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Other Resources => Component Deals & Selection => Topic started by: villywonka on August 08, 2016, 03:09:01 PM

Title: What kind of BB?
Post by: villywonka on August 08, 2016, 03:09:01 PM
Hi all :)
I´ve decided for a 057 from Pete, and i will go for this sram as i find them more smooth than shimano. What kind of bb would you guys suggest? In advance, cheers :D

Villywonka

virgin carbon
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: Midwest-MTBer on August 08, 2016, 03:13:17 PM
Most of us would suggest a BSA style BB. This of course drives what cranks you use, but if you look for GXP compatibility you'll find a very wide variety of SRAM cranks and components. SRAM's BSA BB is called the GXP.

https://www.sram.com/truvativ/products/gxp-bottom-bracket
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: villywonka on August 08, 2016, 03:19:07 PM
Most of us would suggest a BSA style BB. This of course drives what cranks you use, but if you look for GXP compatibility you'll find a very wide variety of SRAM cranks and components. SRAM's BSA BB is called the GXP.

https://www.sram.com/truvativ/products/gxp-bottom-bracket
Nice - Just needed that one and only answer - That was bulls eye! Thank you! 8)
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: Midwest-MTBer on August 08, 2016, 03:26:33 PM
No problem! Just know you'll be best off buying the GXP installation tool which can be about $20-$25. It makes installation a breeze and is well worth it.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: villywonka on August 10, 2016, 02:56:21 AM
No problem! Just know you'll be best off buying the GXP installation tool which can be about $20-$25. It makes installation a breeze and is well worth it.
Just to be sure - So if I telle Peter that i would like it to be BSA style, I can just buy a GXP bb and it will fit straight in without any hassle?
Cheers!! 8)
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: Midwest-MTBer on August 10, 2016, 03:39:05 AM
Yep! That should be fine. It's exactly what I did.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: bxcc on August 10, 2016, 04:23:02 PM
Same here. 4 bikes between my wife and I and all have a standard BSA bottom bracket setup running SRAM GXP cranks. On that note, are you looking for aluminum cranks or carbon?
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: villywonka on August 11, 2016, 01:35:23 AM
I would probably go for aluminum, og if it does not turn out as a bad opptil.
Cheers! :-)

Villywonka
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: villywonka on August 11, 2016, 05:29:49 AM
Hehe! Autospell to Norwegian ... Hope it made sense ;D
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: bxcc on August 11, 2016, 01:32:50 PM
Yup, I got it.  ;D
I do have a new SRAM crank arm set that I was thinking of getting rid of as I found some different ones for the last build. You would still need to get a GXP Bottom bracket and the chain ring of your choice though. Also, I'm not sure if shipping it to Norway would make it impractical but let me know if you're interested and we can work out the financial side of it.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: villywonka on August 11, 2016, 04:06:59 PM
Yup, I got it.  ;D
I do have a new SRAM crank arm set that I was thinking of getting rid of as I found some different ones for the last build. You would still need to get a GXP Bottom bracket and the chain ring of your choice though. Also, I'm not sure if shipping it to Norway would make it impractical but let me know if you're interested and we can work out the financial side of it.
sent you a pm  :)
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: Vipassana on August 29, 2016, 05:45:21 PM
I'm always the guy who pops in to say I've built 3 bikes with BB30 and have had zero issues with it.  All three have thousands of miles on them and are on original bearings.  Two years old at this point.

I had creaking that I thought was the BB and I rebuilt it like 5 times before finding out it was the rear axle/hub/dropouts.  BB has never had a real issue.

But everyone loves to hate BB30 so there must be some truth to it.  It's just not been my experience.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: cmh on August 29, 2016, 06:31:51 PM
I'm always the guy who pops in to say I've built 3 bikes with BB30 and have had zero issues with it.  All three have thousands of miles on them and are on original bearings.  Two years old at this point.

I had creaking that I thought was the BB and I rebuilt it like 5 times before finding out it was the rear axle/hub/dropouts.  BB has never had a real issue.

But everyone loves to hate BB30 so there must be some truth to it.  It's just not been my experience.

Same experience here... have dealt with several BB standards on my own bikes - PF30, BB92, BBsomethingelse... No problems with creaking or anything like that, but to be fair I do my own work and do it very often. I've recently seen pro mechanics complaining about press-fit bearings, and one guy said that it seems that most XC bikes don't have any issues with press-fit, but trail bikes tend to develop issues more often. Others echoed this sentiment. Theories included increased exposure to the elements.

The best part is I remember when press fit BBs came out and the big selling point was they wouldn't creak like threaded BBs. Now everyone wants threaded BBs. Maybe BBs just creak if they're not maintained? :D

If you're going with a GXP crank, though, really no reason not to go with the BSA threaded.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: carbonazza on August 30, 2016, 09:11:44 AM
I'm for press fit too. However I made a mistake by taking a 30mm axle in a BB92 shell( a diameter of 41mm ).
The bearings are more expensive, thinner and wear VERY quickly if you ride in muddy conditions.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: RS VR6 on August 30, 2016, 09:19:46 PM
It might come down to what crank you might want to run. If you're looking at something like a lightweight Cannondale SL or Specialized crank...then BB/PF 30 will be your only choice. The PF30 frames will also be slightly lighter.

With that said...all my bikes have been BSA...including the Banshee I just picked up. I go with BSA since its the easiest to install. The BB tool only cost me 10 bucks. If I ever need to replace it...it's a 20 min job with no special tools...just my 10 dollar wrench.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: SportingGoods on August 31, 2016, 02:49:56 AM
Hi Press-Fit Guru :) (Carbonazza and cmh), can you explain what tools you use to install PF BB? I see 3 options:
- A proper tools (pretty expensive)
- A DIY tool
- Gently hammer the bearings into the frame protected with a flat piece of soft wood
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: karstenhorn on August 31, 2016, 03:32:11 AM
Hi Press-Fit Guru :) (Carbonazza and cmh), can you explain what tools you use to install PF BB? I see 3 options:
- A proper tools (pretty expensive)
- A DIY tool
- Gently hammer the bearings into the frame protected with a flat piece of soft wood

I would say that it's quite easy to create your own tool in order to install a press fit BB. I just did it myself with a long 8 mm bolt and 2 large washers and it went in without any hassle at all.

Where I see a need for proper tools, is when you have to get it out again.

Karsten
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: SportingGoods on August 31, 2016, 04:03:44 AM
Thanks, I'll probably do that as well. I see people being successful with a hammer but I probably don't want to take that risk, specifically with a carbon frame.
I remember a video where the guy, using a real tool, explained that he prefers to press one cup at a time. It helps to get a better alignment.
I'm open to any trick to insert (and even to remove) the PF.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: carbonazza on August 31, 2016, 08:23:24 AM
Here is my all in one tool to press and remove the 30mm bearings.
That costs even less than a recently mentioned BSA tool :)

(http://i.imgur.com/oXaz8wI.jpg)

It is a 12mm threaded bar.
The big washers make the press.
I press one bearing at a time as well.

The smaller washer is the extractor(hand cut to be able to enter it inside the BB).


To extract.
I put the small washer then a nut on one end of the threaded bar.
Enter that end in the BB, and stick it against the inner face of the bearing.
The nut press the washer agains the bearing.
Then hit gently the threaded bar(or the head of the bolt) to pop the bearing.


It served me well for 2+ years. But I recently bought at an auction the workshop content of an LBS that was closing.
So now I have a fair amount of tools. Some I don't even know what they are for.
Amongst them some nice presses and bearing extractors.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: gohloum on September 08, 2016, 01:31:34 PM
This thread seems to be quite helpful.  However, if I can get a quick confirmation from someone regarding shimano,  If I choose BSA, I should be able to run SRAM or Shimano?  Right now my fallback is the XT groupset, but I'm really interested in SRAM and will more than likely go that route for drivetrain with XT brakes. 

I also do all my own work, but these GXP BBs were not around when I left the industry.  So I just need the tool.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: karstenhorn on September 08, 2016, 02:27:11 PM
This thread seems to be quite helpful.  However, if I can get a quick confirmation from someone regarding shimano,  If I choose BSA, I should be able to run SRAM or Shimano?  Right now my fallback is the XT groupset, but I'm really interested in SRAM and will more than likely go that route for drivetrain with XT brakes. 

I also do all my own work, but these GXP BBs were not around when I left the industry.  So I just need the tool.

Sram or Shimano is perfectly ok with BSA. The BB's are not compatible but it takes about 10 min to change a Shimano BSA BB to a Sram GXP BB.

Karsten
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: bxcc on September 09, 2016, 08:58:49 AM
This thread seems to be quite helpful.  However, if I can get a quick confirmation from someone regarding shimano,  If I choose BSA, I should be able to run SRAM or Shimano?  Right now my fallback is the XT groupset, but I'm really interested in SRAM and will more than likely go that route for drivetrain with XT brakes. 

I also do all my own work, but these GXP BBs were not around when I left the industry.  So I just need the tool.

Each brand has its own bottom bracket but the tool should be the same. I only have one Shimano XT level BB from 5 years ago and it uses the same tool as the GXP bottom brackets. It's also the same tool used on Shimano center-lock rotors if you go that route.
Title: Re: What kind of BB?
Post by: cmh on September 14, 2016, 05:11:31 PM
Here is my all in one tool to press and remove the 30mm bearings.
That costs even less than a recently mentioned BSA tool :)

Okay, that's brilliant. Love the extractor.

Since I was mentioned in the question - I use a Park headset press to press in PF bearings. It's good because I spent a s*load of money on it when I was working in the bike shop and earning very, very little, and now almost all of my bikes have cartridge bearings that drop in and render my nice fancy headset press very useless.

I would avoid hammering anything as a form of installation, especially when carbonazza's solution is so perfect.