Hey Everyone,

I just purchased new omnium cranks from bikeisland and i'm having some issues installing the GXP BB that came with it.

After removing the old BB from my Kilo TT, i cleaned the shell and lubed everything up.

Now i tried to thread the drive side of the BB and it tightens completely before the bearing cup even hits the BB shell. Before it gets to that point it threads smooth and just fine. The non-drive side threads all the way in no problem.

Any advice? Could the BB shell or BB itself be damaged? The crankset didnt come with any spacers or anything. Just wanted to get some advice before taking it to the lbs or trying to tighten the drive side cup even more with the tool.

Entire BB


non-drive side cup


drive side cup

Is the surface of the bottom bracket shell full of paint, making an uneven surface? If so, take it to the shop and have it faced. Also, check to see if the threads in your bb shell is clean...if it is damaged or blocked by paint, have your shop chase it.

Facing of the bottom bracket shells are really important for an external bb, slight alignment of the cups could lead to trouble later on.

More to read about chasing and facing in this recent thread.

I had a funky issue with my GXP BB where the cups were marked the opposite of what they should be, and when I tried to thread the cups on as marked they would only go part way in. To clarify, the drive side cup should have the tube like thing attached to it.

I doubt this is the issue with your BB, as you got the cup pretty far on, but it'd be easy to check.

Wow...someone is having an issue with a bike bought from Bikes Direct?

haha i know right? so close...yet so far

@yummy: yeah i checked that already. marking are correct on this set

@ vixtor: thanks i never heard of that before. i checked and it sorta does look like the bb shell is painted. doesnt seem like much at all though, but i'll take it in and have someone take a look. thanks for that thread.

Haha man. I hope your set works out good. Duuude.Seriously tho, yummy, i think mine are marked opposite. THe tube on mine is connected to the cup marked non drive side and im like wtf.

One quick question....this bottom bracket is obviously not like traditional bottom bracket and cranksets. The spider and the shaft on which the opposite crank arm is connected is all one peice right? Its not like normal cranks where the spider can be unattatched and which you need a bolt to keep it onto the spindle.....damn my terminology is rusty......but yteah you get what im saying sir?

Btw.....are you using a torque wrench? or just the normal External BB tool? Cuz I dont have a torque wrench lol. I dont know how to measure lbs-ft bny feel XD

Yes, the drive side arm is connected to the spindle.

Eh, it happens. I had a similar problem with a matte black Pista Concept I had a few years ago. The BB shell was double-tapped and screwed up from the factory.

I know **** happens. I was just being snarky.

I haven't even tried to use neither yet haha. Just wanted to see if both cups would thread all the way in first. Maybe i should just bring it to the shop and have it properly installed and torqued too.

But yeah like vixtor said, the drive side of the crank is one piece. you just screw down the non-drive side with a hex and it pulls them together.

So you're having trouble installing your BB without tools? You don't say!

haha scrod you and your pictures lol!

that's why i was asking for some advice. since it didnt thread all the way in (by just barely) smoothly, i was wondering if i should go ahead and try to use a bb tool. I hand-tightened it pretty freaking tight and it just completely stopped at that point. i'm not sure a tool would do anything but tighten it at the spot even further. just trying to avoid damaging anything

you need to use a tool. you can't just hand tighten it.

+1

plus one for a good LBS..

ill be doing this same install, omnium on a kilo frame .. we shall see

Whatever you do, don't use tools.

Tools are a scam.

There is no problem that a hammer, a flathead screwdriver, and a pair of vice grips can't fix.

An external bottom bracket wrench is like 7 dollars. Get one.

Those still suck compared to this:

The problem was that you didn't use a tool?

The resistance you felt was probably the center tube lip trying to fit inside the cup to create a seal.

Use a freaking tool, after you get your frame faced. The tool Scrod posted is the best one you can buy if you are going to play bike mechanic.

This!

Best tool that park tool has ever made other than their chainwhips.

Brought my bike to the lbs today. told him about the problem and he took a look at the bb shell. needed to be faced/chased. he went ahead and did it. now it threaded all the way in smoothly by hand. nice!!! thanks again guys

+1 for a good lbs.

lets see the finished result