Cycling Equipment · Public discussion

Replacing cartridge bearings on outboard type bottom brackets

Started by Email address hidden · · Last activity · 45 posts · 1,832 views

Thread navigation

Jump through the discussion

Go to the original post, the replies on this page, or the latest preserved contribution.

Thread details

What we know about this thread

Original section
Cycling Equipment
Published
23 July 2007
Last activity
12 August 2007
Original author
Email address hidden
Posts
45
Discussion status
Public discussion
Total views
1,832
Views / 30 days
24

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

Showing posts 1–20 of 45
Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Text size
  1. I have an FSA Mega-Exo crank and bottom bracket on my bike.
    The bearings are beginning to sound a bit dodgy on riders, especially
    after about two hours of riding. I see lots of companies offering
    replacement bearings, in steel and ceramic for these outboards style
    bottom brackets.

    However, it looks like a special tool is required to remove and
    replace the cartridges.
    Is this tool absolutely necessary? Has anyone pulled the cartridges
    and replaced them with, for example, the bearings available from
    Enduro?

    I'm pretty comfortable with working on bikes. I used to have the Dura
    Ace bottom bracket and thought nothing of pulling it and tearing it
    down for an overhaul.

    John Rees

  2. email hidden said:

    I have an FSA Mega-Exo crank and bottom bracket on my bike.
    The bearings are beginning to sound a bit dodgy on riders, especially
    after about two hours of riding. I see lots of companies offering
    replacement bearings, in steel and ceramic for these outboards style
    bottom brackets.

    However, it looks like a special tool is required to remove and
    replace the cartridges.
    Is this tool absolutely necessary? Has anyone pulled the cartridges
    and replaced them with, for example, the bearings available from
    Enduro?

    You need a spanner to get the cups off, either a Park BBT-9 or one
    from the FSA website:
    http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=estore&taxid=228&pid=404

    Next you have to carefully pry off the bearing covers, which break
    easily. If you do break them, buy up a supply at FSA:
    http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=estore&taxid=228&pid=398

    In order to get the cartridges out of the cups, my tools are low tech:
    a wooden vice (in order not to mar the cups), an old 27.2 mm dia.
    seatpost and a rubber mallet. Once the cups are snug in the vice
    (enough to hold it, but not to deform it), place the seatpost into the
    cup, give it a firm whack with the mallet, and the cartridge will pop
    out (place a waste basket with a towel in it below the vice to catch
    it).

    I buy cartridge bearings either on e-bay or direct from a company like
    Boca:
    http://www.bocabearings.com/main1.aspx?p=product&id=10412&n=*BRK-002RS

    The bearings go back into the cups with another whack of the mallet.

    All this b.s. is a good reason why the new Trek Madone frame, with it
    "integrated bottom bracket" and the ability to install cartridges by
    hand directly in the frame, without tools, not to mention cups or any
    bb at all, makes a ton of sense.

  3. Doug Taylor said:

    On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:04:48 -0700, "[email hidden]"

    Quoted message said:

    I have an FSA Mega-Exo crank and bottom bracket on my bike.
    The bearings are beginning to sound a bit dodgy on riders, especially
    after about two hours of riding. I see lots of companies offering
    replacement bearings, in steel and ceramic for these outboards style
    bottom brackets.

    Quoted message said:

    However, it looks like a special tool is required to remove and
    replace the cartridges.
    Is this tool absolutely necessary? Has anyone pulled the cartridges
    and replaced them with, for example, the bearings available from
    Enduro?

    You need a spanner to get the cups off, either a Park BBT-9 or one
    from the FSA website:http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=estore&taxid=228&pid=404

    Next you have to carefully pry off the bearing covers, which break
    easily. If you do break them, buy up a supply at FSA:http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=estore&taxid=228&pid=398

    In order to get the cartridges out of the cups, my tools are low tech:
    a wooden vice (in order not to mar the cups), an old 27.2 mm dia.
    seatpost and a rubber mallet. Once the cups are snug in the vice
    (enough to hold it, but not to deform it), place the seatpost into the
    cup, give it a firm whack with the mallet, and the cartridge will pop
    out (place a waste basket with a towel in it below the vice to catch
    it).

    I buy cartridge bearings either on e-bay or direct from a company like
    Boca:http://www.bocabearings.com/main1.aspx?p=product&id=10412&n=*BRK-002RS

    The bearings go back into the cups with another whack of the mallet.

    All this b.s. is a good reason why the new Trek Madone frame, with it
    "integrated bottom bracket" and the ability to install cartridges by
    hand directly in the frame, without tools, not to mention cups or any
    bb at all, makes a ton of sense.

    Yep, let's re-design BB shells to compensate for [censored] poor BB design
    and worse- than-[censored] poor bearings. Fits right in with other modern
    design trends.

  4. Quoted post said:

    I have an FSA Mega-Exo crank and bottom bracket on my bike.
    The bearings are beginning to sound a bit dodgy on riders, especially
    after about two hours of riding. I see lots of companies offering
    replacement bearings, in steel and ceramic for these outboards style
    bottom brackets.

    However, it looks like a special tool is required to remove and
    replace the cartridges.
    Is this tool absolutely necessary? Has anyone pulled the cartridges
    and replaced them with, for example, the bearings available from
    Enduro?

    I'm pretty comfortable with working on bikes. I used to have the Dura
    Ace bottom bracket and thought nothing of pulling it and tearing it
    down for an overhaul.

    John Rees

    Phil Wood makes a toolkit and nice bearings..I don't know of another
    tool kit but I'm sure it isn't that tough. FSA bearings are the best
    in the world AND don't waste your $ on ceramic..not worth the $
    either, IMO.

  5. Doug Taylor said:

    On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:04:48 -0700, "[email hidden]"

    Quoted message said:

    I have an FSA Mega-Exo crank and bottom bracket on my bike.
    The bearings are beginning to sound a bit dodgy on riders, especially
    after about two hours of riding. I see lots of companies offering
    replacement bearings, in steel and ceramic for these outboards style
    bottom brackets.

    Quoted message said:

    However, it looks like a special tool is required to remove and
    replace the cartridges.
    Is this tool absolutely necessary? Has anyone pulled the cartridges
    and replaced them with, for example, the bearings available from
    Enduro?

    You need a spanner to get the cups off, either a Park BBT-9 or one
    from the FSA website:http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=estore&taxid=228&pid=404

    Next you have to carefully pry off the bearing covers, which break
    easily. If you do break them, buy up a supply at FSA:http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=estore&taxid=228&pid=398

    In order to get the cartridges out of the cups, my tools are low tech:
    a wooden vice (in order not to mar the cups), an old 27.2 mm dia.
    seatpost and a rubber mallet. Once the cups are snug in the vice
    (enough to hold it, but not to deform it), place the seatpost into the
    cup, give it a firm whack with the mallet, and the cartridge will pop
    out (place a waste basket with a towel in it below the vice to catch
    it).

    I buy cartridge bearings either on e-bay or direct from a company like
    Boca:http://www.bocabearings.com/main1.aspx?p=product&id=10412&n=*BRK-002RS

    The bearings go back into the cups with another whack of the mallet.

    All this b.s. is a good reason why the new Trek Madone frame, with it
    "integrated bottom bracket" and the ability to install cartridges by
    hand directly in the frame, without tools, not to mention cups or any
    bb at all, makes a ton of sense.

    Yep, as long as youi have a outboard bearing type crank...Lots of DA,
    Ultegra, Campag, FSA, Truvativ, etc., non outboard bearing cranks
    that cannot be installed.

  6. On Jul 24, 7:42 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>
    wrote:

    <snipped>

    - on BB bearings -

    Quoted message said:

    FSA bearings are the best
    in the world

    ??they are??

  7. Qui si parla Campagnolo said:
    Quoted message said:

    All this b.s. is a good reason why the new Trek Madone frame, with it
    "integrated bottom bracket" and the ability to install cartridges by
    hand directly in the frame, without tools, not to mention cups or any
    bb at all, makes a ton of sense.

    Yep, as long as youi have a outboard bearing type crank...Lots of DA,
    Ultegra, Campag, FSA, Truvativ, etc., non outboard bearing cranks
    that cannot be installed.

    That's a non sequitur. If you have a new Madone, or a new Madone
    frame, you have a new crank, which will be outboard bearing. And,
    you are not limited to a particular brand.

    As to servicing outboard bearing bbs: I posted my low tech version
    of removing and installing bearing cartridges from and into the cups.

    Enduro sells tools which work better than my feeble jury rigging:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/reviews/enduro_bearing_tool

    For a mere $112 I can own this tool:
    http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/TL8901

    Explain to me again why Trek's innovation of eliminating the cups -
    indeed, the bottom bracket - the multiple tools, the hassle, the
    expense, the weight for god's sake - is a bad idea?

    You install the bearings by hand and the crank with one freaking allen
    wrench. Period.

    Why would I want any frame which has threads and requires a bottom
    bracket, a crankset, and a bunch of tools? Not to mention having to
    get the threads faced if I want an outboard bearing crank.

    Maybe as a bike shop owner you have a vested interest in preventing us
    amateurs from wrenching our own bikes?

  8. Ozark Bicycle said:

    On Jul 24, 7:42 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>
    wrote:

    <snipped>

    - on BB bearings -

    Quoted message said:

    FSA bearings are the best
    in the world

    ??they are??

    Gee, and to think I just tossed my FSA ISIS BB because the bearings
    would barely turn and sounded like I was crushing a box of cornflakes
    when they did. FSA also does not support any non-outboard BB.

    Sure, the Madone will not take a standard bottom bracket, which these
    days means a standard ISIS or Octalink bottom bracket -- which is a
    flawed design with too small bearings that are doomed to failure.
    IMO, you either go with square drive, quarter-inch bearing BB or you
    go with outboard (or the Madone outboard/inboard approach). -- Jay
    Beattie.

  9. Ozark Bicycle said:

    On Jul 24, 7:42 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>
    wrote:

    <snipped>

    - on BB bearings -

    Quoted message said:

    FSA bearings are the best
    in the world

    ??they are??

    Oppps, 'aren't' the best, is what i meant...

  10. Doug Taylor said:

    On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:44:32 -0000, Qui si parla Campagnolo

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    All this b.s. is a good reason why the new Trek Madone frame, with it
    "integrated bottom bracket" and the ability to install cartridges by
    hand directly in the frame, without tools, not to mention cups or any
    bb at all, makes a ton of sense.

    Quoted message said:

    Yep, as long as youi have a outboard bearing type crank...Lots of DA,
    Ultegra, Campag, FSA, Truvativ, etc., non outboard bearing cranks
    that cannot be installed.

    That's a non sequitur. If you have a new Madone, or a new Madone
    frame, you have a new crank, which will be outboard bearing. And,
    you are not limited to a particular brand.

    Why would that be? No frame only sales??

    Quoted message said:


    As to servicing outboard bearing bbs: I posted my low tech version
    of removing and installing bearing cartridges from and into the cups.

    Enduro sells tools which work better than my feeble jury rigging:http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/reviews/enduro_beari...

    For a mere $112 I can own this tool:http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/TL8901

    Explain to me again why Trek's innovation of eliminating the cups -
    indeed, the bottom bracket - the multiple tools, the hassle, the
    expense, the weight for god's sake - is a bad idea?

    Not a fan of anything that takes decsisions away from thew rider.

    Quoted message said:


    You install the bearings by hand and the crank with one freaking allen
    wrench. Period.

    Depends on the crank..many(most) use more than one freaking allen
    wrench.

    Quoted message said:


    Why would I want any frame which has threads and requires a bottom
    bracket, a crankset, and a bunch of tools? Not to mention having to
    get the threads faced if I want an outboard bearing crank.

    Bunch of tools? Even with a DA 7800 crank there are only 2 needed and
    one comes with the crank.

    Quoted message said:


    Maybe as a bike shop owner you have a vested interest in preventing us
    amateurs from wrenching our own bikes?

    I don't like it when a customer wants to do something but the
    'industry' makes it hard or impossible to do.
    Don't sell Treks, don't want to but it will be a shame when somebody
    wants that oberframe, already has a Record carbon crank(square taper-
    nice crank) or a Campagnolo triple(nice cranks) but can't use it. It
    has nothing to do with ease of maintanence and believe ot or not, most
    bike owners/riders prefer to not work on their own bikes.

  11. On Jul 25, 7:04 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>

    Quoted message said:

    On Jul 24, 7:03 am, Ozark Bicycle

    Quoted message said:

    On Jul 24, 7:42 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>
    wrote:

    Quoted message said:

    <snipped>

    Quoted message said:

    - on BB bearings -

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    FSA bearings are the best
    in the world

    Quoted message said:

    ??they are??

    Oppps, 'aren't' the best, is what i meant...

    I thought so....IMO, FSA bearings are fit for the LawnBoy, but not a
    quality bicycle.

  12. On Jul 25, 7:11 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>

    Quoted message said:
    Doug Taylor said:

    On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:44:32 -0000, Qui si parla Campagnolo

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    > All this b.s. is a good reason why the new Trek Madone frame, with it
    > "integrated bottom bracket" and the ability to install cartridges by
    > hand directly in the frame, without tools, not to mention cups or any
    > bb at all, makes a ton of sense.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Yep, as long as youi have a outboard bearing type crank...Lots of DA,
    Ultegra, Campag, FSA, Truvativ, etc., non outboard bearing cranks
    that cannot be installed.

    Quoted message said:

    That's a non sequitur. If you have a new Madone, or a new Madone
    frame, you have a new crank, which will be outboard bearing. And,
    you are not limited to a particular brand.

    Why would that be? No frame only sales??

    Quoted message said:

    As to servicing outboard bearing bbs: I posted my low tech version
    of removing and installing bearing cartridges from and into the cups.

    Quoted message said:

    Enduro sells tools which work better than my feeble jury rigging:http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/reviews/enduro_beari...

    Quoted message said:

    For a mere $112 I can own this tool:http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/TL8901

    Quoted message said:

    Explain to me again why Trek's innovation of eliminating the cups -
    indeed, the bottom bracket - the multiple tools, the hassle, the
    expense, the weight for god's sake - is a bad idea?

    Not a fan of anything that takes decsisions away from thew rider.

    Quoted message said:

    You install the bearings by hand and the crank with one freaking allen
    wrench. Period.

    Depends on the crank..many(most) use more than one freaking allen
    wrench.

    Quoted message said:

    Why would I want any frame which has threads and requires a bottom
    bracket, a crankset, and a bunch of tools? Not to mention having to
    get the threads faced if I want an outboard bearing crank.

    Bunch of tools? Even with a DA 7800 crank there are only 2 needed and
    one comes with the crank.

    Quoted message said:

    Maybe as a bike shop owner you have a vested interest in preventing us
    amateurs from wrenching our own bikes?

    I don't like it when a customer wants to do something but the
    'industry' makes it hard or impossible to do.
    Don't sell Treks, don't want to but it will be a shame when somebody
    wants that oberframe, already has a Record carbon crank(square taper-
    nice crank) or a Campagnolo triple(nice cranks) but can't use it. It
    has nothing to do with ease of maintanence and believe ot or not, most
    bike owners/riders prefer to not work on their own bikes.

    The design of the Madone BB shell is intended to ease production line
    bicycle assembly, lower parts costs and, as an additional "benefit',
    lower the weight. Anyone who thinks Trek was concerned about ease of
    BB service is being *incredibly* naive.

    And, of course, these WunderBikes will be absolutely useless in the
    future if the current 'pipe style' BB designs are replaced with
    something !!!NEW!!!

  13. Qui si parla Campagnolo said:
    Quoted message said:

    That's a non sequitur. If you have a new Madone, or a new Madone
    frame, you have a new crank, which will be outboard bearing. And,
    you are not limited to a particular brand.

    Why would that be? No frame only sales??

    What part of "new Madone, or a new Madone frame" blew past you? Either
    way, you get anew outboard bearing crank.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    You install the bearings by hand and the crank with one freaking allen
    wrench. Period.

    Depends on the crank..many(most) use more than one freaking allen
    wrench.

    Let's see. Mine also has a fixing screw, but it stays in place. Some
    have pinch bolts. My point was no threads, no cups, no tool needed
    for the cups, no labor to install or remove.

  14. Ozark Bicycle said:


    The design of the Madone BB shell is intended to ease production line
    bicycle assembly, lower parts costs and, as an additional "benefit',
    lower the weight. Anyone who thinks Trek was concerned about ease of
    BB service is being *incredibly* naive.

    I'm incredibly naive. I read their literature:

    http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/efficiency/#more

    I'd rather be incredibly naive than a wool jersey wearing retrogrouch.

    I agree with Lennard Zinn and will make you a bet: in 3 years, every
    manufacturer will copy this integrated bb design, the same way they
    did integrated headsets. Loser buys the winner a frame (I can get the
    one you want at a garage sale).

  15. Doug Taylor said:

    On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 06:25:47 -0700, Ozark Bicycle

    Quoted message said:

    The design of the Madone BB shell is intended to ease production line
    bicycle assembly, lower parts costs and, as an additional "benefit',
    lower the weight. Anyone who thinks Trek was concerned about ease of
    BB service is being *incredibly* naive.

    I'm incredibly naive.

    Yep.

    Quoted message said:

    I read their literature:

    http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/efficiency/#more

    What do you expect them to say?? Something like: "We did this to lower
    our parts and labor costs. The fact that the frame might be absolutely
    useless in the future is of no concern to us. In fact, it probably
    means we get to sell all you credulous morons a new frame sooner
    rather than later." ???

    Quoted message said:


    I'd rather be incredibly naive than a wool jersey wearing retrogrouch.

    I agree with Lennard Zinn and will make you a bet: in 3 years, every
    manufacturer will copy this integrated bb design, the same way they
    did integrated headsets.

    And integrated headsets were widely adopted as a benefit to the
    consumer, right?

    Wanna buy a bridge? You'll earn the purchase price back in no time by
    charging tolls! Cash only. 'tho...... and no receipt, but we'll send
    the title in the mail at a later date.

    Quoted message said:

    Loser buys the winner a frame (I can get the
    one you want at a garage sale).

  16. Ozark Bicycle said:

    On Jul 25, 7:04 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>

    Quoted message said:

    On Jul 24, 7:03 am, Ozark Bicycle

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    On Jul 24, 7:42 am, Qui si parla Campagnolo <[email hidden]>
    wrote:

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    <snipped>

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    - on BB bearings -

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    > FSA bearings are the best
    > in the world

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    ??they are??

    Quoted message said:

    Oppps, 'aren't' the best, is what i meant...

    I thought so....IMO, FSA bearings are fit for the LawnBoy, but not a
    quality bicycle.- Hide quoted text -

    - Show quoted text -

    Sort of off topic. But does FSA have their name/decal stamped/glued
    to anything of good quality from their southeast asian sources?

  17. Ozark Bicycle said:
    Quoted message said:

    http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/efficiency/#more

    What do you expect them to say?? Something like: "We did this to lower
    our parts and labor costs. The fact that the frame might be absolutely
    useless in the future is of no concern to us. In fact, it probably
    means we get to sell all you credulous morons a new frame sooner
    rather than later." ???

    Who cares what they SAY? Any cretin (except apparently one from the
    Ozarks) can look at the pretty photos and figure out that the design
    is simpler, more elegant, lighter, and requires less parts than any
    standard bb.

    And how do figure the frame could ever become useless? There are no
    threads, it requires no bb, it fits most (all?) outboard bearing
    cranks. Are you on crack or just retarded?

  18. Quoted message said:
    Ozark Bicycle said:
    Quoted message said:

    http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/efficiency/#more


    What do you expect them to say?? Something like: "We did this to lower
    our parts and labor costs. The fact that the frame might be absolutely
    useless in the future is of no concern to us. In fact, it probably
    means we get to sell all you credulous morons a new frame sooner
    rather than later." ???



    Doug Taylor said:

    Who cares what they SAY? Any cretin (except apparently one from the
    Ozarks) can look at the pretty photos and figure out that the design
    is simpler, more elegant, lighter, and requires less parts than any
    standard bb.
    And how do figure the frame could ever become useless? There are no
    threads, it requires no bb, it fits most (all?) outboard bearing
    cranks. Are you on crack or just retarded?

    Perhaps he's a former Lambert-Viscount-Trusty owner ( New! Improved
    press-in BB! New lighter thinwall tube construction! New cast aluminum
    fork!)
    Perhaps he had a 9/16" stem Klein bike (new! improved!)
    Maybe an EVO quill fork? (New! Improved! More rigid!)
    Maybe a version I Shimano spline BB?(Sir, that noise your tandem BB can
    be rectified for about $350)

    Many riders are reasonably cynical about 'improvements' from FFS-PPS to
    press-in BB systems.

    Surely, as many riders will pay extra for new untested products as avoid
    them and so progress marches, Schumpeter-like, onward. Write back in ten
    years to see how these Treks work out. If no one ever danced outside
    accepted proven designs we'd never get anywhere.
    --
    Andrew Muzi
    www.yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971

  19. A Muzi said:
    Quoted message said:
    Ozark Bicycle said:

    >http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/efficiency/#more
    What do you expect them to say?? Something like: "We did this to lower
    our parts and labor costs. The fact that the frame might be absolutely
    useless in the future is of no concern to us. In fact, it probably
    means we get to sell all you credulous morons a new frame sooner
    rather than later." ???

    Doug Taylor said:

    Who cares what they SAY? Any cretin (except apparently one from the
    Ozarks) can look at the pretty photos and figure out that the design
    is simpler, more elegant, lighter, and requires less parts than any
    standard bb.
    And how do figure the frame could ever become useless? There are no
    threads, it requires no bb, it fits most (all?) outboard bearing
    cranks. Are you on crack or just retarded?

    Perhaps he's a former Lambert-Viscount-Trusty owner ( New! Improved
    press-in BB! New lighter thinwall tube construction! New cast aluminum
    fork!)
    Perhaps he had a 9/16" stem Klein bike (new! improved!)
    Maybe an EVO quill fork? (New! Improved! More rigid!)
    Maybe a version I Shimano spline BB?(Sir, that noise your tandem BB can
    be rectified for about $350)

    Many riders are reasonably cynical about 'improvements' from FFS-PPS to
    press-in BB systems.

    Surely, as many riders will pay extra for new untested products as avoid
    them and so progress marches, Schumpeter-like, onward. Write back in ten
    years to see how these Treks work out. If no one ever danced outside
    accepted proven designs we'd never get anywhere.

    I don't think it is so dire for two reasons: (1) the Madone relies on
    the dominant technology -- the two piece crank, and (2) the frame uses
    common sized cartridge bearings. With all the other novelties you
    mention, if it breaks, your're screwed unless the manufacture has a
    replacement sitting around in a store room or a museum. If the
    bearings [censored] out on the Trek, you go to your local bearing shop and
    order up some replacements. Probably cheaper than buying replacements
    for standard outboard cups. And more importantly, you don't land on
    your face if the bearings break, like with the Viscount fork.

    Trek has a lifetime warranty on its frame and it will be around in to
    the foreseeable future. If I were going to take a chance, it would be
    on a Trek. But the Madone does not appear to be all that chancy since
    it uses pretty common stuff. -- Jay Beattie.

  20. Jay Beattie said:
    A Muzi said:
    Quoted message said:

    Ozark Bicycle <[email hidden]> wrote:
    >>http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/efficiency/#more
    > What do you expect them to say?? Something like: "We did this to lower
    > our parts and labor costs. The fact that the frame might be absolutely
    > useless in the future is of no concern to us. In fact, it probably
    > means we get to sell all you credulous morons a new frame sooner
    > rather than later." ???

    Quoted message said:
    Doug Taylor said:

    Who cares what they SAY? Any cretin (except apparently one from the
    Ozarks) can look at the pretty photos and figure out that the design
    is simpler, more elegant, lighter, and requires less parts than any
    standard bb.
    And how do figure the frame could ever become useless? There are no
    threads, it requires no bb, it fits most (all?) outboard bearing
    cranks. Are you on crack or just retarded?

    Quoted message said:

    Perhaps he's a former Lambert-Viscount-Trusty owner ( New! Improved
    press-in BB! New lighter thinwall tube construction! New cast aluminum
    fork!)
    Perhaps he had a 9/16" stem Klein bike (new! improved!)
    Maybe an EVO quill fork? (New! Improved! More rigid!)
    Maybe a version I Shimano spline BB?(Sir, that noise your tandem BB can
    be rectified for about $350)

    Quoted message said:

    Many riders are reasonably cynical about 'improvements' from FFS-PPS to
    press-in BB systems.

    Quoted message said:

    Surely, as many riders will pay extra for new untested products as avoid
    them and so progress marches, Schumpeter-like, onward. Write back in ten
    years to see how these Treks work out. If no one ever danced outside
    accepted proven designs we'd never get anywhere.

    I don't think it is so dire for two reasons: (1) the Madone relies on
    the dominant technology -- the two piece crank

    Hot too many years ago, either Octalink or ISIS would have appeared to
    be "the dominant technology", right? What was that you were recently
    told by FSA regarding ISIS BBs?

    At least both Octalink and ISIS used standard BB dimensions. Imagine
    if someone had designed a frame to only accept Octalink or ISIS
    spindles.....what would that frame be worth at this time?

    Quoted message said:

    , and (2) the frame uses
    common sized cartridge bearings. With all the other novelties you
    mention, if it breaks, your're screwed unless the manufacture has a
    replacement sitting around in a store room or a museum. If the
    bearings [censored] out on the Trek, you go to your local bearing shop and
    order up some replacements. Probably cheaper than buying replacements
    for standard outboard cups. And more importantly, you don't land on
    your face if the bearings break, like with the Viscount fork.

    But, someone has to be in the business of making the now current pipe
    style BB cranks. If not, the frame is useless.

    Quoted message said:


    Trek has a lifetime warranty on its frame and it will be around in to
    the foreseeable future. If I were going to take a chance, it would be
    on a Trek. But the Madone does not appear to be all that chancy since
    it uses pretty common stuff. -- Jay Beattie.- Hide quoted text -

    - Show quoted text -

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.