Originally Posted by ridelugs
using this line of reasoning, internal headsets make bikes look cleaner, and so do internal hubs, disc wheels, and jack drives. i like to look at well made stuff. the only reason it should hide is if its plastic and ugly and has those horrible splines for that worthless shimano bb tool.
Sure, internal headsets make bikes look cleaner, but they suck for a ton of other reasons. Count me not in favor of them
I don't tink masi was calling appearance the most important reason for cartridge BBs, merely a side benefit. I think that quill stems are much prettier than threadless stems, but I recognize the many advantages of threadless stems, so I think they're an improvement overall!!!
What's wrong with the splined BB tool? It's practically standardized among non-external bottom brackets, which is the part that *I* like best as a frugal hobbyist, because I don't have to buy a bunch of different tools. With cup-and-cone, I have a Park notched wrench that works with the adjustable cups on *most* Japanese stuff, but not on French or Italian BBs... and then there are some Japanese or English BBs which require something else like a pin spanner.