LBS or framebuilder?

NikProwse

Hello

I have a fairly new steel-framed bike which I have reason to believe might have misaligned threads for the bottom bracket (it's required two new BBs in 2 years, and previous queries on this forum raised this possibility). It's out of warranty. My question is: where could I take it to find out? Would a regular bike shop have this expertise or would I need to visit a framebuilder? In addition, any suggestions for the north east would be welcome.

Thanks
Nik

ugo.santalucia

2 BB with external bearings in two years is not short of normal.
You can have it faced by your LBS for peace of mind, but 1 BB per year is quite normal these days

hstiles

I second this. I've had bottom brackets last less than 3 months, especially in bad weather.

Hoopdriver

That's why I like the old square taper bottom brackets

crankycrank

I think it's always good for piece of mind to have the BB shell faced and checked if your BB's don't last too long . Try to get a recommendation for a shop or framebuilder though. Many good mechanics in shops out there that can do a brilliant job but not all mechanics are competent enough and could fecker up your frame. If you have some highly accurate digital calipers you can measure the distances between the outer faces of your installed BB at every 90 degrees.

onbike 1939

Hoopdriver wrote:

That's why I like the old square taper bottom brackets

+1

Having to replace BB outboard bearings on a yearly basis is not what I define as progress. I'm tired of facing BB shells on bikes that already have these fitted but have not had the BB shell faced. My heart sinks when I find this on a new bike costing £1600. To fit these bearings, which are not perfectly sealed, in the most vulnerable place to spray and wet cannot be forgiven in my opinion.

NikProwse

Thanks for your comments. I'll start with my LBS and see what they think.
Nik

Monty Dog

Judging by the state of the tools I've seen in many bike shops and a succession of Saturday-lad bodgers who've never been trained in their use, I'd suggest you find a frame builder. That said, IMO facing BB shells was a ruse created by component manufacturers to try and wriggle out of appalling design execution and premature bearing wear - there's no way you could distort a cup enough to throw the bearings out of alignment - you'd likely strip/snap the threads first. BTW, it wouldn't happen to be a GXP bottom bracket?

ugo.santalucia

Monty Dog wrote:

Judging by the state of the tools I've seen in many bike shops and a succession of Saturday-lad bodgers who've never been trained in their use, I'd suggest you find a frame builder. That said, IMO facing BB shells was a ruse created by component manufacturers to try and wriggle out of appalling design execution and premature bearing wear - there's no way you could distort a cup enough to throw the bearings out of alignment - you'd likely strip/snap the threads first. BTW, it wouldn't happen to be a GXP bottom bracket?

I agree, they have come up with all sorts of explanations for the poor bearing life, involving bad alignment, bad installation (how can you get the installation wrong, when it is about screwing two cups?), WD 40, jet wash, aliens coming at night in the shed. The reality is that these bearings are too exposed, poorly protected and under designed, with very small balls.

drlodge

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

Judging by the state of the tools I've seen in many bike shops and a succession of Saturday-lad bodgers who've never been trained in their use, I'd suggest you find a frame builder. That said, IMO facing BB shells was a ruse created by component manufacturers to try and wriggle out of appalling design execution and premature bearing wear - there's no way you could distort a cup enough to throw the bearings out of alignment - you'd likely strip/snap the threads first. BTW, it wouldn't happen to be a GXP bottom bracket?

I agree, they have come up with all sorts of explanations for the poor bearing life, involving bad alignment, bad installation (how can you get the installation wrong, when it is about screwing two cups?), WD 40, jet wash, aliens coming at night in the shed. The reality is that these bearings are too exposed, poorly protected and under designed, with very small balls.

Your last comment implies they should be designed more like me :P

onbike 1939

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

Judging by the state of the tools I've seen in many bike shops and a succession of Saturday-lad bodgers who've never been trained in their use, I'd suggest you find a frame builder. That said, IMO facing BB shells was a ruse created by component manufacturers to try and wriggle out of appalling design execution and premature bearing wear - there's no way you could distort a cup enough to throw the bearings out of alignment - you'd likely strip/snap the threads first. BTW, it wouldn't happen to be a GXP bottom bracket?

I agree, they have come up with all sorts of explanations for the poor bearing life, involving bad alignment, bad installation (how can you get the installation wrong, when it is about screwing two cups?), WD 40, jet wash, aliens coming at night in the shed. The reality is that these bearings are too exposed, poorly protected and under designed, with very small balls.

+1

You would have thought that some lessons would have been learned by the Sanyo (I think) dynamo which was mounted under the chain stays in the eighties.
But people say they like them as they are easy to replace which makes little sense to me when a traditional cartridge type is so durable.

ugo.santalucia

onbike 1939 wrote:

+1


You would have thought that some lessons would have been learned by the Sanyo (I think) dynamo which was mounted under the chain stays in the eighties.
But people say they like them as they are easy to replace which makes little sense to me when a traditional cartridge type is so durable.

You will be pleased to know that today I have replaced my Ultra torque chainset with a Dura Ace 7400 chainset with square taper cartridge bottom bracket... fuxx the stiffness and all that nonsense, give me something that actually works!!

I had a problem free life with Ultra torque on a dry weather bike, but on the commuter the bearings die every two months if it is wet...

onbike 1939

Same here. I swapped my FSA Mego Exo chainset for a Campag Chorus triple I found on Ebay.
The thing is I like new technology but when something like this comes along which is so wrong in its basic principle, I have to shake my head.
I think myself lucky that I have the skills and resources to do the work myself but I do pity those guys who have to pay and pay again.
I have some sympathy for Monty Dog's view on this but I would bet that the main benefits don't go to the LBS.