bOsscO

a threaded, not press-fit, bottom bracket.
I'm considering a new gravel bike in 2021 and was wondering which brands/frames are offering threaded bottom brackets.
The frame can be either aluminum or carbon, with my budget in the $3K range. Watchu got?

wheelsmcgee

A couple to check out (both Carbon)

Lauf True Grit

Rodeo Labs Trail Donkey

unterhausen

doesn't Trek use T47?

Cpn_Dunsel

Felt Breed 20

PumpedUpKicks

Santa Cruz Stigmata. Always threaded. Great quality!

Steve B.

Cannondale aluminum Topstone. BSA. The price for the U.S. 105 equipped bike is $1750. The ‘21 might have the GRX group which will likely up the price to around $2100 or so.

Darth Lefty 

Stocking is a problem right now.

Salsa Stormchaser (limited run of single speeds in 2020 but more expected and would not be surprised to see a geared build in 2021). Comes to maybe $2000 with gears added

Salsa Journeyman Apex, a bit simpler

Any Surly

bOsscO

Thanks all, I'll keep all these options in mind when i'm ready to pull the trigger.

mack_turtle

Surely there are more important factors than the type of BB being used! is that your starting point?

IME, there are a lot of press-fit BB designs that are great and a lot that suck. the earlier versions often sucked and only served to allow manufacturers to claim lighter weights for their frames. the approach has evolved a lot since then.

bOsscO

Absolutely there are more important factors to me deciding which new bike to buy; overall weight, overall cost (already mentioned), local support, wheel size and max tire width, frame material (already mentioned), component level. However all these variables (unlike BB type) are generally easier to slightly adjust, one direction or another.

As for great press-fit designs, I'm open to suggestion but I've had nothing but bad luck. And depending how far you dig into the comments, the latest press-fit BB's aren't much better than the earlier versions. Cervelo Aspero is one example.

Steve B.

There are very few threaded B-brackets that suck. Press fit is just a bad idea and merely a way for the manufactures to save money. If you can get a bike without it, I’d do BSA every time.

mack_turtle

I suggest you list a few other requirements for what you're seeking: tire clearance, type of geometry, amount of accessory mounts, etc. starting with BSA threaded BB is quite wide open. are you looking for an all-rounder road bike, a drop bar mountain bike, something that would also be at home on a cyclocross race, a dedicated gravel racing bike, something that will be suitable for bikepacking or touring? the "gravel bike" category is really quite broad. specify those things, then worry about the gritty details like the type of BB is uses. my inclination to to recommend steel bikes because that's what I know best, but I don't know why you want aluminum/ carbon, so I don't know if any of my suggestions would make the cut.

FWIW, my current frame has a BB30 on it and it's 100% flawless. I certainly would not rule out using other types of BB designs, but I now have zero reason whatsoever to rule out a press-fit design. I will, however, only use a bottom bracket assembly that i can trust like Praxis or Wheels Mfg.

mattcalifornia

Ibis Hakka MX

tdilf

Some press fit BB's designs allow for a screw together type BB to be installed in place of the original BB which solves any issues (besides have to buy a new BB). As said above press fit has evolved and I would not limit my search parameters merely based on an old mindset.

mstateglfr 

Doesnt this just place a screwed together sleeve inside a smooth cylinder? There would still be the issue of the screwed together sleeve rubbing against the smooth cylinder in places and therefore making creaking noises due to loose tolerances.
...or am I not envisioning these screw together solutions correctly?

I have only ever used threaded BBs and have never looked into the workarounds needed for PF/BB30/etc etc so how I envision this working may not be accurate.

tdilf

My screw together BB only touches the sides of frame and "floats" through the middle.

msu2001la

While the Topstone indeed does have a threaded BB, the FSA Omega crankset that comes on the 105 spec bike is notoriously creaky.
If an upcoming GRX version has a GRX crankset, that would be a much better choice.

msu2001la

And for what it's worth, I have a BB30 aluminum Cannondale from 2013 that has many thousands of miles on it, and has had the BB replaced several times but still running the original FSA Gossamer crank. I've never had any issues with the pressfit BB. Maybe I've just been lucky.

Steve B.

That could be. I've not had any issues in a year of use and I'm a clyde so was paying attention. OTOH I'm also very hard of hearing, not sure I'd hear anything, but I also don't read of that as a complaint on the Topstone FB page.

shoota 

Same. Three bikes, three PF bottom brackets, no issues.

Atlas Shrugged

Specialized Diverge

altondavis2

For les than $3000 a Specialized Diverge with 105 drivetrain is available in either carbon or aluminum.
Baically $2100 for aluminum or $2900 for carbon. I chose the aluminum after riding both.

Cpn_Dunsel

How can you claim to have 'no issues' and yet have had to replace it several times? If you having to replace a BB at any tine that is a serious issue with that component.

mack_turtle

bearings wear out and need to be replaced from time to time, regardless of how they are fitted in the frame. if the bike is ridden in foul conditions or just ridden a lot, some riders will go through more than one BB set a year, easily. threaded, press-fit, any spindle size, etc. they all need to be replaced. I don't think the comment in question implies that the BB necessarily needed to be replaced more often than others.

GrainBrain

Viathon gravel bikes have a threaded BB. Fwiw my topstone carbon had a creaky BB within a hundred miles of new, the shop redid the BB install and I have over 4k miles with no creaks. Really dusty miles. But I agree that I'd rather have had a threaded BB