Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 0
From: nyc
Bikes: '06 Vanilla touring, '09 Vanilla cx, Zanconato cx, Moots Psychlo-X RSL prototype, Nagasawa track, Kalavinka track, Black Cat 29er, Cannondale Rize 2 26er, Serotta CRL Legend
After disassembling a DA cup/cone bottom bracket, I'm sorta down on them. A quality BB can optimally fit 11 balls per side. DA BB's use 9 balls per side in a huge retainer, doing a lesser job of load distribution throughout the cup. In theory, you could chuck the retainer and use 11 bearings without, but the stock 9 is somewhat disappointing. Any retainer will lose some bearing space, but the size of the DA retainer is pretty egregious...