BB ?

I thought i had a worn out granny but now i relize that my cranks are able to move side to side in the BB. They still spin fine and dont wobble. I can push at the spindle and move then right and left about 1/2"

What's the deal?

BB installed (by a professional?) at Cycle Loft less then a season ago

[Goldstar78i]

My BB is like that right now. Getting a better one today. For some reason my BBs don't last ( I don't usually get good ones). Hehe I've answered my own question.

I had something worse one time. I had a BB installed, and took it out for a first ride. Then I stopped because something didn't feel right. One of the cranks was loose! It wasn't the BB, the crank wasn't even tightened! It came very close to ruining the crank! Needless to say I am now obsessive about crank tightness and I tighten them before every ride.

[bdee]

What kind of BB is it ? Square taper, Outboard bearing or ISIS? Sounds like your bearings are fried if the BB is moving that much. If the cups are walking out of the frame that's a big problem as well. Sometimes grease will start to build on the BB shell as the cups start unthreading (this is assuming there actually is grease on the threads :o). It'll usually ping when you stand or apply a lot of power when the cups are loose.

BTW Gstar be careful of overtightening your cranks if they're the older style (square taper). I don't know that you can ruin ISIS/Octalink cranks, I think they have a built in stop.

Good luck

[Tim]

It's not that unusual to fry a BB in a year, especially if it's an ISIS. Time for a new one!

Tim

[Goldstar78i]

I got an ISIS.

[hogboy]

It's not that unusual to fry a BB in a year, especially if it's an ISIS. Time for a new one!

Tim


actually,
shimano bb's last several years of serious long miles

[Curtis Chase]

It's not that unusual to fry a BB in a year, especially if it's an ISIS. Time for a new one!

Tim


actually,
shimano bb's last several years of serious long miles



I think BB longevity is determined more by riding conditions than how many times they spin.

Also, ISIS crank/BB interfaces are notorious for loosening, esp. the non-drive side, so be sure to always check that!

[Slider]

One good New England winter, with a few water crossings, lots of mud, and maybe an occasional freeze while holding water, will croak a bb pretty quickly. Contamination does it. Prolly time to replace the cartridge.

Was a time when you simply replaced the balls and repacked, but we're talking toss and replace these days. Mixed bag, since dismantling to repack brings its own problems with crank/spindle interfaces. But at least with a cartridge, you don't have the adjustment issues. Just crank that sucker in hard!

Slider

[bike187]

It's not that unusual to fry a BB in a year, especially if it's an ISIS. Time for a new one!

Tim


actually,
shimano bb's last several years of serious long miles



lol. good one. i've seen a signifigant amount of toasted shimano octalink bb fried at the shop. i've fried the bearing on one myself, and completely sheer-snapped a splindle on an es-70. this was off only a 3-4 ledge. another guy i know that works at a bigger shop says that he's never seen anything like what i did to that one. course the fact that i weigh 250# and was riding a hardtail at the time might have had somethign to do with it too ;D . but the bearings really aren't all that great for endurance on em. and def check the cranks bolts before every ride. i've noticed that mine would unloosen quite often, even with loc-tite on the threads (note that you should only but loc-tite on the threads, but never the crank/bb interface for splined splindles)outboard bearings are the way to go! or isis overdrive if it ever becomes standardized (basicly a screw in bmx (american) bb).

[hogboy]

whatever. all my sealed shimano bb's outlasted my bikes

29 bucks, best deal on the planet. never maintained them once,
through winters, mud, slush, dry dust.

[CouchingTiger]

I agree with the hogger. Shimano BB's if you want something that lasts, is cheap and just works.

I've got an Octalink on my road bike that is about 6 years old and has about a zillion miles on it (maybe 10k). Over the years I've only ever snapped one BB and that was a square taper XTR that was like 5 years old and I pooched a drop on my hardtail. It also bent a RaceFace NorthShore crank arm in the process.

I do have one high end RaceFace ISIS FR BB that I've had good luck with but the lower end ones are junk.

-Couch

[C.P.]

I thought i had a worn out granny but now i relize that my cranks are able to move side to side in the BB. They still spin fine and dont wobble. I can push at the spindle and move then right and left about 1/2"

What's the deal?

BB installed (by a professional?) at Cycle Loft less then a season ago



Hey Bill,

You didn't mention what kind of BB it is. Sounds like a cartridge style BB ( does it have adjustable chainline?) It might just be loose retaining ring cup(s).

also, I agree w/ hogboy too - many seasons on my shimano UN-72 ...Cant kill those...

Well The BB was worn out after all.

What do you expect when you install a cheepo raceface sc BB designed for xc in a bike riden the way i ride? Besides the fact that printed on the side of the BB it says that it is incompatible with 73 mm e-type shell, which is what my bike has. At least it was inexpensive right?

Why would i do such a thing? I know better dont I?

[truckboy]

If you haven't already replaced it, I have a couple 73mm BBs. A 113 and a 118 I think. Actually the 118 is a 68mm, but the only difference is one piece, so you just use that piece from the 73x113 and you're all set.

Thanks truckboy, I have had it replaced already.

This story still has an unresolved issue.

When i had my bike built up i requested and paid for a high end Race Face DH/BB to be installed($100+). How is it then that when it was worn out, in less then a year, and removed(by different shop) it suddenly became a cheepo $25 xc only bb that is not compatable with my frame? When did this miraculos transformation occur?

Anyone have any sugestions on that?

[Slider]

I'd check the threading on your frame REAL closely. And you might want to have a word, maybe two, with your shop.

Slider

[truckboy]

Hey Bill,

What shop IS that? Best advertisement is word of mouth. I'd be happy to post on Rage, and you know there's plenty of busted spokers here too. Word gets around quick.

[GregC]

Thanks truckboy, I have had it replaced already.

This story still has an unresolved issue.

When i had my bike built up i requested and paid for a high end Race Face DH/BB to be installed($100+). How is it then that when it was worn out, in less then a year, and removed(by different shop) it suddenly became a cheepo $25 xc only bb that is not compatable with my frame? When did this miraculos transformation occur?

Anyone have any sugestions on that?




because they call them slim SHADY!
You should deffinately call them out. Correct me if I am wrong but this isn't the first time they have been straight with you.

Greg

I'm not going to trash either shop without definitve proof. Not in writing on an open forum. If in person you ask me then the situation will be different. Both shops are great shops with excellent reputations. I didnt stand there and watch the mechanic at either shop.

Someone sent me a good description of the possibilities, i hope he wont mind my reprint.

1. there's someone with an extra 75 in their pocket (and they figured out a way to make that cheapo RF XC BB "work" even if "incompatible w/ E-type")

OR

2. There's someone else out there who now has a nice used RF DH BB that really only needed some adjusting. They dug up a busted BB stamped incompatible and used it to "sell" a new BB...

I will add #3 . The custermer(me) got an old BB from the trash and is trying to stick it to both shops in an attemt to get some free stuff or blackmail the shop with threats of poor service FLAMES on multiple web sites.

You see it matters little what the truth is. In the end I am left with 3 things

1. a new BB (i hope its in there)
2.a useless old BB
3.no trust for anyone to work on my bike when i need it.

I think my faith in a shop should be worth something. I know my word of recomendation is. I assume a shop would not place the value of either below the cost of a bottom bracket.

but i would be mistaken

bill

[Sky Pilot]

well it can't be number 3 cause everyone knows justbill would not try to cheat a bicycle shop, or anyone, out of anything.

so either the shop that installed it originally or the shop that installed the new one cheated you. :(

so if i am reading it right, the first shop is cycle loft and you don't name the other. sorry to hear stuff like this happens.

it's like car mechanics; there's a lot i don't have a clue about and could never check unless i were to take it to another mechanic!

[MTBME]

Cycle Loft is way to big a store to risk their reputation on a nickel and dime scam like this. In my opinion.