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Bottom Bracket Shopping Checklist

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Bottom Bracket Shopping Checklist

Old 10-13-14, 12:26 PM
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Bottom Bracket Shopping Checklist

Ok, bottom brackets (BBs) are far from the sexiest parts of a bike. But they man well be the hardest component to shop for. First off, there are, seemingly, a gazillion different types with at least one new one to be introduced by the time I finish typing this. Then, there is the price range. One can pay nearly $250 for a Campy BB or about $25 for low end Shimano or Sun[Foo] BB.

For the novice bike mechanic, just figuring out which BB type one needs is challenging. Then, it is necessary to pick from the order of magnitude range of compatible parts. I'm hoping that someone could put together a little shopping checklist to help with that part of the decision. What makes a Campy Centaur ISO square-taper better than a Chinese or Tiawanese ISO square taper that is a tenth the price? What factors make that so? Weight, durability, low-maintenance, lower friction? Are there different value judgements on BBs for crits, tri, loaded touring, various mountain disciplines, commuting?

As an example, I can pretty easily figure out -- reading forums like this, reading Sheldon Brown, etc. -- that Continental Gatorskins or Schwalbe Duranos are excellent choices for training in goathead country or commuting on roads filled with potholes and broken glass. I can easily discover that a steel frame with pretty lugs and a boatload of braze-ons might be perfect for a touring ride while it is less than ideal for a competitive triathlon. Within the first few Google results, I can find YouTube videos showing exactly how to measure ischial tuberosities so I can pick a perfect width saddle.

Can someone help novice mechanics make the same kind of choice with regard to replacing or upgrading bottom brackets?

--- edit ---
Originally Posted by SkyDog75
  • Phil Wood is a boutique brand. Really high quality stuff, but you pay a substantial premium for the workmanship. Sugino's inexpensive bottom brackets are decent quality, but utilitarian.
  • If you're racing, you'll probably want something light. In general, the lighter, the costlier.
  • For loaded tours, you'll want something reliable because you don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. You don't need light, you need durable.
  • If you're a clydesdale, you don't need to pay a price premium for a high-end racing-oriented bottom bracket. Kinda silly to spend a bunch to save a few grams when you're carrying extra pounds.
  • If there's a benefit to ceramic balls, I'm sure it would be too small for me to notice. Maybe if someone's looking to shave a thousandth of a second off their race time...
  • It's probably easier to identify a known decent inexpensive part than to identify all the ones that aren't up to snuff. Shimano's inexpensive square taper bottom brackets like the UN-55 have a solid reputation.
Originally Posted by headloss
  • Longevity, bearing grade, sealing, and in some cases, rebuild-ability. I suspect that a Phil Wood or SKF BB would long outlast other cartridge style square taper BBs, given the same use. Hard to say with any certainly since no objective 3rd party tests exist to my knowledge.
  • One of the reasons that I like outboard bottom bracket cups is that you can just replace the bearings when necessary without buying an entire assembly, which is why I'm not really looking back to square taper, ISIS, or Octalink with any fondness. The only exception is if I can't find a crank that I like which works with outboard style bearing cups (some of the Sugino touring cranks, for example, which are square taper only).

Last edited by justinzane; 10-14-14 at 02:16 PM. Reason: Added nice response.
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Old 10-13-14, 12:32 PM
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BB fits between frame and crank. First pick one that fits both frame and crank.
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Old 10-13-14, 01:08 PM
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2 degree tapers all .. its width at the ends that differs

what makes ISO, Campagnolo and European factories, not as cheap as JIS Japan and China, is the Overhead to manufacture things in Italy is costlier than China

But they are trying to lower some costs .. Mostly Labor and facilities operation , is to shift production to Romania.

Last edited by fietsbob; 10-13-14 at 01:12 PM.
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Old 10-13-14, 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
For the novice bike mechanic, just figuring out which BB type one needs is challenging. Then, it is necessary to pick from the order of magnitude range of compatible parts...

As an example, I can pretty easily figure out -- reading forums like this, reading Sheldon Brown, etc. -- that Continental Gatorskins or Schwalbe Duranos are excellent choices for training in goathead country or commuting on roads filled with potholes and broken glass. I can easily discover that a steel frame with pretty lugs and a boatload of braze-ons might be perfect for a touring ride while it is less than ideal for a competitive triathlon. Within the first few Google results, I can find YouTube videos showing exactly how to measure ischial tuberosities so I can pick a perfect width saddle.

Can someone help novice mechanics make the same kind of choice with regard to replacing or upgrading bottom brackets?
Bottom brackets are stuck in the middle between two other parts with many variables. There are a bunch of bottom bracket shell types and a bunch of different cranksets requiring different spindle types and lengths. To account for all these possibilities and allow you to mate different cranks with various frames, there are a ton of different bottom brackets out there. When shopping for a bottom bracket, step one is to find what type/size fits your frame and your desired crankset. Once you figure out what fits, the equation becomes much simpler. Much like shopping for tires, find one that fits your desired price and/or quality range.
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Old 10-13-14, 02:39 PM
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Sorry to be pedantic, but I'm wondering how to identify what quality I need. Say I've got a 68mm shell and 110mm spindle with JIS square taper. How do I know what spending the extra $75 on a Phil Wood vs a Sugino gives me. Durability? Ease of maintenance? Stiffness? Ability to attract unicorns? Ability to impress bike club folks?

Does it matter if I do small time crits? Seriously loaded tours? Riding the cobbles in Boston or Roubaix? What about if I am a female triathlete weighing in at 105 pounds? The actual me, weighting in at 222.5 pounds?

While I know that extremely high speed applications like dental drills benefit from the lower mass of ceramic balls, does it make any difference in a low speed, high force application like a bike? Why, other than the couple of grams?

And, if one is a cheapskate, like I am, how do you know what is truly crap to avoid and what is a reasonable quality affordable part?
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Old 10-13-14, 02:49 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
Sorry to be pedantic, but I'm wondering how to identify what quality I need. Say I've got a 68mm shell and 110mm spindle with JIS square taper. How do I know what spending the extra $75 on a Phil Wood vs a Sugino gives me. Durability? Ease of maintenance? Stiffness? Ability to attract unicorns? Ability to impress bike club folks?

Does it matter if I do small time crits? Seriously loaded tours? Riding the cobbles in Boston or Roubaix? What about if I am a female triathlete weighing in at 105 pounds? The actual me, weighting in at 222.5 pounds?

While I know that extremely high speed applications like dental drills benefit from the lower mass of ceramic balls, does it make any difference in a low speed, high force application like a bike? Why, other than the couple of grams?

And, if one is a cheapskate, like I am, how do you know what is truly crap to avoid and what is a reasonable quality affordable part?
...I think maybe you have unrealistic expectations of what and how much you can learn about stuff like this on an internet forum, but that's just my opinion.

Yes, there are a boatload of different things out there now, in terms of standards and quality for sure, as well as a bunch of proprietary stuff.
Some things, you just have to figure out on your own.
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Old 10-13-14, 02:50 PM
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I would point you towards the Newest External Bearing BBs and the crankarms that go with them.. the spindle is fixed to the right crankarm ..

the one for the Shimano Alfine is a single chainring. they as I read ship with a 45t..


but this is now just a spectator sport
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Old 10-13-14, 05:37 PM
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Shimano BB un55 will work fine. 113mm (I think) is the most common spindle length for a triple crankset.

Edit: You already have a triple and a functioning BB, right? First get your new crankset and a crank puller and try the new crankset on the existing BB. If you're swapping a triple for a new triple, chances are it'll work. If the smallest ring doesn't clear the chainstays, measure your current spindle and buy a new BB with spindle that's longer.

Last edited by clengman; 10-13-14 at 06:01 PM.
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Old 10-13-14, 06:33 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
Sorry to be pedantic, but I'm wondering how to identify what quality I need. Say I've got a 68mm shell and 110mm spindle with JIS square taper. How do I know what spending the extra $75 on a Phil Wood vs a Sugino gives me. Durability? Ease of maintenance? Stiffness? Ability to attract unicorns? Ability to impress bike club folks?
Longevity, bearing grade, sealing, and in some cases, rebuild-ability. I suspect that a Phil Wood or SKF BB would long outlast other cartridge style square taper BBs, given the same use. Hard to say with any certainly since no objective 3rd party tests exist to my knowledge.

One of the reasons that I like outboard bottom bracket cups is that you can just replace the bearings when necessary without buying an entire assembly, which is why I'm not really looking back to square taper, ISIS, or Octalink with any fondness. The only exception is if I can't find a crank that I like which works with outboard style bearing cups (some of the Sugino touring cranks, for example, which are square taper only).
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Old 10-13-14, 08:37 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
Sorry to be pedantic, but I'm wondering how to identify what quality I need. Say I've got a 68mm shell and 110mm spindle with JIS square taper. How do I know what spending the extra $75 on a Phil Wood vs a Sugino gives me. Durability? Ease of maintenance? Stiffness? Ability to attract unicorns? Ability to impress bike club folks?
Phil Wood is a boutique brand. Really high quality stuff, but you pay a substantial premium for the workmanship. Sugino's inexpensive bottom brackets are decent quality, but utilitarian.

Originally Posted by justinzane
Does it matter if I do small time crits? Seriously loaded tours? Riding the cobbles in Boston or Roubaix? What about if I am a female triathlete weighing in at 105 pounds? The actual me, weighting in at 222.5 pounds?
If you're racing, you'll probably want something light. In general, the lighter, the costlier.

For loaded tours, you'll want something reliable because you don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. You don't need light, you need durable.

If you're a clydesdale, you don't need to pay a price premium for a high-end racing-oriented bottom bracket. Kinda silly to spend a bunch to save a few grams when you're carrying extra pounds.

Originally Posted by justinzane
While I know that extremely high speed applications like dental drills benefit from the lower mass of ceramic balls, does it make any difference in a low speed, high force application like a bike? Why, other than the couple of grams?
If there's a benefit to ceramic balls, I'm sure it would be too small for me to notice. Maybe if someone's looking to shave a thousandth of a second off their race time...

Originally Posted by justinzane
And, if one is a cheapskate, like I am, how do you know what is truly crap to avoid and what is a reasonable quality affordable part?
It's probably easier to identify a known decent inexpensive part than to identify all the ones that aren't up to snuff. Shimano's inexpensive square taper bottom brackets like the UN-55 have a solid reputation.

Last edited by SkyDog75; 10-13-14 at 08:57 PM.
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Old 10-14-14, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by 3alarmer
...I think maybe you have unrealistic expectations of what and how much you can learn about stuff like this on an internet forum, but that's just my opinion. Yes, there are a boatload of different things out there now, in terms of standards and quality for sure, as well as a bunch of proprietary stuff. Some things, you just have to figure out on your own.
You may be right. Unfortunately, some of us live in rural areas where other cyclists and LBSs are few and far between. Just to give you an idea, I wanted a stem with a true "7" bend -- about -30 degrees so that I could lower my bars a bit. The LBS owners response was, "Oh, I could probably order one for you. Everyone wants to raise their bars." Followed by, "Oh, its a road bike with a quill stem." This is a place that does not even stock any road or touring bikes, just cyclocross and mountain. And, that suits the population around here who are primarily mountain riders, since we have an abundance of awesome mountain trails.

The takeaway, though, is that there is nowhere I can go to take a look at things myself and very few people to hang with and learn from them and play with their toys. That means that I can either learn on forums and from web publications or I can learn by credit card -- buying tons of stuff and trying it. Since my bike budget rules out the latter, I'm stuck with forums. In fact, the level of cycling around here is such that 4 months of cycling and working on my bike led to the LBS to recommend that my neighbors kids get help from me. Kinda the one-eyed leading the blind.
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Old 10-14-14, 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by clengman
Shimano BB un55 will work fine. 113mm (I think) is the most common spindle length for a triple crankset.

Edit: You already have a triple and a functioning BB, right? First get your new crankset and a crank puller and try the new crankset on the existing BB. If you're swapping a triple for a new triple, chances are it'll work. If the smallest ring doesn't clear the chainstays, measure your current spindle and buy a new BB with spindle that's longer.
At the moment, I do indeed plan to keep my BB. I'm asking just because the whole BB choice is somewhat insane to the uninformed. I was vaguely hoping that with the input of a few experienced wrenches, it might be possible to compile a "sticky" guide on the subject since there is so little out there that Google readily finds.
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Old 10-14-14, 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by headloss
Longevity, bearing grade, sealing, and in some cases, rebuild-ability. I suspect that a Phil Wood or SKF BB would long outlast other cartridge style square taper BBs, given the same use. Hard to say with any certainly since no objective 3rd party tests exist to my knowledge.

One of the reasons that I like outboard bottom bracket cups is that you can just replace the bearings when necessary without buying an entire assembly, which is why I'm not really looking back to square taper, ISIS, or Octalink with any fondness. The only exception is if I can't find a crank that I like which works with outboard style bearing cups (some of the Sugino touring cranks, for example, which are square taper only).
Thanks!
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Old 10-14-14, 02:19 PM
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Soo many variables... Kinda like asking for a document describing the best car to buy for various situational needs.
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Old 10-14-14, 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
At the moment, I do indeed plan to keep my BB. I'm asking just because the whole BB choice is somewhat insane to the uninformed. I was vaguely hoping that with the input of a few experienced wrenches, it might be possible to compile a "sticky" guide on the subject since there is so little out there that Google readily finds.
I see. I tried to do some reading on "phil wood vs. shimano" bottom bracket a while ago. Seems like the consensus is that there's no consensus. Phil wood stuff is undoubtedly good stuff and the BBs are nice in that you can replace bearings as needed and probably keep one going til Armageddon, but the fact is the Shimano UN55 is pretty good too and a whole lot cheaper. Under normal use it'll last a long time, and it probably doesn't cost a lot more to replace the Shimano than it does to replace the bearings on a PW.

I recently repacked the loose ball BB for the first time on my old Schwinn (after about two years of use in all types of weather) and it was pretty quick and easy... and it probably wasn't even necessary yet. I don't really see any need to go to a sealed unit as long as this one is still working. It's very smooth, got a chunky built-to-last spindle and it's the cheapest to maintain.

I think it'll be hard to get to any objective truth on this one. It's yet another topic that seems to just come down to personal preferences.
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Old 10-14-14, 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
At the moment, I do indeed plan to keep my BB. I'm asking just because the whole BB choice is somewhat insane to the uninformed. I was vaguely hoping that with the input of a few experienced wrenches, it might be possible to compile a "sticky" guide on the subject since there is so little out there that Google readily finds.
There are actually a bunch of great bottom bracket guides floating around on the web... but I'm not sure whether they answer your questions or not. Read the links, then ask questions that the links don't answer for you... then it will all make more sense.

Bottom Bracket Tech Breakdown
Bottom Bracket Standards - Slowtwitch.com
Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Bottom Bracket Standards
FEATURES: THE BOTTOM BRACKET BREAKDOWN
Complete guide to bottom brackets - BikeRadar

Big picture: There are four primary categories for bottom brackets (I could break down further, but trying to keep concise).
1. Square-taper. Tried and true. Steel spindle that will twist under a powerful rider. Available in loose balls or as a unit that has the bearings built in. Formally, it's called a "cartridge BB" but I prefer to call it a "unit" to avoid confusion. One huge advantage of square taper is that with loose balls, you can set up the chain line however you want by changing the spindle length.

2. Octalink/Isis. Used a larger diameter spindle which resists twisting force. It has a more solid feel under a powerful rider. Problem is, the bearings had to be made smaller in order to fit between the BB shell of the frame and the now larger spindle. Small ball bearings are inherently less durable, which is the downside of Octalink/Isis. Manufacturers attempts to work around this by using variations of roller bearings and needle bearings. The cheapest and least-durable examples used small ball bearings only while the more expensive ones (Octalink, and SKS-ISIS) used complicated combinations if various types of bearings.

3. External/Outboard. (Hollowtech II, MegaExo, GXP, Ultra-Torque, Power-Torque). Kept the larger spindle diameter (24mm) of Octalink/Isis but moved the bearings into cups that sit outside of the frame, allowing use of larger ball bearings that are more durable. The negative of moving to an external bearing is that they aren't as well sealed, in general, as the cartridge-unit bearings above. The bearings used inside these external cups are typically called "sealed bearings" but that is a sort of misnomer as they are not necessarily sealed... these are better called "cartridge bearings" by industry but that can be confusing in the bicycle world, where "cartridge bearing" used to mean the bearing-unit used for many square-taper BBs and all Octalink/Isis BBs. It's a problem of having one word mean two entirely different things. These are what I prefer, in that they are threaded and universal and backwards compatible with just about any bike out there (so long as you can find the appropriate cups). The only down side is that the bearings are more exposed, but you can buy better sealed bearings and the cartridge-bearing itself is easily replaceable from a number of bearing manufacturers. I like them because they eliminate some of the proprietary parts... you use this style of bottom bracket and you will still find a replacement bearing fifty years from now... the same can be said for the original loose ball square taper, but what a p.i.t.a. those are.

4. There are a slew of new BB "standards" that have come out after the introduction of externally-threaded bottom brackets. The later styles are press fit into a frame. The bearings are either directly pressed in, or they are placed in a cup that is pressed in. The basic approach is the same for all examples, and broken down in the links that I posted above. At this point, various standards have more to do with improvements in frame construction rather than actual improvements to the BB itself. The actual bearings haven't changed at all since step 3. in many cases, the change is how they are held in the frame. The biggest difference is that a bunch of the "standards" moved to an even larger diameter spindle starting with BB30 (30, as in 30mm spindle).

So, it's really about moving from a 17mm diameter square-taper to a 24mm spindle to (in some cases) a 30mm spindle. That's the major difference between one standard and another.

Those are the links I bookmarked a while ago when I was trying to sort it all out. That will give you an idea of the different styles and why they exist. It still won't tell you why you would pay more for a boutique brand vs. a basic Shimano but you can search forums on the internet to answer those questions. Honestly, for square taper, I don't think there is a good reason to pay a premium on a cheap to intermediate level bike... because frankly, you'd never wear out the bottom bracket on a bike that sees minimal use. If a neighbor or relative needs a new BB, I generally go with whatever is cheap. I would only buy a premium/boutique brand if the cheaper variety didn't last due to high mileage or harsher conditions (frequently riding in the rain/dirt). I've had good results with the cheap Shimano BB's. Even the cheaper/no-name BB's will last if they are kept clean and lubricated.
I think the only time that I'd immediately jump to the premium brand is if I was replacing a BB on an ISIS Crank/BB because the SKF version has a very good reputation (whereas every other ISIS BB that ever existed has a terrible reputation, probably the most despised "standard" out there).

Last edited by headloss; 10-14-14 at 04:26 PM.
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Old 10-14-14, 05:30 PM
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OP- I read your first post for this thread and thought Great now maybe I can figure it out too. Alas it seem like the populace of the board doesnt understand the question. I couldnt figure out the differences either so I just picked one. I might have liked to know if the one $5 more was a MUCH better quality though.

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Old 10-14-14, 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by speedy25
OP- I read your first post for this thread and thought Great now maybe I can figure it out too. Alas it seem like the populace of the board doesnt understand the question. I couldnt figure out the differences either so I just picked one. I might have liked to know if the one $5 more was a MUCH better quality though
I don't think the question was not understood, it is that the answer is not simple. What bottom bracket you use depends on what frame you have and what crank you want to use. You would probably be well advised to stick with a major manufacturer if buying new.

The old square tapers are heavy because they use steel spindles. Other than that, if properly maintained, they last forever. I personally am a fan of loose balls, they are easily and cheaply overhauled.

I have never used ISIS/Octolink.

I now have a bike with Hollowtech outboard bearings. I can't say I find it any different, but the frames are so different that it would be hard to tell. Decent Shimano outboard BB's can readily be found for under $20, and they can be changed in 5 minutes if you have the correct tool.

The pressfit BB's may be good, are definitely lighter but the weight difference is certainly not significant for my purposes, my observation is that they are more prone to creak, and I question how tight they will be after 20 years of use.

As with much of cycling equipment, how much you need to spend depends on your wallet, what you want to do, and whether you are riding in such a way that the differences are meaningful (or if you just like to have really nice stuff!)
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Old 10-14-14, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
You may be right. Unfortunately, some of us live in rural areas where other cyclists and LBSs are few and far between. Just to give you an idea, I wanted a stem with a true "7" bend -- about -30 degrees so that I could lower my bars a bit. The LBS owners response was, "Oh, I could probably order one for you. Everyone wants to raise their bars." Followed by, "Oh, its a road bike with a quill stem." This is a place that does not even stock any road or touring bikes, just cyclocross and mountain. And, that suits the population around here who are primarily mountain riders, since we have an abundance of awesome mountain trails.

The takeaway, though, is that there is nowhere I can go to take a look at things myself and very few people to hang with and learn from them and play with their toys. That means that I can either learn on forums and from web publications or I can learn by credit card -- buying tons of stuff and trying it. Since my bike budget rules out the latter, I'm stuck with forums. In fact, the level of cycling around here is such that 4 months of cycling and working on my bike led to the LBS to recommend that my neighbors kids get help from me. Kinda the one-eyed leading the blind.

...as you are by now aware, there is no easy or definitive answer to your question.

There are no authoritative comparison studies, and without them, all you get is personal anecdote, hearsay, and opinion.
I could give you plenty of personal anecdote, I've been doing this stuff a while now, and as a mech at the bike co-op, i certainly get to see what breaks.


But I don't really think that what I've seen will help you all that much.

I can tell you that personally, I try, if a bike comes to me with a loose ball BB that is intact and the bike dates from the 70's-90's,
and it is not a Wallmart sort of bike, I try to preserve it, by service cleaning and readjustment, because my personal experience has
led me to believe those are of better quality in terms of manufacture, hardness, and durability than anything but the very best (and
most expensive) sealed BB units.

This sort of statement here almost always provokes a storm of criticism and pointless discussion about how the person who wrote it
does not know his ass from first base, etc, etc. So I think I share with some of the more experienced who post here a reluctance to
engage in such shenanigans. Phil Wood puts out a darn fine product. Velo Orange square taper units, IME, are also pretty good.

Usually, among the cheaper sealed units, the best are manufactured in Japan by Tange (I think ?)

The cheapest Shimano BB cartridges are more or less famous for either working well or failing withing a month or two. Poor quality control, I think.

Sadly, Yreka is well outside my area of acquaintances, but maybe you can do a little digging here to see if there's anyone close.
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Old 10-14-14, 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by clengman
I think it'll be hard to get to any objective truth on this one. It's yet another topic that seems to just come down to personal preferences.
You may be right. Perhaps it is the data-geek in me that find the "personal preference" somewhat objectionable. If one is shopping for neckties, yeah, it really is down to personal preference since they no longer serve any functional purpose. For something as nigh-invisible and almost purely functional as a spindle with bearings -- all a BB is, after all, the fact that personal preference has any bearing seems odd.

There is minimizing friction, resisting radial and axial loads, resisting contamination and retaining lubrication, ease of maintenance and cost. I'm not criticizing you at all, since you probably know a lot more than I. I'm just frustrated with the lack of objectivity on this little part. If you want a rim, there are endless guides some with friggin' wind tunnel data! Folks have measured the stiffness of frames to the micro newton. Sh*t, people have even done wind tunnel testing on shaved legs and ponytails.

Yet, for something that EVERY cycle needs, whether the grandma's stepthrough utility bike or the $10k carbon and titanium triathlon bike, there is little definitive information. To ME, this seems odd. Maybe it is simply the invisibility of BBs that prevent them from being talked about and analyzed more.

Off to just ride and not thing about it...
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Old 10-14-14, 07:18 PM
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Old 10-14-14, 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by justinzane
You may be right. Perhaps it is the data-geek in me that find the "personal preference" somewhat objectionable. If one is shopping for neckties, yeah, it really is down to personal preference since they no longer serve any functional purpose. For something as nigh-invisible and almost purely functional as a spindle with bearings -- all a BB is, after all, the fact that personal preference has any bearing seems odd.

There is minimizing friction, resisting radial and axial loads, resisting contamination and retaining lubrication, ease of maintenance and cost. I'm not criticizing you at all, since you probably know a lot more than I. I'm just frustrated with the lack of objectivity on this little part. If you want a rim, there are endless guides some with friggin' wind tunnel data! Folks have measured the stiffness of frames to the micro newton. Sh*t, people have even done wind tunnel testing on shaved legs and ponytails.

Yet, for something that EVERY cycle needs, whether the grandma's stepthrough utility bike or the $10k carbon and titanium triathlon bike, there is little definitive information. To ME, this seems odd. Maybe it is simply the invisibility of BBs that prevent them from being talked about and analyzed more.

Off to just ride and not thing about it...
I think that functionally, all will be pretty similar. I'm not saying that there's no value in more expensive BBs. So some matters of preference are, do you want to spend more up front for a BB that will probably last longer and can be rebuilt rather than discarded? Do you want to spend more for lightness? Are you happy with old technology that works well and requires a minimal amount of routine maintenance? Do you want to spend your money because you want the newest whiz-bang gizmo?

If anyone were to do the test, it doesn't seem likely to me that he would find any significant difference in the amount of drag between various models and various technologies. There are likely differences in the durability of various BBs. More expensive ones are likely to last longer, but cheaper ones are... much cheaper. (As an aside, there's a very very good bike shop here in Pittsburgh. I'd bet that half the bike mechanics in town got some instruction, if not a complete education just by hanging out at Jerry's shop. The only square-taper BB he stocks is a UN55. I'm sure if you asked him to order a more expensive one, he would snicker at you and ask "whadya you wanna do that for?")

Anyway, back to durability, if someone wanted to test 20 units of every BB they could get their hands on, you might get some objective data about durability or maintenance requirements, but I don't think that'll ever happen, and if someone tried to do the test, someone else would complain that the test wasn't valid for one reason or another, another person will tell you that the added durability of the best performer is worth the extra cost and someone else will tell you they bought the cheapest one they could find and used it for 10 years on mud trails in Alaska before they had to replace it. So I come back to my assertion that you pay your money, you take your choice.
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