Hello. I've had my Dawes Galaxy for 2.5 years and have done about 4000miles on it. Before that it had another owner and I have no idea how much it was used.

The bottom bracket is, as you'd expect, the sort with separate bearings (in races), an adjustable cup, a fixed cup, and a spindle/axle.
Lately it has been coming loose a lot, and is now making that clicking noise/feel at certain parts of the pedal stroke, and last time I overhauled it the bearings and cups weren't exactly in perfect condition.

I'd like to replace it, I think, but I have different options:

> Buy a cartridge BB of some sort. Longevity reports vary wildly, I'd probably spend £10 on one
> Buy new cups and bearings - available for £3 brand new - suspicious quality
> Get some "new" second-hand bearings from my usual old parts source


I suppose my main question is has anyone ever bought brand new cup/bearing sets in recent times? I was surprised to find them for sale at all. How were they?

Thanks

Cup 'n cone bearings last for years if the water is kept out, they're regularly lubed and adjusted. Your bike managed 30 years on cup 'n cones. Are they suddenly useless?

:-)

Well, these precise specimins might well be! Last time I had them out to clean I couldn't get them anywhere near spotless - lots of bits stuck in the race, and general degradation of the cage and some pitting on the cups.
I do like cup and cone bearings, though - very easy to manage, really. And I don't much like anything that you can't take apart yourself to overhaul when you have to.