on a flex-head ratchet (you want Craftsman socket 50672 for this, since many deep 15mm sockets out there actually don't have enough depth). Many crank extractors use different sizes on the two different pieces, but the BBB has dual 15s.

Anyway, the crank extractors are holding up to LBS wrenching about as expected... I'll probably burn through one per season, maybe two. I'm satisfied.

[songfta]

I've used their Campag-compatible derailleur cables, as well is their Campag-spaced cassettes, over the past two seasons and they work well, especially for the price. Also, in the case of the cassettes, they offer gear ratios (in 10-speed) that Campagnolo doesn't offer (e.g. 11-28), with properly-aligned shift ramps (unlike Miche, whose mix-and-match cogs are awesome but don't always have properly aligned ramps).