New BB fettling

mrc1

Order a new SRAM BB BSA Thread

Old BB didn't have any spacers, worked like a dream and lasted from Feb 2011 (thousands and thousands of miles including RAAM and being used a rental bike for LDT for 1.5 seasons). Probably still has some life left in it but it was starting to feel a bit tired when grinding up climbs.

Fitted it as per the old one and it works beautifully - no play whatsoever. Scanned the instructions after fitting and they suggest I should have used the spacers (68mm width = spacers required). So out of curiosity I remove BB, fit the spacers and then refit the cranks. Start to tighten them up and before they get any decent purchase the spacers seize the whole assembly solid.

Not a major issue as I know it works fine without them but anybody got any ideas why they say they are needed when clearly they aren't?

nicklouse

is it a road bike? if yes you are looking at the MTB fitting info.

mrc1

It is indeed a road bike.

Only have one set of instructions (which do have an mtb in top corner though now I have looked)... Guessing the road ones are missing from my pack.

Lesson learnt though - continue ignoring instructions!

Ouija

Yeah. Road bikes have 68mm BB shells and road bike BB's are designed to sit 68mm apart. So no spacers required. Mountain bike BB's are meant to sit 72mm apart and come with spacers to make them do so if fitted to a 68mm spaced frame.

nicklouse

Ouija wrote:

Yeah. Road bikes have 68mm BB shells and road bike BB's are designed to sit 68mm apart. So no spacers required. Mountain bike BB's are meant to sit 72mm apart and come with spacers to make them do so if fitted to a 68mm spaced frame.

you have a wrong number in there.

itboffin

Bash it bash it hard, then replace with a new bike ...because you're worth it 8)

mrc1

itboffin wrote:

Bash it bash it hard, then replace with a new bike ...because you're worth it 8)

Can I pass this off as resulting in me needing new Powertap carbon wheels and Di2?

itboffin

Oh yes at the very least you should have those.

onemoresolo

SRAM cocked up the instructions for the GXP BB so you're right with no spacers as above.

I feel your old one should be committed to a museum or something as the sole decent example of a GXP BB - mine developed play and creaking that could not be remedied after just 1500km!

mrc1

onemoresolo wrote:

SRAM cocked up the instructions for the GXP BB so you're right with no spacers as above.

I feel your old one should be committed to a museum or something as the sole decent example of a GXP BB - mine developed play and creaking that could not be remedied after just 1500km!

Make me a (six figure) offer and it's yours.

onemoresolo

0.00001p?

rolf_f

onemoresolo wrote:

SRAM cocked up the instructions for the GXP BB so you're right with no spacers as above.

Yeah - the instructions should have read:

Remove BB from packaging. Throw BB in bin. Buy decent BB and fit that instead.

itboffin

Odd I have two GXP BB in use atm and neither seems to be unwell both are on commuting all weather duties as well.

mpdouglas

I just fitted a SRAM GXP Team BB and it came with two sets of instructions - one required the spacers and the other didn't. As explained above, one set of instructions is for MTBs and the other is for road bike frames. This wasn't clear from the instruction leaftlets.

rolf_f

itboffin wrote:

Odd I have two GXP BB in use atm and neither seems to be unwell both are on commuting all weather duties as well.

My MTB GXP lasted about 500 not very hard miles. And then the bike also had Avid brakes and they were as crap as the BB. I tend to avoid SRAM now though I appreciate other experiences differ!

itboffin

Rolf F wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Odd I have two GXP BB in use atm and neither seems to be unwell both are on commuting all weather duties as well.

My MTB GXP lasted about 500 not very hard miles. And then the bike also had Avid brakes and they were as crap as the BB. I tend to avoid SRAM now though I appreciate other experiences differ!

See i thought the same, I had early SRAM low end groupset on my MTB and it was so shite I took it off and threw the whole lot in the bin, replaced it all with Shimano XT/LX and haven't done anything to it in 6 ish years but them I but rival groupset and some apex last year and you know what its been solid after the initial setup.

I was also just thinking this week how much stiffer rival cranks feel over 105 5600 or ultegra 6600

mrc1

I must have been lucky as my sram stuff (Force groupset) has been superb. As I said above its done thousands of miles mostly in the Pyrenees and Alps in everything from 40c sun to regular heavy rain and even snow so hardly an easy life. Hoping this new bb plays ball!

mrc1

onemoresolo wrote:

0.00001p?

Sold!

il_principe

mrc1 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Bash it bash it hard, then replace with a new bike ...because you're worth it 8)

Can I pass this off as resulting in me needing new Powertap carbon wheels and Di2?

EPS.

mrc1

Il Principe wrote:

mrc1 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Bash it bash it hard, then replace with a new bike ...because you're worth it 8)

Can I pass this off as resulting in me needing new Powertap carbon wheels and Di2?

EPS.

I'd love EPS but can't get it trade

onemoresolo

mrc1 wrote:

onemoresolo wrote:

0.00001p?

Sold!

Don't get me wrong, I love my SRAM stuff. Currently have a mix of Force and Rival and I'm very happy with all of it, really like the shifter ergonomics and the Doubletap system. The BB had to go though, I got a Trailbright one off eBay with the GXP adapter and it's performed flawlessly once I figured out which spacers were required as they didn't bother including instructions! Advantage of this is the bearings are replaceable and even the ceramic ones don't break the bank.