I have two fixed gear bicycles. Until last week, one was running on a three piece bottom bracket. I was trying to keep that one old school (or at least period correct). But lately, I just couldn't get it to adjust properly. So now both of my rides are running with cartridge bottoms. Which do you prefer?

I have better things to do with my time than adjust a cup and cone bottom bracket. To me, the $20 a year or so it takes to buy a new BB for each bike is well worth the time I don't have to spend overhauling it. It's purely a value judgement though, and not a smart one, given my lack of funds.

have some shimano one in one bike, that's sealed. it's the commuter so it works nicely for that, a bit rough feeling though.

i have a sugino 75 on another, spins like butter, nice weather bike.

road bike has whatever goes with sram red. that's pretty sexy too.

go sealed for a bike that will see water, it's more convenient. that said, it's not too hard to clean an unsealed bracket.

aka idk how 2 worko n mah biek
lololl

Go away.

I just replaced my worn-out Sugino 75 loose-ball BB with a sealed Sugino affair for the sake of convenience. Lots of rain here, and a lot of my bike tools are back in the US still, so the sealed made sense this time around. I also couldn't justify spending 3x as much on a new loose-ball BB. The old BB was super-fast, though, even if it did require a bit more maintenance.

yo man u cut me deep

OK, how about this instead: stay, participate, rock out, have fun, but put pleeeeeease don't do this: "aka idk how 2 worko n mah biek"

Makes me cry a little.

It is because I should never be inebriated and post.
I am sorry to be the cause of your shedding of manly tears.

I don't really like messing around with cup and cone BBs, either. Have 'em on two of my bikes - my track racing bike and my pretty, vanity track bike. Mostly because they both came with the bike. the BB isn't much of a piece to brag about so any bike I get that I'm building up, I'd just throw a cartridge in there.

I was loyal to my loose ball BB until it broke a few weeks ago. So I got a sealed and I feel a bit relieved because it seems less crap will go wrong a BB that isn't adjustable.

A good quality loose ball bb is a thing of beauty... most of my bikes run them and adjustments are a rare thing. Precision machining and close tolerances don't come cheaply.

They will also outlast many cartridge bottom brackets (with regular service) and can use oil and lubricant which is something I do with my winter bikes.

My commuter and mountain bike have cartridge bottom brackets... they see a lot of really crappy conditions and a better quality cartridge will last for many many thousands of km.

They aren't quite as smooth though.

I have overhauled countless cup and ball bb's from a long time ago. It may take some elbow grease, but it's a beautiful thing to see them come to life again and spin smooth. I also have a couple cartridges. I too like the ease of them.

as intoxicated as he is, he is somewhat right. BB overhauls are just not something I'm good at, party because I use cartridge bottom brackets. The performance difference is minimal, and it's worth it (to me) to not have to stare a pin wrench in its beady little eyes

I have been using the same cartridge that came stock on my steamroller since March of 08'. It seems to be working just fine, but I was wondering how oftern a sealed BB should be replaced?