Excessive bottom bracket friction
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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.
#3
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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.
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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.