BB30 woe is me...

dilatory

So today my CAAD10 turned 1 month old. Just tick over 1,000 miles and the BB30 clinks and clunks I read so much about have manifested themselves. To celebrate it's month-a-versary I shall have to disassemble and re-grease a BB30 for the first time. Ugh.

Any tips to avoid this happening forever?

jgsi

Definitely the BB30 making the noise?
The tools to disassemble and assemble are cheap to have and making a presstool is easy enough.
To service the bottom bracket just needs a little care.
If you dont have the requesite fettling skills or patience then I'm sure the LBS will fit a FSA convertor so that you can use a threaded bottom bracket type.

mitchgixer6

I've read a lot of positive comments for using Loctite on the bearings to make sure they don't slip inside the shell. I used Loctite 641 on mine.

dilatory

Hm I've got some loctite here. I will strip and re-grease tomorrow, I've no problem doing that. My issue is will I have to do it again after another 500 miles?

1 month of dry riding seems short to have to strip and re-grease. It means approx 10 times a year!

mitchgixer6

I have heard that to that they need regular greasing. I don't think they're sealed too well.

Make sure you have the correct Loctite, it needs to be a bearing retainer type.

Old_Timer

http://www.cannondale.com/manual_accessories/ Click on the BB/PF .pdf file and it has the correct Loctite Green product's number for the correct installation. Be sure you clean everything well and use a quality waterproof grease for the reassembly. Mine has been silent after using this method when the BB finally started the dreaded creak and pop at around 2K miles. No further problems and it is wet here so if it was to be a recurring problem mine would put it to the test with almost 4K more miles and a really wet and messy winter and spring here.

Do not use a higher grade Loctite, say blue or red of any number. Messing up the shell is a ruined frame, the green is specifically for bearing retaining (as recommended above.) The higher grades need too much force and even heat to break loose and can mess up things.

Monty Dog

As well as bearing fit problems, the issue is that water in the BB from running down the seattube means the bearings are immersed and will corrode quickly. If you do ride your bike in the wet / rain, remove the saddle / seatpost and hang from the front wheel to allow the water to drain out.

robbo2011

dilatory wrote:

So today my CAAD10 turned 1 month old. Just tick over 1,000 miles and the BB30 clinks and clunks I read so much about have manifested themselves. To celebrate it's month-a-versary I shall have to disassemble and re-grease a BB30 for the first time. Ugh.

Any tips to avoid this happening forever?

And yet you still bought a bike with a BB30?

If you aren't the fettling type or can't be arsed to regularly strip and regrease every couple of months (I know I wouldn't be), then I would go for one of the threaded BB converters.

Tjgoodhew

Had the same issue when i bought my caad8. Regular trips to the LBS for strip down and regreasing and then 500 miles later the clunking was back

I then lost patience and had the bearings changed and that was about 8 months ago and iv had no further issues.

The bike has been ridden in all conditions and is showing no signs of any further issues.

I would never buy BB30 again

Bozman

Another one here who won't touch a frame with BB30 again.I found BB30 a nightmare in the wet and through the winter months, the low point was getting 400 miles out of a set of bearings.

socrates

+1for no more BB30's

Monty Dog

BB30 is "the future" ;-) Well, it is according to the bollox spouted by Cannondale who bought the design from Magic Motorcycle and imposed it on an unsuspecting bike buying public.

How Far is too Far

I have 3 bikes on BB30 with from 2500 miles to over 12,000 miles and apart from the odd strip and re grease not had any major problems.

I have a Canyon with Push ft BB and this is now creaking after 3500 miles,

Most BB's will creak from time to time not just BB30,S

dilatory

Well, cleaned and packed with grease and all seems okay. Ordered some new bearings anyway so when the click returns I will just replace. Thankfully it didn't take too long and will no doubt speed up with time. Ho hum.

scottishgeek

I bought my CAADX last October, got it straight home stuck if on the workstand and pulled the cranks before cleaning and regreasing the BB30 bearings. 8 months of commuting in all weather later and still silent (touch wood lol).

kettrinboy

Havnt had any creaks or clonks from my PF30 on my 400 mile old Spesh Venge Expert yet but when the inevitable happens I,ll be going for a Praxis Works BB convertor so I can use Shimano DA or Ultegra cranks, a clever solution that screws together and tightens itself inside the BB shell to eliminate creaking.

Serious Cat

I wouldn't buy a bike that uses bb30 , hollowtech ii is fine by me.