Why is it called a bottom bracket?

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 04:56:50 GMT, "Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> may

have said:

History, anyone?

It's my understanding that the term "bottom bracket" originally referred solely to the large tube
into which the "bottom bracket bearing" was installed, but that the longer term atrophied into its
present usage quite a long while ago. The bearings for a one-piece crank were already commonly
referred to as a "bottom bracket" in the mid-60s; I don't know how far back it goes.

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Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-)

--
Lewis.

.........................

*******************************

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

History, anyone?

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Lewis Campbell said:

Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-) "Phil, Squid-in-Training"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

History, anyone?

The very bottom! That's where any water that gets in does collect, as if in a reservoir. And stays
there if there is no way to leak out.

Sergio Pisa

Lewis Campbell said:

Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-)

Im pretty sure the questionable part is "bracket"... not "bottom". I, too have never heard any other
bearing / spindle / axle type assembly refered to as a "bracket".

Dan Brussee said:

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 06:44:38 -0600, "Lewis Campbell"

Quoted message said:

Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-)

Im pretty sure the questionable part is "bracket"... not "bottom". I, too have never heard any
other bearing / spindle / axle type assembly refered to as a "bracket".

Never mind it is referred to in Italian as Movimento Centrale, I find the 'bracket' terminology
quite appropriate. It is, when referring to the traditional design with separate spindle, balls (or
cages) and cups that close in to make the bearing. A true bracket for the balls.

Sergio Pisa

In Italy it is referred to as the "Central movement" Gotta love the Italians and their love affair
with bikes. Tom

--
Bruni Bicycles "Where art meets science" brunibicycles.com
410.426.3420 Dan Brussee <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Lewis Campbell said:

Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-)

Im pretty sure the questionable part is "bracket"... not "bottom". I, too have never heard any
other bearing / spindle / axle type assembly refered to as a "bracket".

Bruni' may have said:

In Italy it is referred to as the "Central movement" Gotta love the Italians and their love affair
with bikes. Tom

Around here, that term would likely be taken to mean something that would be classified as a
"personal problem".

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contains nuts.

Phil said:

History, anyone?

It is the "bracket" or assembly at the bottom of your bicycle. Not complex, just archaic. I can see
where that might have been the most straightforward way to describe it of you were a Brit in the
mid/late 1800s. I'll leave that speculation to others as I am not convinced of it.

In writing service, we speak of the "crank bearing assembly" which is modern English. People
understand that pretty well in Midwestern America.

Of course if your _purpose_ is to confuse or obfuscate then by all means refer to it as a 'bottom
bracket". Among cyclists this is not an issue at all but with the general public you have to wonder
atthe motive. And sometimes by "bottom bracket", we mean the "outer casing which is part of the
frame" and sometimes we mean the "spindle, cups and bearings".

Similar to your "headset", the "set", or assembly at the front or "head" of your bicycle. Worse in
French , it's the "game of direction" and your French BB is a "pedal box", sometimes a "pedalling
game". The Italians more sesibly call it the "asembly in the middle" but their headset's a "sterzo"
or steerer, same word for the bearing assembly as for the steering column.

And I'll close with this. When I came to the business that was commonly a "hanger" or "hanger
bearing asembly" ( again the same term both for the outer shell which is part of the frame and also
the spindle cups and bearings.)

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

Phil said:

History, anyone?

It is important to understand the need in the English technical language, especially as it relates
to bicycles, to maintain confusion. Since the bracket that supports one's bottom was already called
a saddle, it was decided to not to waste such a good description and use it for the crank bearing
support assembly.

In a similar vein headset used to describe the steerer support bearings since bicycle head gear was
already called a helmet. It's a common misconception that this term has nautical roots.

Marcus

Sergio SERVADIO <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Lewis Campbell said:

Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-) "Phil, Squid-in-Training"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

History, anyone?

The very bottom! That's where any water that gets in does collect, as if in a reservoir. And stays
there if there is no way to leak out.

Whereupon, over time, it turns bottom-brackish.

Peter Storey

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Sergio Servadio

BOn Fri said:

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 06:44:38 -0600, "Lewis Campbell"

Quoted message said:

Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-)

Im pretty sure the questionable part is "bracket"... not "bottom". I, too have never heard any
other bearing / spindle / axle type assembly refered to as a "bracket".

Never mind it is referred to in Italian as Movimento Centrale, I find the 'bracket' terminology
quite appropriate. It is, when referring to the traditional design with separate spindle, balls (or
cages) and cups that close in to make the bearing. A true bracket for the balls.

Sergio Pisa [/B]

In the English language bike jargon, “bottom bracket” is retained on recumbents with its mis-descriptive location.
Singe the bottom bracket is not central on short wheelbase recumbents, do the Italians follow suite and retain the location mis-descriptive name of “Movimento Centrale” on short wheelbase recumbents or have they another term?

When I was a kid I always called it a "crankcase", until I went to a bike shop and asked how much it
would cost to fix the crankcase on my bike. Rod Raisanen Chillicothe, Ohio To reply take out trash

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

History, anyone?

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Rod Raisanen said:

When I was a kid I always called it a "crankcase", until I went to a bike shop and asked how much
it would cost to fix the crankcase on my bike. Rod Raisanen Chillicothe, Ohio

Seriously this time.

Many moons ago when I was a kid in England, I remember a fully enclosed chain guard with just the
crank arm sticking out being referred to as a crankcase.

Marcus

"Rod Raisanen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

When I was a kid I always called it a "crankcase", until I went to a bike shop and asked how much
it would cost to fix the crankcase on my bike.

I once met an old boat-tinkerer complaining of bike trouble. He said something was wrong with his
"stuffing box"...

Matt O.

Werehatrack <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 04:56:50 GMT, "Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]> may

have said:

History, anyone?

It's my understanding that the term "bottom bracket" originally referred solely to the large tube
into which the "bottom bracket bearing" was installed, but that the longer term atrophied into its
present usage quite a long while ago. The bearings for a one-piece crank were already commonly
referred to as a "bottom bracket" in the mid-60s; I don't know how far back it goes.

Dear Werehatrack,

I liked your explanation best, so I chopped it up a few days ago and tossed it into a nearby pool
infested with savage word freaks:

forums.delphiforums.commessagesOpen ↗

They've chewed it over a bit, but so far no one has found any fault with your etymology.

Samuel Johnson

Carl Fogel said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

History, anyone?

Quoted message said:

I liked your explanation best, so I chopped it up a few days ago and tossed it into a nearby pool
infested with savage word freaks:

forums.delphiforums.commessagesOpen ↗

They've chewed it over a bit, but so far no one has found any fault with your etymology.

The "bottom" in bottom bracket doesn't seem to give anyone trouble.

A brief look at Webster's Online reveals that the word "bracket" comes from the Middle French
"braguette" (codpiece). Upon seeing a careless arrangement of a crankbearing's cups and spindle and
any Frenchman might have named it thus. 64.70.205.200braguette.jpgOpen ↗

-------------------------------
John Dacey Business Cycles, Miami, Florida Now in our twenty-first year. Our catalog of track
equipment: eighth year online. businesscycles.combusinesscycles.comOpen ↗

John Dacey <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Carl Fogel said:

Quoted message said:

>History, anyone?

Quoted message said:

I liked your explanation best, so I chopped it up a few days ago and tossed it into a nearby pool
infested with savage word freaks:

forums.delphiforums.commessagesOpen ↗

They've chewed it over a bit, but so far no one has found any fault with your etymology.

The "bottom" in bottom bracket doesn't seem to give anyone trouble.

A brief look at Webster's Online reveals that the word "bracket" comes from the Middle French
"braguette" (codpiece). Upon seeing a careless arrangement of a crankbearing's cups and spindle
and any Frenchman might have named it thus. 64.70.205.200braguette.jpgOpen ↗

-------------------------------
John Dacey

Dear John,

A bit of a back-formation, but no pun-lover can argue with that.

Carl Fogel