I bought a ridley with a pf30 but i want to put an ultegra crank on it because i prefer shimano, especiLly the crankset for front shifting. Ive not had a good experience with sram force. The only thing im woried about is having to use an adapter to use the shimano crankset. I bought the bike because its stiff in the joints and i dont want to lose that in the bb by having spacers there. Also i understand they can develop squeaking problems, which ive yet tolearn why, so can someone fil me in on that too? Thanks

I can't say that I've seen bikes with such parts in them being more prone to squeaks and other noises, nor can I speak for stiffness. This type of adapted setup isn't terribly common, and every one is a little different, so it's hard to be scientific.

For your crank, use Shimano Hollowtech II bearings or something specifically designed to be Shimano compatible. GXP is SRAM's standard- it's 24mm on the drive side, but smaller on the left. FSA's MegaExo bearing standard claims 24mm, but it likely won't play nicely either.

Below is copy/pasted from a post of mine from a couple weeks ago.

Here's some quick googling for relevant items for using Shimano cranks in newer frames. Shimano really isn't the BEST choice for BB30/PF30 frames since Shimano ONLY makes 24mm spindles. FSA, SRAM, Rotor, and many other manufacturers have 30mm spindle options on their cranks and provide their own native bearing sets as options.

Wheels Mfg PressFit 30 to Outboard Bottom Bracket for 24mm Cranks (Shimano) This is pretty typical- cheap and easy to install.

Wheels Manufacturing BB30-SHIM This is probably a better bet.

Adapters that allow for threaded bottom bracket cups also exist, but I think one of those methods above would be better.

wow thanks! yea, I think I'll go for the outboard BB's. the total price comes out to be about the same anyway when compared to the shims.

Oops, i just realized the second link is to a bb30 item, make sure to get a model for pressfit 30! Theyre different.

FWIW, I've used Wheels Mfg adapters (shims), the ones that adapt Shimano Hollowtech II cranks to work with PressFit 30 bearings, on two of my own bikes, and I've not had a single problem with them in over 10,000 miles.

Everyone seems to love the Praxis adapter. It doesn't just press in, it screws together and has the replaceable bearings integral to the adapter instead of screwing the normal bearings into the adapter.

I like that even better.

If you're changing the crankset for improved shifting performance... unless you already own a HT2 crank, I'd change the rings to Shimanos on your existing cranks. Saves a bunch of change. If your bike is otherwise equipped with SRAM shifters and derailleurs, changing cranks or rings probably won't get you the "feel" you're seeking. Shimano is just plain "smoother." And, if I weren't having trouble with the current BB (PF30) I wouldn't add extra parts for a change in spindle size.

I'm building the bike from the frame up, so it's not a big deal. I think I'll just go with an ultegra 6800 group, since those seem cheaper than their counterparts in sram or campy. I don't really like double tap.

spectastic,,so what Type or brand you end up using? reason Im asking is, I just got a Ridley Liz for my wife and planning to build it this week-end,,just wondering if theres any issues or imcompatibility ,I like the WM PF30 to GXP idea but wanna be sure if it fit perfectly before I pressed it in..Thanks for your help..

I don't see him around all that much. PM him if you want to get a reply.

at first I thought praxis was an adapter that's pressed into a pf30 to turn the frame into a threaded 24mm and allow you to use a shimano BB, but instead, it's got the whole package. So it's a toss up between Praxis and outboard. They are pretty much the same thing. I don't want to use the shims because they're just fittings that fit onto a bigger bearing, and has to rotate with the cranks.

hey anyone tried this one? Race Face PF30 Bottom Bracket Adapter > Components > Drivetrain > Bottom Brackets | Jenson USA

it's pressed, but I don't know if you can get it back out with a regular removal tool, because the orifice is smaller.