BB Help Please

ibr17xvii
ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
in Workshop
I'm considering a new winter hack, the bike has a FSA Gossamer Crankset on it at the moment which I'd like to swap out for a 105 Chainset I already have.

If it has a FSA BB-CF86/CZ currently, will the Chainset be a straight swap or would I need a new BB?

BB standards confuse the hell out of me!
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Comments

  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    They'll be compatible, all using a 24mm bearing and axle. The FSA BB might not last that well in winter though.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    masjer said:

    They'll be compatible, all using a 24mm bearing and axle. The FSA BB might not last that well in winter though.


    No experience of FSA BB's.

    Worth replacing with a Shimano or similar?
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Not really ever had any issues with FSA b/bs tbh but if you want to splash the cash then crack on.

    If there is nothing wrong with it personally I'd leave it until you get a problem otherwise all ypu're doing is expending time and money and something that doesn't need doing.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    edited October 2021
    FSA BB's don't seem to be as well sealed as the Shimano ones but, I'd suggest still using the FSA one and replace when necessary.
    I find Shimano press-fit reliable and quiet.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    MattFalle said:

    Not really ever had any issues with FSA b/bs tbh but if you want to splash the cash then crack on.

    If there is nothing wrong with it personally I'd leave it until you get a problem otherwise all ypu're doing is expending time and money and something that doesn't need doing.

    masjer said:

    FSA BB's don't seem to be as well sealed as the Shimano ones but, I'd suggest still using the FSA one and replace when necessary.
    I find Shimano press-fit reliable and quiet.


    If the crankset is a straight swap I'll probably leave it until if / when it gives up the ghost.

    The bike has Tektro rim calipers which aren't supposed to be that great so I'll replace them 1st.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    edited October 2021
    Again, nothing wrong with Tektros especially if you have decent pads and some new cables fitted.

    I honestly don't recommend chaning anything until you've ridden it a few times.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    You'll find the FSA crank to be just as good as the 105 one as well, so again, unless tge 'rings a knackered, why change?
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    MattFalle said:

    Again, nothing wrong with Tektros especially if you have decent pads and some new cables fitted.

    I honestly don't recommend chaning anything until you've ridden it a few times.

    MattFalle said:

    You'll find the FSA crank to be just as good as the 105 one as well, so again, unless tge 'rings a knackered, why change?

    Fair points.

    I've no experience of either but just going off the reviews of the bike & they are parts that are mentioned most as not that great.

    I've got a 105 chainset knocking about so that's no biggie but would have to buy new calipers.

    Might be worth getting pads / cables 1st though.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    I kind of agree with the above, but have a tainted view of Tektro calipers.
    I was approaching (downhill) a crossroads, applied the brakes and the quick-release cam (on the front caliper) decided to open. They opened so wide that the pads no longer touched the rim at all, I went straight across the crossroads very narrowly missing being splatting by a truck.
    The design of these calipers has changed. They now have a locking mechanism on the quick-release. I personally can see why they changed the design!
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    masjer said:

    I kind of agree with the above, but have a tainted view of Tektro calipers.
    I was approaching (downhill) a crossroads, applied the brakes and the quick-release cam (on the front caliper) decided to open. They opened so wide that the pads no longer touched the rim at all, I went straight across the crossroads very narrowly missing being splatting by a truck.
    The design of these calipers has changed. They now have a locking mechanism on the quick-release. I personally can see why they changed the design!


    That's not great to say the least.........
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Any equipt can fail.

    what we shpuld be asking is why did it fail - lack of maintenance/poor set up by user, ir is it a design fault - if so a quick google will throw up a result ir two.

    mega coincedence though.....

    as an aside - i've used Tektros on my old winter bike (standard on the old red Giant OCR4s from c.2003) and as the stadard brakes on my Charge Plug and they have been boringly reliable - no better or worse than Shimano/SRAM/Campag. Just like boring brakes that stop you.

    But hey, its up to you.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    I'm not saying all Tektro are bad, but this particular caliper had a definite design flaw. Since Tektro have now put a locking mechanism on these calipers, I guess they might have noticed something amiss too.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    cool. so, so long as its not the same now outdated caliper its not a problem.

    groovy bananarama sauce.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Just to put it all into comparison, Shimano M785s tend to fall apart quite often as well.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    The FSA BB on later Gossamer cranksets is 1mm narrower on one side than Shimano.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    darkhairedlord said:

    The FSA BB on later Gossamer cranksets is 1mm narrower on one side than Shimano.


    So not just a straight swap then?
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    edited October 2021
    Both Shimano and FSA BB's are the same standard 86.5 shell width with 24mm bearings, so are interchangeable.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    darkhairedlord said:

    The FSA BB on later Gossamer cranksets is 1mm narrower on one side than Shimano.

    masjer said:

    Both Shimano and FSA BB's are the same standard 86.5 shell width with 24mm bearings, so are interchangeable.


    I guess this is why BB's are so confusing..........(to me anyway).
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    masjer said:

    Both Shimano and FSA BB's are the same standard 86.5 shell width with 24mm bearings, so are interchangeable.

    this.

    i've just fitted sl-k into a sgimano b/b, no worries, the gossamers on my old cx bike worked fine in a shimano b/b
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    The nbd type are narrower on one side to allow for the wavy washer and tensioning of the nds crank arm.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    ibr17xvii said:

    I'm considering a new winter hack, the bike has a FSA Gossamer Crankset on it at the moment which I'd like to swap out for a 105 Chainset I already have.

    If it has a FSA BB-CF86/CZ currently, will the Chainset be a straight swap or would I need a new BB?

    BB standards confuse the hell out of me!

    Gossamer chainset is perfect for a winter hack and it's a perfectly good piece of kit, so absolutely no benefit in changing it for something else.

    As mentioned earlier, Tektro calipers are also perfectly functional and no better or worse than any other similar caliper.

    I had both on a winter hack some years ago.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    imposter2.0 said:

    ibr17xvii said:

    I'm considering a new winter hack, the bike has a FSA Gossamer Crankset on it at the moment which I'd like to swap out for a 105 Chainset I already have.

    If it has a FSA BB-CF86/CZ currently, will the Chainset be a straight swap or would I need a new BB?

    BB standards confuse the hell out of me!

    Gossamer chainset is perfect for a winter hack and it's a perfectly good piece of kit, so absolutely no benefit in changing it for something else.

    As mentioned earlier, Tektro calipers are also perfectly functional and no better or worse than any other similar caliper.

    I had both on a winter hack some years ago.

    I guess if / when I get the bike I'll try them out to see what they're like.

    As I said above the reviews were less than favourable so I was just going off that.

    Trying to keep the costs down on non essential replacement / upgrades as I'd like to put Di2 on it but that's another thread.........
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    You won't notice any difference tbh - exact same price point crankset made of exactly the same materials with exactly the same chainrings to do exactly the same job.

    Please stop reading and believing reviews on the internet until you have tried stuff for a decent period of time - this little episode could already have cost ypu a decent amount of time, money and hassle for no reason
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    MattFalle said:

    You won't notice any difference tbh - exact same price point crankset made of exactly the same materials with exactly the same chainrings to do exactly the same job.

    Please stop reading and believing reviews on the internet until you have tried stuff for a decent period of time - this little episode could already have cost ypu a decent amount of time, money and hassle for no reason


    Yep fair point.

    As it's for a winter bike I guess it doesn't matter that much so long as everything works.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    If you do find the Tektro brakes underwhelming, which might be the case with cheapo ones with non cartridge pads, you could just upgrade the front caliper (Shimnao R7000) for not much money. Rear braking is always powerful enough, whatever caliper is used.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    or just fit some Lifeline cartridge pads for £4 from Wiggle yhat work just as well as everything else.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    ibr17xvii said:

    MattFalle said:

    You won't notice any difference tbh - exact same price point crankset made of exactly the same materials with exactly the same chainrings to do exactly the same job.

    Please stop reading and believing reviews on the internet until you have tried stuff for a decent period of time - this little episode could already have cost ypu a decent amount of time, money and hassle for no reason


    Yep fair point.

    As it's for a winter bike I guess it doesn't matter that much so long as everything works.
    exactly my friend.

    Don't believe the hype.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • masjer
    masjer Posts: 2,726
    MattFalle said:

    or just fit some Lifeline cartridge pads for £4 from Wiggle yhat work just as well as everything else.

    You might have to buy cartridge holders as well as pads. If this doesn't improve braking, you'd already be quids down.
    Spending money on brakes (unlike plenty of other bike related stuff) can give a genuine performance upgrade- more powerful braking.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    If he hasn't got spare ones kicking around, which would surprise me, the pads and holders are £4.99 from Wiggle.

    Bear in mind as well if the R7000s don't match tbe pull ratio of his levers he'll have spent a wedge of cash for no reason again.

    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Tbh though, as its a winter bike, its only a matter of time before a clubbie comes along and tells him he deffo, 100%, has to have, neeeeeeds, deriguer di2 and discs otherwise he will die.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.

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