Building up an all-city nature boy frame. Using Suginio RD cranksets. Need a 68x103 bb. Don't want to splurge on a phil wood, but dont want cheapy shimano either.

What is the deal with alum vs plastic cups? I am looking at sugino bottom brackets, some have both side plastic cups, other have both sides alum--both priced the same. Is one better than the other?

Also, is the origin 8 BB any good?

thanks.

I have no first hand experience with the Sugino bb but I use a Tange bb on my bike and a Shimano bb on my brother's bike, both seems to be holding up pretty good. I say go with what you can afford now and upgrade it to something better when it needs to be replace.

Metal cups are always better than plastic in the long run although both are near identical in proper use and installation. A good choice that doesn't break the bank is either Shimano's UN55 or UN54 give or take a couple of dollars if you rather have a metal or plastic cup respectively.

I have not owned a origin 8 BB but origin 8 is not a really reputable brand when quality and longevity comes to mind, very inconsistent with most wares not lasting very long. A great example of getting what you pay for however! This is especially true when a BB is one of the components you wouldn't want to go the bottom of the barrel to look for.

fwiw, currently every one of my bikes has a cheapo Shimano BB. great value

This.

I have a Phil BB on one bike. The one that's made from leftover material from the space shuttle and UFOs. I have cheap Shimano BBs on other bikes. I can't tell the dif. Those shimano BBs have survived everything I've thrown at them.

This is coming from instinct. Don't buy a bike part that has plastic in it, unless that's normal to have in that part. Like a bar end.

Those 'cheapy' shimano ones last long and are strong, have one in my Masi and probably getting one for the cinelli.

You have it backward. Sugino BBs have metal cups and some Shimano BBs have a plastic non drive-side cup, which isn't a big deal.

The non-drive side cup on a modern BB does just slightly above nothing at all. So being made of plastic does not matter too much,

Not all suginos are metal cups.

Teach me something.

Which ones don't?

aren't these plastic? I could be wrong....although the last time was 1996.

The stripe of blue loctite indicates they are metal.

DOH....I stand corrected