Do I need a bottom bracket?

KevinA

Hi guys

I have recently got new bearings put in my rear wheel so I am discounting that as a potential problem and focusing on the B.B.

The last couple of rides I have done on my cercelo S2 have been tough, I feel as though I’m putting way more power down that is being generated. 200w feels like 400

The bike is almost 2 years old and has never been serviced it’s only has repair work done and re-cabling

Would a worn out B.B. make my pedalling a lot more strained or could it be another component

Cassette and chain have been cleaned and lubed

bendertherobot

Ok, off the floor, how much effort is needed to rotate the crank by hand? Do the wheels spin freely>

KevinA

Off the floor not much effort is needed and wheel spins fine

If I spin the Crank clockwise and let go it doesn’t even do a full rotation

cougie

I think you need to recalibrate the power meter then. The bike sounds normal.

trekvet

Do the cranks spin or at least turn silently, with the chain off? Listen for sound from the BB, if there is drag and noise only from the seals, all is fine; if there is any roughness or the pedal smacked you in the ear, take bike to LBS.

Vino'sGhost

Screw the lbs

keef66

Unless you have a brake dragging or a wheel skewed so the tyre is rubbing the chainstay, it's unlikely that it's the bike slowing you down.

The fact that the cranks don't spin freely is normal; modern BBs have contact seals to protect the bearings from dirt / water ingress, but the amount of drag they produce is tiny in the overall scheme of things.

Matthewfalle

methinks ambitions have overcome abilities.