Bottom Bracket

FyPunK

2 questions. 1 How long or should I say roughly how many miles will a average bottom bracket last? The only info I can give you is its a shimano (Ridgeback Velocity 08). 2 Whats the best way to check for wear? The reason I am asking is of late I can feel a very slight clunk through the pedal, I have checked for any play and it feels solid. Its has done around 2000 miles on road since last August. My other thought was the chain but measuring it seems to be ok and I keep it in good condition. Any idea's?
Cheers

Wooliferkins

How often is the clunk? Once a pedal revolution, once a chain revolution? You can usually feel if the BB is on the way out and you have done the play check. The other thing is Brunneling, a disease of bearings running in the same track. Unship the chain and turn the cranks with your hands as near to the axle as possible, better still cranks off, you will know a well lubed and bedded BB, it will not grind round. Stiff link on the chain? How long your BB lasts depends on its use constantly wet and mucky against regularly cleaned and lubed but you should still get 2-3 thousand out of even a Shimano BB

FyPunK

Cheers Neil. I followed a link on a similar post, my bike is used in all weathers and it has been quite wet here over the winter months, the clunking seems to off gone now which is a a little wierd. As suggested it was on a pedal revolution rather than the chain which made me suspect it was the BB.

System_1

Shimano square taper BB's last forever. I've got a UN52 on the old commuter that's at least 7 years old (10,000 miles+) and it seems as good as the day I bought it. In fact, in over 15 years regular cycling I've never had a Shimano square taper fail on me.