best touring BB

[Walter Mitty]

if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?

A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.

But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?

Advice much appreciated.

--
Walter Mitty.

 

[Wiscottsin]

"Walter Mitty" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?
>
> A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.
>
> But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?
>
> Advice much appreciated.
>
> --
> Walter Mitty.

Any of the higher quality sealed units would be sufficient. On a touring bike, I'd choose
Campagnolo. But the higher end Shimano ones are good quality too.

 

[Dave Thompson]

"Walter Mitty" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?
>
> A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.
>
> But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?
>
> Advice much appreciated.
>
> --
> Walter Mitty.

A Phil bb is probably the very best, particularly for extreme mileage before needing servicing. A
Shimano Ultegra bb is a sealed unit, no sweat no maintenance. If you are going to run Shimano
equipment, the Ultegra bb is probably your best bet. It's relatively cheap, easy to find most
anywhere, easy to install, very durable and long lasting.

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Walter Mitty wrote:

> if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?
>
> A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.
>
> But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?
>
> Advice much appreciated.

Depends on where you're heading off to. My choice for this would be to go with a Shimano UN72 or
UN73, in a typical mountain bike size. These are very reliable if not immersed, and replacements
will be available worldwide if needed.

Sheldon "Mountain Bikes Are Everywhere" Brown
+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Tour on popular routes like the Oregon Coast you will see | just about anything with two wheels
| out there, with any | amount of luggage strapped on in any conceivable way. | Everyone seems to
| be having a good time doing it. | However, certain choices will reduce breakdowns, and | make the
| trip less a project of transporting equipment, | and more one of enjoying the scenery and
| cultures. | --Eric Salathé |
+------------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[David E. Belche]

"WiScottsin" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
> Any of the higher quality sealed units would be sufficient. On a touring bike, I'd choose
> Campagnolo. But the higher end Shimano ones are good quality too.

Stronglight JP400? Very well made and reliable, but cheap enough (15 quid to you, Sir, here in the
UK) to be "fit and forget", then put in the bin when it wears out without guilty conscience.

David E. Belcher

Dept. of Chemistry, University of York

 

[Paul Southworth]

In article <[email protected]>, Walter Mitty <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?
>
>A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.
>
>But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?

Yes things do go wrong with them. The Phil BB has been very reliable for me, in very wet conditions,
no service required in the last 10 years or so it has been in my mountain bike.

The Shimano ones don't generally hold up that well.

And it's quite possible to require bearing replacement in a Phil BB as well, they don't all
last forever.

--Paul

 

[John Everett]

On Wed, 21 May 2003 13:33:39 +0200, Walter Mitty <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?
>
>A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.
>
>But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?
>
>Advice much appreciated.

At risk of sounding like a retro-grouch, I'd consider an old cup-and-cone BB. They're plenty
reliable, and 1/4" bearing balls are practically universally available.

You don't say where you're heading off to. If somewhere where there is likely to be an LBS available
use anything you like. If however you're going to be self sufficient you'll need to be carrying
appropriate BB tools (including a crank puller) if you contemplate effecting repairs.

Several years ago I decided that when I next refurbed the Dura Ace cup-and-cone BB on one of my
bikes I'd replace it with a cartridge unit, so decided to just ride it until it went "crunch,
crunch, crunch". After four years or so (and probably 20,000 miles) I decided to do a complete
refurb of the bike. I took the BB apart and the races just smiled at me. I decided to leave well
enough alone and just replaced the balls and reassembled the bike with the original BB. It's still
going strong after eleven years and probably 40K+ miles or so.

This is of course anecdotal evidence of cup-and-cone BB reliability based upon a random sample of
one. ;-) I do have cartridge units in three of my bikes and they seem to work just fine also.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

[Michael Pearlma]

"WiScottsin" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Walter Mitty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?
> >
> > A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.
> >
> > But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?
> >
> > Advice much appreciated.
> >
> > --
> > Walter Mitty.
>
> Any of the higher quality sealed units would be sufficient. On a touring bike, I'd choose
> Campagnolo. But the higher end Shimano ones are good quality too.

All my bikes have the very cheapest BB from Bike Nashbar. After many thousands of miles never had a
problem. I suspect the so called high end stuff is fine too but feel like a fool paying that much.

 

[Mark Wolfe]

If it's shimano, I've heard lots of good about Ultegra. Just make sure you properly torque them, a
hand held allen key isn't going to get there, 50nm was right at 37 ft lbs on my torque wrench.

WiScottsin wrote:

>
> "Walter Mitty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> if you were heading off for a year or so, what would you use for a bottom bracket?
>>
>> A selaed unit is, I guess, unservicable - thus if it goes wrong, leaks or whatever it's useless.
>>
>> But does something like a Phil Woods or Shimano BB ever really go wrong?
>>
>> Advice much appreciated.
>>
>> --
>> Walter Mitty.
>
> Any of the higher quality sealed units would be sufficient. On a touring bike, I'd choose
> Campagnolo. But the higher end Shimano ones are good quality too.

--
Mark Wolfe http://www.wolfenet.org gpg fingerprint = 42B6 EFEB 5414 AA18 01B7 64AC EF46 F7E6 82F6
8C71 If I ever manage to lose the weight I put on in 18 months of be $PHB and having no life, I am
*really* going to have to go shopping for some PVC. - Skud, the other place.

 

[Chris Zacho "Th]

I've had my Phil Wood for well over fifteen years now (50,000+miles), and it's still on the original
bearings. This is on my ATB, which I used mostly for commuting (rain or shine, 5 days a week) and
some off road. It has gotten regular service (regreasing).

I would trust it implicitly. With the proper removal tool, which is no larger that a freewheel
remover, it can be easilly maintained. The bearings, of course, cannot be removed on the road.

But hey, with a record like that, then a new set should be practicaly in fallible!

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

 

[Jay Beattie]

"Chris Zacho "The Wheelman"" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've had my Phil Wood for well over fifteen years now (50,000+miles), and it's still on the
> original bearings. This is on my ATB, which I
used
> mostly for commuting (rain or shine, 5 days a week) and some off road. It has gotten regular
> service (regreasing).
>
> I would trust it implicitly. With the proper removal tool, which is no larger that a freewheel
> remover, it can be easilly maintained. The bearings, of course, cannot be removed on the road.
>
> But hey, with a record like that, then a new set should be practicaly
in
> fallible!
>
> May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills!

In 1978, I broke a Phil BB spindle. But with that said, I got it fixed, and I am still riding it
daily to work. I like the Phil BB because it allows for very fine chain-line adjustment. It is not
entirely water-proof, however, and does need to be regreased at least every year or so. I have gone
through a set of bearings or two. It has been far longer-lived than the Shimano sealed BBs I have
used on other bikes.

I bought a lot of Phil stuff back in the day because it was cheaper that Campagnolo, and I liked the
idea of sealed bearings. I also went to school with Phil's son and lived just a few blocks from his
shop, so it was easy to get fast walk-in service if something went wrong. I was pretty mad when Phil
ditched his life-time bearing replacement program some time in the '80s. Hey, I'm still alive . . .
fix those damn bearings! I do not want to pay $35 for my next set of BB bearings when I paid less
than $30 for the BB way back when. -- Jay Beattie.

 

[Russell Yim]

>Any of the higher quality sealed units would be sufficient. On a touring bike, I'd choose
>Campagnolo. But the higher end Shimano ones are good quality too.

The problem I see with choosing a Campy is that the square taper they use is slighly different, and
is only compatable with Campy cranks. Not a problem if you are already running Campy, of course.

As far as the high end Shimano, they're all splined now, which isn't quite as standard as an "old
fashioned" square taper spindle.

I'd go with Sheldon's recommendation of the UN72...pretty bombproof, inexpensive, and probably
available just about everywhere in the world.

 

[Walter Mitty]

Thanks.

Since I already have a 2 year old XT UN72 I guess I can save money and stick with it!

 

[Precious Pup]

Jay Beattie wrote:
>

> In 1978, I broke a Phil BB spindle. But with that said, I got it fixed, and I am still riding it
> daily to work. I like the Phil BB because it allows for very fine chain-line adjustment.

I just buy the $15 Nashbar BB and grind/file off the fixed "cup" flange so the cup looks just like
the adjustable cup flange. It works quite well for a fine chainline adjustment.

> It is not entirely water-proof, however, and does need to be regreased at least every year or so.
> I have gone through a set of bearings or two. It has been far longer-lived than the Shimano sealed
> BBs I have used on other bikes.

You can replace the "sealed" bearings in the cheapo Nashbar. I made a couple of custom tools and
have made a mod to the BB to facilitate this. I don't really like the Shimano sealed units.