BB Question

William O'Hara said:

This is going to sound stupid. It sounds stupid to me.
I left my bike in the shop to get a new BB. One of the guys
that rides with me saw the bike. He is half joking and saying
that I pedal at too high of a cadence.

This FSA bb was only in since February. It has seen about 2,000 miles.
It is matched to an ISIS FSA crank. I have seen Sheldon's site; which
seems very plausible to me. Are FSA bb's bad? Or is it really true
that I create more friction in the bearings? I can't believe it.

I can't see any problem mentioned in the above. You replaced
the BB. You have a high cadence. No problem.

William O'Hara said:

This is going to sound stupid. It sounds stupid to me.
I left my bike in the shop to get a new BB. One of the guys
that rides with me saw the bike. He is half joking and saying
that I pedal at too high of a cadence.

This FSA bb was only in since February. It has seen about 2,000 miles.
It is matched to an ISIS FSA crank. I have seen Sheldon's site; which
seems very plausible to me. Are FSA bb's bad? Or is it really true
that I create more friction in the bearings? I can't believe it.

I think the wheels spin faster than the BB, wheel bearings last quite
awhile. The ISIS bb's wear out pretty fast. I have gone through a
couple ISIS bb's myself. Good thing is FSA comes with a 2 year warranty
- mail them back and get new ones.

-nate

Llatikcuf said:

William O'Hara said:

This is going to sound stupid. It sounds stupid to me.
I left my bike in the shop to get a new BB. One of the guys
that rides with me saw the bike. He is half joking and saying
that I pedal at too high of a cadence.

This FSA bb was only in since February. It has seen about 2,000 miles.
It is matched to an ISIS FSA crank. I have seen Sheldon's site; which
seems very plausible to me. Are FSA bb's bad? Or is it really true
that I create more friction in the bearings? I can't believe it.

I think the wheels spin faster than the BB, wheel bearings last quite
awhile. The ISIS bb's wear out pretty fast. I have gone through a
couple ISIS bb's myself. Good thing is FSA comes with a 2 year warranty
- mail them back and get new ones.

-nate

2,000 miles sounds pretty damn low, that's less than half a season for
many. Get yourself an American Classic bb. Has replaceable bearings.
If you are blowing out an FSA in 2,000 miles, a replaceable bearing
AmClassic ISIS bb will save you a LOT of money (or hassle getting
warranty replacements).

Or you could get a crankset with a decent bb, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this road?)
Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper bb? Or a
TA? One of my chorus bb's (have three bikes with Chorus bb) has six
years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the bb is just getting started.

D'ohBoy

William O'Hara said:

This is going to sound stupid. It sounds stupid to me.
I left my bike in the shop to get a new BB. One of the guys
that rides with me saw the bike. He is half joking and saying
that I pedal at too high of a cadence.

This FSA bb was only in since February. It has seen about 2,000 miles.
It is matched to an ISIS FSA crank. I have seen Sheldon's site; which
seems very plausible to me. Are FSA bb's bad? Or is it really true
that I create more friction in the bearings? I can't believe it.

bill

ISIS uses teeny bearings and do not last long..biggest reason along
with Octalink for outside of the BB shell bearings now so common. I
have seen ISIS BBs go in less than 2000 miles but your cadence isn't
the problem, the design is. Even at 120 rpm, you are not generating
much friction, compared to 80 rpm..

D'ohBoy said:

Or you could get a crankset with a decent bb, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this road?)
Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper bb? Or a
TA? One of my chorus bb's (have three bikes with Chorus bb) has six
years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the bb is just getting started.

I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...

--

John ([email hidden])

John Thompson said:

Quoted message said:

Or you could get a crankset with a decent BB, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this
road?) Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper
BB? Or a TA? One of my chorus BB's (have three bikes with Chorus
BB) has six years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the BB is just
getting started.

Quoted message said:

I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...

How do you assess BB durability in years? Can you reduce that to
miles of what kind of riding and how heavy a rider?

Jobst Brandt

Quoted message said:

2,000 miles sounds pretty damn low, that's less than half a season for
many. Get yourself an American Classic bb. Has replaceable bearings.
If you are blowing out an FSA in 2,000 miles, a replaceable bearing
AmClassic ISIS bb will save you a LOT of money (or hassle getting
warranty replacements).

Or you could get a crankset with a decent bb, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this road?)
Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper bb? Or a
TA? One of my chorus bb's (have three bikes with Chorus bb) has six
years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the bb is just getting
started.

I can't go Square Taper, because that wouldn't fit the darn
cranks. I thought that they were not compatiable.

--
---
William O'Hara
www.N1ey.com - Amateur Radio and Railfan Blog
www.yahoogroups.com/group/illinoiscentral - premier discussion list re:
ICRR

John Thompson <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

D'ohBoy said:

Or you could get a crankset with a decent bb, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this road?)
Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper bb? Or a
TA? One of my chorus bb's (have three bikes with Chorus bb) has six
years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the bb is just getting started.

I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...

FSA was supposed to have a good reputation already. I have a shimano
BB that is working just fine in an old 80's bike. I'm little upset
that it didn't last long.

My question is can I create more friction inside the BB? I'm putting
out the same torque as a guy doing 60 RPM to achieve the same speed.
However, wouldn't the friction increase due to more movement inside
the BB from high rPM?

thanks
bill

--
---
William O'Hara
www.N1ey.com - Amateur Radio and Railfan Blog
www.yahoogroups.com/group/illinoiscentral - premier discussion list re:
ICRR

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

ISIS uses teeny bearings and do not last long..biggest reason along
with Octalink for outside of the BB shell bearings now so common. I
have seen ISIS BBs go in less than 2000 miles but your cadence isn't
the problem, the design is. Even at 120 rpm, you are not generating
much friction, compared to 80 rpm..

OK. ISIS is [censored]. So we gave up on stuff that lasted
forever to try yet another new design. I'm stuck with it
now, because I don't want to buy a new crankset.

bill

--
---
William O'Hara
www.N1ey.com - Amateur Radio and Railfan Blog
www.yahoogroups.com/group/illinoiscentral - premier discussion list re:
ICRR

Quoted message said:

John Thompson said:

Quoted message said:

Or you could get a crankset with a decent BB, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this
road?) Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper
BB? Or a TA? One of my chorus BB's (have three bikes with Chorus
BB) has six years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the BB is just
getting started.

Quoted message said:

I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...

How do you assess BB durability in years? Can you reduce that to
miles of what kind of riding and how heavy a rider?

Jobst Brandt

He's baaaaaaack!

Ron

Quoted message said:

John Thompson said:

I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...

Quoted message said:

How do you assess BB durability in years? Can you reduce that to
miles of what kind of riding and how heavy a rider?

I was referring to embrittlement from cosmic rays. What were you
thinking of? :-)

--

John ([email hidden])

Unless your doctor's name is Oscar Goldman, there is no way you could
spin a crankset fast enough to riun a properly greased and adjusted
crank bearing.

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

Quoted message said:

John Thompson said:

Quoted message said:

Or you could get a crankset with a decent BB, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this
road?) Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper
BB? Or a TA? One of my chorus BB's (have three bikes with Chorus
BB) has six years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the BB is just
getting started.

Quoted message said:

I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...

How do you assess BB durability in years? Can you reduce that to
miles of what kind of riding and how heavy a rider?

Jobst Brandt

Hi, Jobst -

I know you weren't directly addressing me but to complete my post with
regard to your comments:

I weigh anywhere from 200 to 225 lbs. I spend most of my time mashing
on the steep and short hills here in western Wisconsin, but do the
Death Ride as well. All of this activity is on the Chorus bb's.

Is that enough info?

D'ohBoy

I said:

Quoted message said:

2,000 miles sounds pretty damn low, that's less than half a season for
many. Get yourself an American Classic bb. Has replaceable bearings.
If you are blowing out an FSA in 2,000 miles, a replaceable bearing
AmClassic ISIS bb will save you a LOT of money (or hassle getting
warranty replacements).

Or you could get a crankset with a decent bb, like one of the GOOD
external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this road?)
Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper bb? Or a
TA? One of my chorus bb's (have three bikes with Chorus bb) has six
years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the bb is just getting
started.

To which Bill responded:

Quoted message said:

I can't go Square Taper, because that wouldn't fit the darn
cranks. I thought that they were not compatiable.

Try the American Classic ISIS bb. Or, like I said, get a good square
taper CRANKSET AND BB and avoid this issue altogether. Campy has just
gone to an external bearing so the good stuff is going to be closed out
🙂

I'm gonna get me one more Chorus bb which will carry me into the
mid-teens of this century. At which point, the drivetrain will be a
CVT the equivalent of a 20/39/53 triple with a 10 - 34 rear cassette
and weigh 20 gms and be made out of carbon nanotubes in a foamed
titanium matrix. At which point I will upgrade from 10s.

D'ohBoy

D'ohBoy said:

Quoted message said:

John Thompson said:

> Or you could get a crankset with a decent BB, like one of the GOOD
> external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this
> road?) Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper
> BB? Or a TA? One of my chorus BB's (have three bikes with Chorus
> BB) has six years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the BB is just
> getting started.
I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...

How do you assess BB durability in years? Can you reduce that to
miles of what kind of riding and how heavy a rider?

Jobst Brandt

Hi, Jobst -

I know you weren't directly addressing me but to complete my post with
regard to your comments:

I weigh anywhere from 200 to 225 lbs. I spend most of my time mashing
on the steep and short hills here in western Wisconsin, but do the
Death Ride as well. All of this activity is on the Chorus bb's.

Is that enough info?

D'ohBoy

I'm pretty sure mileage figures along with the stresses of your Western
Wisconsin hill pounding.

Robin Hubert

Robin Hubert said:

D'ohBoy said:

Quoted message said:

John Thompson writes:

>> Or you could get a crankset with a decent BB, like one of the GOOD
>> external bearing cranksets or perhaps a closeout Campy (is this
>> road?) Chorus or Record crank with Chorus or Record square taper
>> BB? Or a TA? One of my chorus BB's (have three bikes with Chorus
>> BB) has six years and prolly 15,000 miles on it and the BB is just
>> getting started.
> I have a Campy Record BB that's been in use since 1979 and it's still
> going strong. Buy good quality equipment in the first place...
How do you assess BB durability in years? Can you reduce that to
miles of what kind of riding and how heavy a rider?

Jobst Brandt

Hi, Jobst -

I know you weren't directly addressing me but to complete my post with
regard to your comments:

I weigh anywhere from 200 to 225 lbs. I spend most of my time mashing
on the steep and short hills here in western Wisconsin, but do the
Death Ride as well. All of this activity is on the Chorus bb's.

Is that enough info?

D'ohBoy

I'm pretty sure mileage figures along with the stresses of your Western
Wisconsin hill pounding.

Robin Hubert

Thanks, Robin,

You'll note that I wrote "to complete my post with regard to your
comments" and that in my original post I cited ~15,000 miles on one of
my Chorus bb's over six years.

Regards,

D'ohBoy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can't go Square Taper, because that wouldn't fit the darn
cranks. I thought that they were not compatiable.

Try the American Classic ISIS bb. Or, like I said, get a good square
taper CRANKSET AND BB and avoid this issue altogether. Campy has just
gone to an external bearing so the good stuff is going to be closed out

I can spend $30 for Truvativ versus spending $200 for a new system.
I'm kind of stuck. LBS said that FSA laughed at him when he requested
a RMA #.

--
---
William O'Hara
www.N1ey.com - Amateur Radio and Railfan Blog
www.yahoogroups.com/group/illinoiscentral - premier discussion list re:
ICRR

William O'Hara said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can't go Square Taper, because that wouldn't fit the darn
cranks. I thought that they were not compatiable.

Try the American Classic ISIS bb. Or, like I said, get a good square
taper CRANKSET AND BB and avoid this issue altogether. Campy has just
gone to an external bearing so the good stuff is going to be closed out

I can spend $30 for Truvativ versus spending $200 for a new system.
I'm kind of stuck. LBS said that FSA laughed at him when he requested
a RMA #.

--
---
William O'Hara
www.N1ey.com - Amateur Radio and Railfan Blog
www.yahoogroups.com/group/illinoiscentral - premier discussion list re:
ICRR

Bill,

Just curious: why are you avoiding my suggestion of the American
Classic ISIS bb with replaceable bearings? Your lbs CAN get one (and
if they say they can't, they're liars), and it will cost you a bit
more, but in the long run, you will save time, money and hassle.

D'ohBoy

William O'Hara said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I can't go Square Taper, because that wouldn't fit the darn
cranks. I thought that they were not compatiable.

Try the American Classic ISIS bb. Or, like I said, get a good square
taper CRANKSET AND BB and avoid this issue altogether. Campy has just
gone to an external bearing so the good stuff is going to be closed out

I can spend $30 for Truvativ versus spending $200 for a new system.
I'm kind of stuck. LBS said that FSA laughed at him when he requested
a RMA #.

That sucks, I've returned 2.

-nate