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Fench bottom bracket cups

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Old 04-26-15 | 08:10 PM
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Fench bottom bracket cups

I'm thinking of making replacing my stronglight bottom bracket cups as they have just the slightest bit of wear. If these are good cups and work with the stronglight 93 crankset and ISO 118mm spindle then $15 isn't much to make it run that much better. Anyone have experience? One of the comments on Amazon says the crank sits too close to the bottom bracket with these cups but I don't know which spindle they are using.

Amazon.com : Bottom Bracket CUP SET FRENCH 35X1MM 2xRIGHT W/RETAINER : Bottom Bike Brackets And Accessories : Sports & Outdoors
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Old 04-26-15 | 08:44 PM
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There is no standard dimension for the thickness or more exactly termed, race location as measured from the bottom bracket shell edge as installed.
Stronglight is a bit different from TA or Campagnolo.
Usually the spindle dies first compared to the cups, think less length of the bearing track.
Unless the cups and or spindle is pitted, fresh bearings should get things good to go.
If dead, I think you will most easily end up with a complete alternate bottom bracket.
Veloorange, SKF, Phil Wood, or used from eBay.
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Old 04-26-15 | 09:00 PM
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I'm running that BB on a U08. They are thick cups and definitely work with my series 3 JIS spindle. I don't know the ISO race to race measurement but it shouldn't be too hard to find out if it's the same as JIS.
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Old 04-26-15 | 09:28 PM
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Originally Posted by likebike23
I'm running that BB on a U08. They are thick cups and definitely work with my series 3 JIS spindle. I don't know the ISO race to race measurement but it shouldn't be too hard to find out if it's the same as JIS.
That reads pretty useful for that level of bike. For a bike with Stronglight 93's I was assuming a higher quality bottom bracket was desired, but assumptions are dangerous.
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Old 04-26-15 | 10:50 PM
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Things are spinning freely and smoothly on the original stronglight but it isn't as quiet as I would like...I can hear the balls spinning around if you understand what I mean. I thought this might remedy it but seems like it might open a can of worms. I've repacked it twice with new grade 25 bearings but I've got the same result. Maybe under load it will settle in.
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Old 04-27-15 | 04:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Narhay
Things are spinning freely and smoothly on the original stronglight but it isn't as quiet as I would like...I can hear the balls spinning around if you understand what I mean.
Huh? You can hear the bearings in a freshly-packed BB? Is that with a chain or without? On the road or on your repair stand?
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Old 04-28-15 | 08:04 PM
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Originally Posted by jimmuller
Huh? You can hear the bearings in a freshly-packed BB? Is that with a chain or without? On the road or on your repair stand?
I occasionally, and randomly, arrive at an adjusted BB or hub that makes sounds like the balls rattling around, and clinking against on another.

This isn't bearing roughness, the bearings are very smooth, and there's fresh grease there that would also be expected to keep things quiet.

And no, there isn't a ball missing, however this occurs only when there is no retainer, and with a quite-full compliment of balls in each raceway.

I write it off as harmless. Perhaps thicker grease would make things quieter, or perhaps just a bit more tension on the bearing adjustment.

I have pulled apart assemblies because of the noise, only to find all is in order. Frustrating to say the least.

As for the Stronglight cups, the metal is good, but the octagonal wrenching flats are shorter and much more prone to slipping than the flats on typical hexagonal or twin-flatted fixed cups. And there are no 4-sided or 8-sided sockets available to help with home rebuilds.
Perhaps someone should make a run of 38mm Octo-shaped wrenches, wrought from 1/8" steel stock?
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