Originally Posted by
FeartheReign
Figuring this stuff out is part of the fun, and the only reason that I bought the bike, er, box of parts. I have been to one bike store with less than stellar results, the guy I talked to had less of a clue about bikes than I do.
If I find a BB that is listed as "Bottom Bracket, 68 73 x 113mm", I think that I understand that it will fit in a 68 or 73mm bottom bracket, but what does the 113mm indicate? Is it the space between the crank arms? Or is it the length of the shaft?
That's a bottom bracket for a english threaded 68 or 73mm wide shell with a length of 113mm.
What you need to do is stop worrying about bottom bracket. You need to buy a crank - the crank itself will dictate what bottom bracket you need to buy. It will spec the length, and you know your shell width is 73mm. That is all you need to know.