Chinertown
Chinese Carbon Road Bikes => Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components => Topic started by: cvrle1 on December 18, 2025, 12:10:15 AM
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Frame that I got, Yoeleo R12, is compatible with BB386 bottom bracket. Doing research on it and from what I see is that there are 3 different axles that it is compatible with:
24mm, 29mm (DUB) and 30mm.
This is where I get now lost. Which of these sizes would offer best selection/price in regards to axles/cranksets for recreational road bike riding. I would like to figure this out before I get a bottom bracket so that i dont get wrong one, and then limit myself with which cranksets/axle I can choose between. Google tells me that 30mm offers better stiffness and lighter weight, but 24mm are more durable, widely compatible and cheaper.
And then to confuse me even more reading through various topics on different groups people say for most of us it doesnt matter, we wont notice a difference so go with whichever.
Thanks for the help
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@Mods, Just saw that I posted this in wrong forum. Can you please move to Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components forum. Thanks!
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BB386 has a large shell diameter, meaning you can fit bigger bearings in BB. Bigger bearings=better longevity. Technically, you will have no issues of having any of the axles inside the shell given appropriate bearings size of BB, so check your potential BBs for an actual bearing size used - for example, SRAM is notorious for putting tiniest bearings possible in all of their shells regardless of the BB. In this case they could use same SKU for any of the BB they produce (it has to be Dub BB for BB86 = tiny bearings = shite, Dub in T47 = ok, but they have shite everywhere instead).
What Google tells you is generally correct. 29 and 30 mm axles are lighter but also could be destroyed quite easily due to seized bearings. I wouldn't consider stiffness as an issue, I am quite strong rider and I feel no difference between 30mm and 24mm without taper. If I were you I first looked into what crankset you want to install, as you are not limited by the shell diameter. If it's shimano, go for 24 mm, if Sram, go Dub. If you want some of the endless chinese Cybrei clones, pick whatever you want, Dub option is usually cheaper and Ti 24 mm is more expensive and heavier.
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386 is 46mm wide shell that handles both 30 and 24mm spindles/bbs well. My advice would be choose a good crankset, either 24mm or 29/30mm spindle, and then appropriate bb. I always used 24mm spindles and haven't got any problems with them. I even use/d 24mm alloy spindle on riro carbon cranks and they still run pretty good, but I ended up with crankside powermeter so I'm back on my 105 cranks.
Other important part is using the right bb. So you need 386bb with right spindle diameter, and then look for some decent brands. I was using cheap as.s ztto bb86/92 threadtogether bb's for a year, and changed 3 of them. They're cheap, yes, but they last really short. I ended up ordering token ninja chinese version and just pressed them in (also thread-together). ZTTO pressed easier cause of the alloy and rubber ring, so I allowed myself to put a bit of grease before pressing them. Ninja one pressed a bit harder cause they're plastic where they press into the shell, but boy do they run smooth. Spindle spins for ages really. So yea, brand is "driveline" on aliex and I suppose they have 386 version.
here's the video of it i just recorded... i was really fascinated by it :)
https://youtube.com/shorts/sbtq3aHuYA0
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Thanks both for that info. Much appreciated and clears up some of the confusion for sure.
In terms of brand of BB, I am leaning towards Token Ninja from AE for now. Yeah they are a bit more expensive than ztto, but from what I read last longer and are overall better built. My goal is to make this bike with mostly "Chinese components" so for now thought is to go with one of the made in China cranksets. SRAM is out of equation mainly due to cost so that eliminates DUB.