Conversion to BB30 question...
 

The frame of my Cyclocross bike is a circa 1999 or 2000 Kona Jake the Snake. The frame is the only part left from the original bike as I have swapped out parts numerous times over the years. I am currently running a Ritchey carbon fork, SRAM Force shifters and derailleurs, FSA compact crankset, etc.

I have been considering purchasing a new frame and then transfering all the parts from the old Kona frame to the new frame. My current crankset uses FSA's Megaexo bottom bracket. One of the frames I am considering, when built up by the manufacturer, uses a BB30 bottom bracket/crankset.

Is it correct that if I were to switch to this frame, I would need a new bottom bracket and crankset that are made for the BB30 standard?

Thanks.

You could also use a BB adapter to convert it to a standard english-threaded bottom bracket style. If you have the available $$, I'd buy the new BB and crankset and utilize the BB30 standard.

I would stay away from frames that use BB30. The gains in stiffness are not useful for someone who is not a pro' rider generating 1000+ watts. The slight weight advantage is not worth it for the restriction in crank availability, and if you use a standard crank and a converter then the system has ended up heavier than it would be if the frame was designed for a standard BB.

AFAIK BB30 is an incorporation of external BB bearings layout of the current cranks
by remaking the Frame itself to be wider, I agree with the above , for the ordinary cyclist
its rather a squandering of resources . If your team sponsor happens to supply those , Great.

Standard width frames went into a press in or snap ring fitted sealed bearing phase too ..

I'm just throwing this out there if anyone can answer. Is there a chance with a department store bicycle that you can switch to a Shimano 2203 crankset?

I am not considering a switch to frame with the BB30 standard because I want BB30. I know that the weight/stiffness increase will not make a difference for a rider at my level. However, several of the frames I am considering only come with BB30 so it is a variable I must consider. As far as I can tell, there is no downside to the BB30 standard and for me, probably no upside either. It's just a matter of seeing which system will fit the frame I end up purchasing and then either purchasing a new crank and BB or purchasing an adapter for my current crank and BB.

You should be able to use your crankset with the BB30 bottom bracket. All that is needed is a sleeve adapter that goes thru the bearings after which your crank axle goes thru the sleeve. The only unknown to me is the length of your axle, and whether the bottom bracket shell is too wide for it. Shouldn't be much of a weight gain, I've even been advised that some modern plastic sleeves are available.

Brian

Nope. Thats BB86/92. BB30 is a larger spindle (30mm vs 24mm on external bearing). There is also PressFit30, which is like BB30, but doesn't require the tight frame tolerances.

To the OP, there are several ways to adapt a BB30 frame to an external bearing crank.

1) Press in adapter that has threads so you can use your original BB
2) Shims that press into the BB30 bearings that let you use your original crankset (Wheels Manufacturing)
3) Adapter that shims down the frame and uses standard external BB bearings (Enduro)

Hybridbkrdr would be advised to ride his department store bike down
to a professional bike shop and buy one of their bikes ,
rather than bother 'upgrading' any part of what they have now .

a purpose a Dept store bike has advantage ,
is if you are needing to lock the bike up in a High Theft Area,

So It's not going to tear on your heart strings when it's gone,
or damaged by vandals.

You say BB30 has no disadvantages, but either you're going to have to buy a new crankset (expensive) or buy an adaptor to use your old crankset (not very expensive but adds unnecessarty weight). It's a lose-lose situation. Go with a frame with a standard BB and have no extra expense or weight.

My statement regarding BB30 having no disadvantages was intended to be taken in the context of purely mechanical considerations and not with an eye towards cost. For that reason, I stated that the BB30 "standard" has no downside. That said, the cost is not really an issue either and if I purchase a new BB30 crankset and bottom bracket, I can still use the current MegaExo crankset and bottom bracket on another frameset I have. So, with all respect, you are not really in a position to tell me that that something is a lose-lose situation when you don't know the totality of my circumstances.

I've raced cross for two seasons on a BB30 frame (Cannondale CX-9) and I found one big upside to the design. The BB30 seals better than a standard BB at least for me. I was going through one to two BB's a season on my Poprad but after a season on the Cannondale the BB shell was still spotless inside. So if you factor in your time or a shop mech's time into the equation that is one more thing to think about.

My frame is BB30 and I am perfectly happy with performance. One downside in my experience is the need for additional tools for self-maintenance. Most other BBs require only one tool these days since the crank arms are often self extracting. I had to buy a torque wrench ($30) and bit set ($10) just to take off and reinstall the crank for cleaning. I'm going to either make or buy tool(s) when it comes to removing and reinstalling new bearings. I haven't been impressed by the shop that sold and is servicing my bike. They reinstalled the crank after re-greasing the bearings and didn't use the wave washer, so I've ordered one online (cheap). I like maintaining my own bike but I'm not made of money and don't like buying expensive tools.
I've found that BB30 maintenance to be quite technical and fortunately FSA has great technical documents on their website.

Brian

Don't listen to this.

BB30/press in bearing systems are already shipping on every mid to high end road frame out there. And will be more prevalent in the future. Don't buy into a deprecated standard. Especially since any current BB30 compatible frame can take ANY modern thread in english BB system. The FSA adapter is both easily installed, removed and reuseable. With the option of moving to a full BB30 system in the future.

Enough with the lame retrogrouching on this forum.

This forum blows for accurate information on high end road systems.

The only current gen ext bb crankarms that are selfextracting are srams. Neither shimano nor campy's are self extract for road. Lets compare

Campy

1) 10mm hex
2) external bottom bracket tool

Shimano

1) 5mm hex
2) Shimano preload cap tool
3) External bottom bracket tool

BB30

4) Hex key
5) BB30 bottom bracket bearing installation and removal set

In addition the BB's do NOT need to be serviced regularly, as with any other BB system out there.

Campy UT cranks require no extracting. Take the center fixing bolt out, remove the spring clip on the right side cup and the both arms pull out by hand.

The new Campy powertorque cranks require a puller to get the left crankarm off.

My terminology is innacurate then. My intention was to say that you don't need to extract most current cranks, allen keys are often all that are needed.

Do you not believe that a torque wrench is needed to reinstall BB30 cranks? Does the torque applied not apply lateral force on the bearing races?

Brian