[splat]

Tonights ride , I had another issue ( lately I have had nothing but bad luck. )

I was following ben-o down a rocky incline when I heard a Crack. After Pete Long broke a chain stay earlier that is what I checked. we ll it wasn't that but then I tried to pedal and my crank arms were all over the place.

it is interesting how much you balance relies on your feet not moving laterally.


any way I cut the ride short and pulled the bottom bracket . this was a Sealed unit and it sort of just fell apart as I taking it a part. And I do notice one of the bearings is Missing !!! and the bearing that is there is in pretty rough shape.

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

Holy Beat Down BB Batman. How old is that bb Splat?

 

[rpk1988]

Now its time to switch to a Splined BB, those Square Tapers are sooo out dated. Haha.

 

[splat]

Now its time to switch to a Splined BB, those Square Tapers are sooo out dated. Haha.

Nope been using square tapers for years and will continue, never had trouble with them.

and yeah the BB was old , 3 maybe 4 years tough riding .

 

[Westy]

I too have never had a problem with a square BB. Still running an old '97 XTR on my hardtail and it seems to be in perfect shape. I go through Isis BB's like Lord Opie goes through a box of doughnuts.

 

[The Toninator]

Now its time to switch to a Splined BB, those Square Tapers are sooo out dated. Haha.

hey dude that long round thing with the square ends aint supposed to come out of that other thing. last time i checked.
my rhode bike bb has 7k on it but my mtbs usually only got about a k.

 

[The Toninator]

I go through Isis BB's like Lord Opie goes through a box of doughnuts.

ehhh ha haha ehhhh ahahaha!

 

[MMcG]

holy moly that bb looks like it has been through hell.

 

[mack]

I go through an isis BB about once or twice a year on my urban bike.

 

[splat]

hey dude that long round thing with the square ends aint supposed to come out of that other thing. last time i checked.
my rhode bike bb has 7k on it but my mtbs usually only got about a k.

I know !

I too have never had a problem with a square BB. Still running an old '97 XTR on my hardtail and it seems to be in perfect shape. I go through Isis BB's like Lord Opie goes through a box of doughnuts.

Hence why I have no plans to "upgrade" to A splined BB , know too many people who go through them way too fast.

 

[jdcamb]

Dude, you and bottom brackets. I remember the one I helped you remove... The bone bruise bump on my arm finally went away. The look on your wife and sons face after the pipe slipped and I hit my arm with that hammer was precious. The first hour of the ride I could barely hang on to the handle bar.

 

[splat]

Dude, you and bottom brackets. I remember the one I helped you remove... The bone bruise bump on my arm finally went away. The look on your wife and sons face after the pipe slipped and I hit my arm with that hammer was precious. The first hour of the ride I could barely hang on to the handle bar.

yeah but that was on a frame that was given to me andwas destined for eBay !

 

[ThePriceSeliger]

holy moly that bb looks like it has been through hell.

I wonder what mine will look like, Mark, if it ever comes out!!!

 

[Skookum]

Looks nice and crunchy.

In the winter i had severe creakage, opened up to see what was going on in there, had about 5 ounces of water splashing around in there haha.

 

[jdcamb]

Looks nice and crunchy.

In the winter i had severe creakage, opened up to see what was going on in there, had about 5 ounces of water splashing around in there haha.

Do you sweat a lot? May have not been only water.

 

[frznnomad]

splat im not an expert on these things but i dont think bb are supposed to look like that. ohh well ive seen them just as bad if not worse.

i guess im the only one in here whos had no prob's with his isis splined bb. although its a gigapipe dh (hmmm that might explain it).

 

[JRB]

I had a truvativ giga pipe for a long time. Got a new one, it lasted 3 months. Got an FSA Platinum, and it has quite a few miles on it. No probs with the octalink on the roadie.

 

[frznnomad]

okay so not the only one

 

[smedford]

Gigapipe DH last about 7 months on my bikes. Saint x types about double that.

 

[lovebunny]

well i go through bb's it used to be everytime i rode at a resort pretty much or once a month. i had a gigapipe dh from january till a couple days ago. but it started having problems back in april or may. i hope the external bb on my xt's works better

 

[Changleen]

Dudes, ISIS and other splined designs ARE better than square ****, provided they are built from half decent material. Its simple physics. You can't knock the idea, you can knock the implementation by cheap ass companies using crap material. FFS, just look at Profile.

 

[Leethal]

Nope been using square tapers for years and will continue, never had trouble with them.

and yeah the BB was old , 3 maybe 4 years tough riding .

I think you have now...

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

Try a new Outward bearing 2 piece crank set-up. You will not be disappointed.


ps... that looks broken

 

[Westy]

Dudes, ISIS and other splined designs ARE better than square ****, provided they are built from half decent material. Its simple physics. You can't knock the idea, you can knock the implementation by cheap ass companies using crap material. FFS, just look at Profile.

Splined BB's have a much better crank interface, Squares allow for a much better bearing design. I'm not sold on the external type stuff yet, it seems to be a rigged up bandaid. They really need a larger BB standard to catch on.

 

[narlus]

when people talk about killing bottom brackets, is the mode of failure just the bearings? if so, a bearing swap isn't a big deal really (as long as yr bb can support it).

 

[Westy]

when people talk about killing bottom brackets, is the mode of failure just the bearings? if so, a bearing swap isn't a big deal really (as long as yr bb can support it).

What Isis BB systems have replaceable bearings? I'd have no problems doing that.

 

[narlus]

well, i know my race face signature series DH one does, but it's a honker (143mm spindle, 100mm shell). i had the bearings replaced at the end of last year. cheaper than the $130 or so the bike shop wanted to charge for a new one.

 

[stosh]

I think when you ripped your chain apart when we were riding it was time to swap out all your drivetrain stuff.

 

[splat]

I think when you ripped your chain apart when we were riding it was time to swap out all your drivetrain stuff.

But who changes out the Bottom Bracket when Changing a drive train. and I had just changed the entire drive train before that. that chain had 3 rides on it when it came apart like that, and it has been fine ( except for BB) since then.

 

[Skookum]

Do you sweat a lot? May have not been only water.

No i pee myself constantly too, but don't tell anyone on here please.

i don't know what i have in my Bullit but i hardly ride it, on the Enduro i've been replacing at least every year. 3 to 4 years on a bike you ride alot is a pretty damn good run i'd say.

Runnin LX externals now like all the other lemmings, jury is still out on them.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

I go through an isis BB about once or twice a year on my urban bike.

your a hack, get profiles.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

chris king really needs to make an outboard bottom bracket with similar bearing life to the headset...that would put an end to all BB/Crank debate forever. Period.

 

[frznnomad]

hey narlus how did you get a hold of that raceface. i though truvative only made 100mm bb shells (well shows how dumb i am). do you know if qbp carries them. cause one of these days ill need one and i want to try something else besides the truvative. thanks.

 

[jdcamb]

Runnin LX externals now like all the other lemmings, jury is still out on them.

So far at the shop I work at Shimano is winning the JDcamb*powers* external BB system reliability award. The FSA system comes in second, Truvativ third, and Race Face being last with just cause... I believe it is because RF chose to put the spindle going the other way. The drive side has the most load on it and that is why they tend to creak. That and the bearing on thier BB's suck and aren't sealed enough. The finish on the Atlas cranks suck to but that is just cosmetic. Just so nobody makes the same $30 mistake, the RF and Shimano systems are compatible and the Truvativ and FSA system pair up. The Truvativ/FSA system have a smaller spindle diameter. My .02

jdcamb

 

[OGRipper]

ISIS is a better crank interface than square taper, the problem is that the larger axle means you need smaller bearings to make 'em fit in the bb shell. The smaller bearings just don't last as long IMO.

The new Howitzer system seems pretty cool, it's pretty much an ISIS interface but with external bearings.

But really, I am sold on the 2-piece, outboard systems. I have new shimano xt and xtr cranks and they are lighter, stiffer, and easier to work on than anything else I've ever tried. The bearings seem to get crunchy pretty quick but they spin fine and I've had zero failures. Plus the BB's are uber cheap, which makes sense since you don't a new axle every time a bearing wears out. Short of an integrated system these are the way to go.