Road Cycling · Public discussion

Why "bottom bracket"?

Started by 303squadron · · Last activity · 3 posts · 1,050 views

This thread is locked and is currently read-only.

Thread details

What we know about this thread

Original section
Road Cycling
Published
23 September 2003
Last activity
27 September 2003
Original author
303squadron
Posts
3
Discussion status
Public discussion
Total views
1,050
Views / 30 days
0

The navigation and discussion metadata provide context. Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Showing posts 1–3 of 3
Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Text size
  1. Just had the "bottom bracket" on my bike go bad, the symptom being noticibly higher effort in
    peddling and back-peddling. OK, this is after some 6,000 miles and the fix is not too expensive.

    Got to thinking about the name, though. The part that went "bad" is really a spindle or axle
    assembly with sealed bearings that the crank arms attach to. Single piece assembly, so the damaged
    part (bearings) cannot be replaced alone.

    So why the heck is it called a bottom bracket? Does not look like a bracket, nor does it
    function as one.

    Sounds like sloppy and misleading jargon.

    Anyone know the origin of the term?

    - 303sq

  2. 303squadron <[email hidden]> wrote:

    : Got to thinking about the name, though. The part that went "bad" is really a spindle or axle
    : assembly with sealed bearings that the crank arms attach to. Single piece assembly, so the damaged
    : part (bearings) cannot be replaced alone.

    Cartridge brackets are a rather new invention anyway.

    : So why the heck is it called a bottom bracket? Does not look like a bracket, nor does it
    : function as one.

    I think it should be called a boom bracket on recumbents, as it's not in the bottom but it's in the
    front part of the bracket boom...

    Did you try reading sheldonbrown.com yet?

    --
    Risto Varanka | helsinki.fihpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

  3. Yep. He says it's:

    The part of the frame around which the pedal cranks revolve, also the bearings and axle assembly
    that runs through the bottom bracket shell of the frame.

    It would be a stretch, but his first definition kinda sorta makes sense (and would make better sense
    if it were a bottom axle tube or bottom spindle tube or bottom bracket shell or some such). The
    second definition is what everyone actually seems to use, but it makes, of course, little sense. He
    gives no clue as to origin.

    - GRL

    "It's good to want things."

    Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
    <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    303squadron <[email hidden]> wrote:

    : Got to thinking about the name, though. The part that went "bad" is


    really a

    Quoted message said:

    : spindle or axle assembly with sealed bearings that the crank arms attach


    to.

    Quoted message said:

    : Single piece assembly, so the damaged part (bearings) cannot be replaced alone.

    Cartridge brackets are a rather new invention anyway.

    : So why the heck is it called a bottom bracket? Does not look like a


    bracket,

    Quoted message said:

    : nor does it function as one.

    I think it should be called a boom bracket on recumbents, as it's not in the bottom but it's in
    the front part of the bracket boom...

    Did you try reading sheldonbrown.com yet?

    --
    Risto Varanka | helsinki.fihpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

Active in the last 60 minutes

Active in this thread

0 users · 0 guests ·0 bots ·0 total

No signed-in users are active right now.

No known search crawlers active right now.