Rotor bottom bracket advice

spasypaddy

I'm so confused by the rotor crankset bottom bracket standards.

I currently have shimano cranksets using hollowtech two outboard cups on all my bikes but I'm keeping my eye on the 2nd hand market to pick up a powermeter possibly on a rotor crankset.

Can i use the shimano bottom brackets with rotor cranksets? (im pretty sure if its a 3d24 i can but very confused by the literature regarding 3d30 and 3d+)

PTestTeam

spasypaddy wrote:

I'm so confused by the rotor crankset bottom bracket standards.

I currently have shimano cranksets using hollowtech two outboard cups on all my bikes but I'm keeping my eye on the 2nd hand market to pick up a powermeter possibly on a rotor crankset.

Can i use the shimano bottom brackets with rotor cranksets? (im pretty sure if its a 3d24 i can but very confused by the literature regarding 3d30 and 3d+)

I think you can. Obviously just make sure you use the same dia axles. 3d30 is the 30 diameter axle.

I have Rotor's BSA BBs and they use the same Shimano BB tool

StillGoing

spasypaddy wrote:

I'm so confused by the rotor crankset bottom bracket standards.

I currently have shimano cranksets using hollowtech two outboard cups on all my bikes but I'm keeping my eye on the 2nd hand market to pick up a powermeter possibly on a rotor crankset.

Can i use the shimano bottom brackets with rotor cranksets? (im pretty sure if its a 3d24 i can but very confused by the literature regarding 3d30 and 3d+)

The Rotor BB uses the same tool as Shimano and GXP BBs. You need to ensure the frame is able to take a 30mm BB otherwise you're restricted to 3D24. Alternatively, the Rotor cranksets aren't exactly light and you can buy the Q rings to fit other cranksets.

paul_onabike

The 3D24 does use the same 24mm standard as shimano hollowtechii.
The 3D30 and 3d+ 30mm spindle can be fitted to a standard bsa threaded bb by using the rotor bsa30 bearings

Just a word of caution though regarding shimano bottom bracket bearings - I have had a shimano bb bearing, that was only slightly tight when rotating by hand, wear out the crank spindle bearing journal rendering the rotor cranks unusable. The bearing stopped rotating properly unbeknownst to me, and the crank was just rotating within the plastic bearing bush alone - wearing out the journal on the spindle.

I now don't use any bb bearings that wont allow the cranks to spin freely. I also now use rotors own bb's in case there is a similar problem in future, though I do find that the rotor bb bearings last better that shimano, and do indeed run free-er when bedded in.

spasypaddy

thanks for the comments gents.

but Paul has given me the answer i need. Basically if i want to run a 3d+ or 3d30 i can on my bikes, i just need to get the new bottom bracket which fits into the same shell as the hollowtech 2 bottom bracket.

if i want to use a 3d24 i can just swap it in using my current bottom brackets.

StillGoing

spasypaddy wrote:

thanks for the comments gents.

but Paul has given me the answer i need. Basically if i want to run a 3d+ or 3d30 i can on my bikes, i just need to get the new bottom bracket which fits into the same shell as the hollowtech 2 bottom bracket.

if i want to use a 3d24 i can just swap it in using my current bottom brackets.

Always best to go with Rotor's own bottom bracket.

meesterbond

For what it's worth, 3DF is also a 30mm spindle (i think it's been superseded by 3D30). There were also chain sets made specifically for BBright which have a slightly longer spindle as well (I think - its gets pretty confusing).

I don't know what BB you're intending to fit the Rotor to but I'd try and stick to a 24mm spindle if you can - I'm currently using a 3DF 30mm chainset on a BB86 bike and it's working ok but isn't advised as the bearings are very small (so I'm told). It's a TT bike so doesn't actually do that many miles so I'm not too concerned but a 24mm spindle would be a more robust option.

The Rotor website is quite helpful but bottom bracket 'standards' are a real pain the backside.

brettjmcc

meesterbond wrote:

I don't know what BB you're intending to fit the Rotor to but I'd try and stick to a 24mm spindle if you can - I'm currently using a 3DF 30mm chainset on a BB86 bike and it's working ok but isn't advised as the bearings are very small (so I'm told). It's a TT bike so doesn't actually do that many miles so I'm not too concerned but a 24mm spindle would be a more robust option.

I run a Rotor Power on my GF01 I built last year that runs BB86. I've done over 3000 miles on it and not an issue. I do swap the cranks into my TT bike regularly though so get a chance to inspect etc