This is an area that seems to need more attention on my bike. But it seems like such a difficult area to clean. The reason I say that it need more atention is that the bb seems to already be showing / sounding like it's shot after only between 4000 and 4500 miles. I can grab the crank arms and feel a little play in the bb. BAD!
Any way this seems like the easiest way I have found to clean that part of the bike. I'd like to hear of some other methods readers of this group use. My method involves just two hand held spray bottles with /stream/ feature, one filled with cleaner and the other filled with clear water. I just /blast/ the area with cleaner then /blast/ with water until the water rinses clear. Certainly there must be an easier way, that results in better cleaning.
Ken -- Messengers and mountain bikers share a common chromosome. ~James Bethea
This is an area that seems to need more attention on my bike. But it seems like such a difficult area to clean. The reason I say that it need more atention is that the bb seems to already be showing / sounding like it's shot after only between 4000 and 4500 miles. I can grab the crank arms and feel a little play in the bb. BAD!
Check that its not just the cartridge a fraction loose !
That happened to me on a multi-day tour, and I thought "oh no, the BB is about to pack in, just ignore the clicks and noises, pedal smoothly, and hope it lasts out". At end of trip, I stripped the bike down and found it was a tad loose. Tightened it up and its fine. Annoyingly I had the necessary tools to do it on the roadside !
