Are there any aftermarket sleeves out there? I saw one on ebay and didn't act quick enough. LBSs don't have any.

Is this what you mean?If so Yellow Jersey has them for $4.95.

Harris Cyclery has them for $1.95

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/bottombrackets.html

The old school method was a piece of beer can, before them plastic thingies even existed!

How about these for $0.80.

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...m_id=US-SHIELD

Yes! Thanks everyone.

Bumping this one, as I have a problem with finding a BB sleeve. BB is Campagnolo, French threading, from about -80, I'd think. The ones I've tried seem to slip into the cup, partially blocking the bearings. Must be the thing I've read about with Campa cups being of different thickness depending on their vintage, these being the thin ones. So I need a slightly larger diameter for it to stay in place. Anyone with a suggestion as to where to find?

Are you sure that they interfere with the bearings? They are supposed to go partially into the cup. There is a shoulder that keeps them from going too far.

Absolutely sure. If I assemble the BB outside the shell and turn the spindle, the sleeve tries to turn, too.

That doesn't happen with my French Campy bottom brackets. You must have an oddball sleeve.

What is the purpose of it?

I have one that somehow didn't make it back into one of my bikes about 18 months ago when I cleaned and lubed the BB and I have not been too inclined to want to tear the BB back down.

looks like you put the bearings in wrong...

To keep crud and water from getting into the bearings via the down tube, seat tube and chain stays. Surprisingly a large amount of crud and water works its way into the BB, beer can sleeves are bad option because they dont allow water to drain out the BB shell, that is assuming your BB has a drain hole. Campy sleeves suck for this very reason to, they ride tight agioanst the wall of the BB shell and hold moisture in the tubes thus promoting rust.

Well, the thing is that, apparently the cups came in different thicknesses, depending on vintage.

Have you tried spinning the cranks lately without the chain on? That's how I found out that in spite of my trusted bike mechanic's advice, I'd better get a sleeve, given the grinding sounds I could suddenly hear when the chain wasn't mounted. Luckily, the bearings and all were fine...

Unimposing but very important part of the bike.

Does anyone know when these (plastic) BB sleeves actually were "invented", were used for the first time?

Just not so. They're all made to take 11 1/4" bearings in and fit in the same size shell. The variance in thickness is on the face of the cup and would have no effect on the fit of a sleeve.

Actually, we had a thread on this a little while back (summer, maybe?), complete with pics showing that the length (or height if you're standing them up) of the cups varied. That may be what he's referring to.

Correct and thats why you'd want to use the 'accordian' style sleeve like in post #5.

That is what I suspected. I'll leave it be for now and just keep it around for the next time I feel like breaking down the BB. I don't think the water issue is as big of a deal for me here in So-Cal than some of you in other parts of the country.

But if your bike has big cutouts in the BB road crud is going get flung off the front tire and into the BB....

The guy who sold me the non-fitting sleeve was rather surprised - it fit a NR cup he had lying around, but not mine, as I showed him. Luckily he found another the right size (but only one), but I still need one for my city racer.

I have seen many solutions used. Laminated name cards, cut plastic bottles and the always excellent beer can aluminum, preferably the really light ones. Cutting off the grit coming into the BB is all that's needed.

Key suggestion: the cut beer can is among the very best solution, because you can scratch your name and phone # on it. This can be useful.

I recently opened up my '71 TdF that had been in deep storage a few (too many) years, and found a faded beer can sleeve with my name and parent's address on it. The BB was in fine condition, too.

w/re to the cheap plastic sleeves: If you've got an order sufficient to be worth the huge S&H fees attached, stock up. You can still use the beer can I.D. sleeve, too.

None of my bikes had them as original equipment, so they can't be that critical. None of them has a drain hole, either.

My Carlton has lived without a sleeve or a drain hole for 52 years.