Miche Primato Bottom Bracket Questions

[James Thomson]

I've got a few questions for anyone using a Miche Primato track bottom
bracket:

Is the axle hollow or solid?

Is it a completely sealed unit, or are the bearings replaceable?

What's your impression of overall quality, durability, bearing smoothness,
sealing, etc.

and finally for those with a Vernier caliper:

What's the internal diameter of the cups?

Thanks,

James Thomson

 

[John Dacey]

"Minorem ne contempseris." - Dionysius Cato

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:20:49 +0100, "James Thomson"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I've got a few questions for anyone using a Miche Primato track bottom
>bracket:
>
>Is the axle hollow or solid?

Solid.

>
>Is it a completely sealed unit, or are the bearings replaceable?

The cartridge is a steel cylinder which houses a sealed bearing at
each end. There is no bearing number that appears on its outer seal.
The bearings are not replaceable, but the cost of a new unit is so
modest that such service would normally be impractical anyway.

>
>What's your impression of overall quality, durability, bearing smoothness,
>sealing, etc.

In my estimation, their quality does not exceed basic competence, but
concomitantly their cost is a small fraction of premium bottom bracket
models. The absence of any lockring to help secure the unit's cups may
make installations in Italian bottom bracket shells occasionally
troublesome.

>
>and finally for those with a Vernier caliper:
>
>What's the internal diameter of the cups?

The outer diameter of the shell cartridge is 28 mm. The cups are sized
to suit.

>
>Thanks,

No worries. There's a photo of the unit here:

http://www.businesscycles.com/tbb-miche.htm

>
>James Thomson
>

-------------------------------
John Dacey
Business Cycles, Miami, Florida
Since 1983
Comprehensive catalogue of track equipment: online since 1996
http://www.businesscycles.com
-------------------------------

 

[James Thomson]

"John Dacey" <[email protected]> a écrit:

> "Minorem ne contempseris." - Dionysius Cato

[snip]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply John.

> In my estimation, their quality does not exceed basic competence,
> but concomitantly their cost is a small fraction of premium bottom
> bracket models.

So if a Shimano UN52/53 rates a ten, what would you give the Miche?

James Thomson

 

[A Muzi]

> "John Dacey" <[email protected]> a écrit:
>> "Minorem ne contempseris." - Dionysius Cato
> [snip]

James Thomson wrote:
> Thanks for the comprehensive reply John.

< JD:
>> In my estimation, their quality does not exceed basic competence,
>> but concomitantly their cost is a small fraction of premium bottom
>> bracket models.

JT:
> So if a Shimano UN52/53 rates a ten, what would you give the Miche?

The Miche is Czech-built, also sold under various other names, good
longevity. Same house makes the Campagnolo ACS-ACH units too.


Who would give the Shimano UN53 a 'ten'?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[James Thomson]

"A Muzi" <[email protected]> a écrit:

> The Miche is Czech-built, also sold under various other names,

In fact Slovak, it seems. John's mention of 28mm diameter rang a bell.
Earlier this afternoon I dug out an old Stronglight JP 400 and peeled off
the Stronglight sticker on the barrel. Kinex, Slovakia.

http://www.kinex.sk/english/index.php

> good longevity. Same house makes the Campagnolo ACS-ACH units too.

http://www.zkl.com/pdf/bicyklovy_eng.pdf

> Who would give the Shimano UN53 a 'ten'?

That's rather like asking who would give boiling water 100.

James Thomson

 

[John Dacey]

"Omnia apud me mathematica fiunt." - Rene Descartes

On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:39:58 +0100, "James Thomson"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Thanks for the comprehensive reply John.
>
>> In my estimation, their quality does not exceed basic competence,
>> but concomitantly their cost is a small fraction of premium bottom
>> bracket models.
>
>So if a Shimano UN52/53 rates a ten, what would you give the Miche?
>
>James Thomson

It's a pretty weird curve on which you're grading when the UN52 earns
a "10". Within that context though, I'd give the Miche an "8" since it
ultimately gets the job done and you'll not find many alternatives for
a unit with a 107 mm symmetrical spindle with ISO tapers.
-------------------------------
John Dacey
Business Cycles, Miami, Florida
Since 1983
Our catalog of track equipment: online since 1996
Phone: 305-273-4440
http://www.businesscycles.com
-------------------------------

 

[James Thomson]

>> So if a Shimano UN52/53 rates a ten, what would you give the Miche?

"John Dacey" <[email protected]> a écrit:

> It's a pretty weird curve on which you're grading when the UN52
> earns a "10".

What's odd about it? A UN52/53 defines one fixed point, we both seem to have
assumed that the origin is at zero, and two fixed points define a straight
line. Not hard.

A UN52 is a competent, fairly durable, fairly smooth, fairly well-sealed,
fairly heavy, inexpensive unit with which I'm familiar. What interested me
was to compare the Miche with a UN52, not to place it on a scale with
theoretical perfection at ten, Phil Wood at two, UN91 at 0.7, etc. Let's not
debate that scale either.

You and Andrew are both intelligent men.

> Within that context though, I'd give the Miche an "8" since it
> ultimately gets the job done and you'll not find many alternatives
> for a unit with a 107 mm symmetrical spindle with ISO tapers.

Thanks. Just incidentally, I think I'd give this Stronglight/Kinex about a
six or seven.

James Thomson