Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Alt Bike Culture
Reload this Page >

Excessive bottom bracket friction

Notices
Alt Bike Culture Chopped, dropped, stretched, lifted, and otherwise cut up and put back together. The art and science of choppers, cruisers, lowriders and the vast world of mutant bicycles.

Excessive bottom bracket friction

Old 06-13-05, 10:40 AM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Excessive bottom bracket friction

I just had a bike put together for me by a friend of mine who lives a couple hours away. Its a vintage frame that's been converted into a single speeder. I have a brand new Phil Wood bottom bracket in it, and when I ride at low speeds its incredibly smooth, like I'm riding on a cloud. When I start pedalling faster, however, I definately feel some friction coming from the bottom bracket, like its vibrating slightly. It only happens while I'm pedalling. Sometimes I think I can hear it, althougth its mostly a sensation that I feel. Its very slight, but I spent a lot of money on this bike and I feel that it should be perfect. As far as I know, the chainline is perfectly straight. Does anyone know what could possibly be causing the bottom bracket to vibrate, or what could be causing unneccesary friction? Thanks.
maverick_21 is offline  
Old 06-13-05, 11:02 AM
  #2  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Obviously, this thread was intended for the "bicycle mechanics" forum, sorry for the mix-up..
maverick_21 is offline  
Old 06-13-05, 05:18 PM
  #3  
Licensed Bike Geek
 
Davet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Los Barriles, Baja Sur, Mexico
Posts: 1,359

Bikes: Look 585, Kirk Terraplane, Serotta Ottrott, Spectrum Super Custom, Hampsten Carbon Leger Tournesol

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 92 Post(s)
Liked 68 Times in 47 Posts
Originally Posted by maverick_21
I just had a bike put together for me by a friend of mine who lives a couple hours away. Its a vintage frame that's been converted into a single speeder. I have a brand new Phil Wood bottom bracket in it, and when I ride at low speeds its incredibly smooth, like I'm riding on a cloud. When I start pedalling faster, however, I definately feel some friction coming from the bottom bracket, like its vibrating slightly. It only happens while I'm pedalling. Sometimes I think I can hear it, althougth its mostly a sensation that I feel. Its very slight, but I spent a lot of money on this bike and I feel that it should be perfect. As far as I know, the chainline is perfectly straight. Does anyone know what could possibly be causing the bottom bracket to vibrate, or what could be causing unneccesary friction? Thanks.
If the cups of the Phil Wood bottom bracket are over-tightened, they will feel gritty, or feel like it is turning hard(er).
Davet is offline  
Old 06-14-05, 10:58 AM
  #4  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Since I don't have a Phil Wood tool, I took the bike to a few bike shops hoping that they would have one. I explained the situation and suggested that maybe the cups were overtightened. Two shops said that with a sealed cartridge that is impossible, although they also admitted little to no expirience with a Phil Wood, so I don't completely trust them. I then took the bike to Urbane in Toronto, and they don't think its the BB at all, rather they just think I need some grease in the crank bolts and chainrings, or something to that degree. Hopefully that will help, if not, perhaps I should order a new Phil tool and try to re-adjust the cups myself. Thanks for the advice.
maverick_21 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.