Bike sex - phil wood's outboard bottom bracket

Oh
My
God

I've seen expensive jewelry not look this good.

BMW doesn't machine parts for it's M3 this well.

This makes even Campagnolo's finest look like a 99cent knock off down the local dollar store and the bearings, even though they're not broken in, feel almost Super Record (circa 1984) like.... For an external bearing system that's brand new, that's amazing.

Machined and polished solid stainless steel. A little weighty but for the extra 95 grams I'd take the Panzer tank like toughness and rigidity.

Having spoken the to guy's at Phil Wood a few days ago it seems as though they've dropped the ceramic ball bearings for something they've been developing that's smoother, longer lasting and cheaper...... They say their standard Phil spec'd bearings are as smooth as most ceramics - after tonight, I believe them. In a few months I might be reporting back on the new bearings when they're released.

Where's the drool emoticon when you need it?

.... and no, I haven't ditched the Powercranks - they'll be getting a new Phil Wood bottom bracket soon and they'll be back on the bike mid-July. The $15 shimano bottom bracket started to give up the ghost so it had to go. $1000+ on the cranks - less than $20 on the BB. Class huh?

Any word on the drag of this BB? I've a SRM DA compact and am a bit disappointed in how much drag there is.

Dave