I'm currently building up a steel frame from the mid 90's and am looking for a bottom bracket (I know not classic or vintage but not modern either, I like the C&V forum more ). I'm doing a bit of a mish mash of period correct components and some slightly newer stuff including a threadles CF fork and some 9spd brifters. Anyways, keeping with my semi modern theme I am in need of a bottom bracket to go with my shimano 6400 crankset. I know I need a 68x113mm bottom bracket with english threading and square tapered but I want to stay away from anything overly cheap and heavy.

Basically the question is, which modern or semi-modern square tapered bottom brackets would you suggest that will provide a good performance for a decent price. I've been looking at Shimano UN-72's but I'm finding them harder to find than last I checked. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places.

Thanks in advance,

5cagm

I've had a couple of the IRD Quad-55 cartridge-bearing units, and I like them a lot. You can get a slightly lighter Quad-75 with hollow axle, for more money, of course. Somafab.com sells them, but I've gotten them off eBay for cheaper (brand new).

In Shimanos lineup anything 50-series or higher is good quality.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290401836565
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290404337466
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360236175860
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=220558409980
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=150416779939

For JIS square taper I always go Shimano UN54, ~$22. Lots of widths to accomodate any crank/chainline and weighs within a ounce of anything else at 1/4 the cost, why spend more?

Haha ya that's kind of what I was thinking.

Thanks for all of the feedback I'll follow up on all your leads and let you know what I decide.

Cheers,

5cagm

edit: So I ended up getting the IRD QB-55. It was 23.95 plus $6 shipping to Canada from National Bicycle Co. I figured for approximately the same price as the UN54 and 60 grams lighter I couldn't go wrong. The UN54 was definitely cheaper on ebay, however sellers were charging in the double digits for shipping which seems a little inflated to say the least.