...it's like [MENTION=197614]fietsbob[/MENTION] said above. They make the cartridges in a variety of lengths and taper ends, and they sell you the mounting rings separately for your application. They also use a proprietary installation tool, which if you don't already have one is another expense.

The advantage to this arrangement is that there's some adjustment you can do side to side by putting one or the other installation ring in a little deeper and backing out the other one. When you get it dry fitted, you install them using some Loctite. Also as stated above, they are directional. If you put one in backwards, the thing will eventually spin out one of the bearings as you continue to ride it that way.

Have you even inspected your current bottom bracket as many have suggested?

What happens when dirt and sand get into the cartridge bearings of a $150 Phil Wood bottom bracket?

When you have a $20 bottom bracket, you just replace it without any hesitation.

That can't possibly happen to a $150 bottom bracket. Only bottom brackets $149.99 and below get contaminated.

There's a scene in Lord of the Rings about this. Lord Sauron cursed every bottom bracket in the human inhabited world, middle earth.

Gandalf the Grey (later the White) blessed all Phil Wood bottom brackets preventing water, dirt or any other potential contaminant from entering.

it's MAGIC, yo.

True. On my commuter the square taper BB cartridge has lasted for 10 years. On a recent road bike with delrin press fit cups the BB was creaking within a week and the crank was on and off the bike several times the first month. :mad:

I believe its minute weight savings, marketing and production cost that drives this. Its defiantly not to build better bikes. Im sure any engineer worth his salt could construct a light, stiff and "ever lasting" BB that could fit into the budget of any 500$+ bike, if it wasnt for extreme penny pinching, marketing and tiny weight savings. Still we are left bad designs on most bikes. Even on the most expensive bling bikes.

Exactly my thoughts. The square tapper has one flaw - it also is prone to fatigue breaking, without warning and notice - at the part covered with the crank, so not easy, nor recommended for regular inspection (since it requires often crank removal-mounting):

http://www.m-gineering.nl/oepsas.jpg

Other BB standards have problems with bearings not lasting nearly as long, and also fatigue cracks, as well as poor pedal attachment system (from engineering point of view).

Same goes for pedal/crank attachment, like thoroughly explained here, by the late (engineer) Jobst Brandt:
Crank breakage (Jobst Brandt)

Marketing in stead of durability and safety.

^^ Don't buy the titanium BB and you won't have that problem.

Imagine if car or MC manufacturers had the pricing and QC of Giant, Specialized or Trek, on their mechanical components. First a car would be a least a million $, and it would break down before leaving the lot at the dealer. Compared to a combustion engine car/MC, a bike is such a simple design there is just no justification for either the ludicrous pricing or any mechanical shortcomings.

My Campagnolo Gran Sport bottom bracket is doing fine and it is 39 years old. I take it apart and replace the bearings and grease it every year.

But rich old dentist 280 lb clydes demand 14 lb road bikes on their weekend sightseeing group rides. A 21 lb road bike is just too heavy.

Speaking of ludicrous pricing. What about Ceramic Speed BBs http://www.ceramicspeed.com/sport/pr...sku=ITA%20Road

Sounds like the bottom bracket equivalent of Lightspeed Wheels.

Happens on steel ones as well.

Bottom Brackets from Peter White Cycles


I would check with Peter White and see how easy it is to replace the standard radial bearings in the BB's.