Bottom bracket

[billy1561]

My bottom bracket needs replacing i've been told by LBS.
They'll do it for £40
Does that sound about right? I've really no idea what the cost would usually be and i don't have the tools or the know how to do it myself.
My current BB is a press fit.

Thanks

 

[Cubist]

A quick google suggests they cost around the £30-£35 mark online, so £40 fitted would be fair enough.The tools to fit them would cost about that as well, so unless you intend to do many of them I'd suggest the LBS gets the vote.

 

[billy1561]

No it's not my intention to fit them regularly although at some point in the future maybe..LBS advised me that they probably need replacing or regreasing at least annually due to british weather. I guess that also depends on the amount of mileage. I have done just over 2000 miles in 9 months on that particular bike.
Thanks

 

[Tim Hall]

Annually? I'd try a different shop. What sort of bottom bracket is it? Square taper sealed bottom brackets, say Shimano UN55 for example are twenty quid or so, last a lot longer than one year and don't need regreasing. Of course if you have some boutique bit of kit things may be different. I know nothing about external bearing BBs.

 

[billy1561]

Annually? I'd try a different shop. What sort of bottom bracket is it? Square taper sealed bottom brackets, say Shimano UN55 for example are twenty quid or so, last a lot longer than one year and don't need regreasing. Of course if you have some boutique bit of kit things may be different. I know nothing about external bearing BBs.

As far as i can work out its an fsa megaexo press fit. I heard annually from 2 different places now Tim.

 

[gwhite]

No it's not my intention to fit them regularly although at some point in the future maybe..LBS advised me that they probably need replacing or regreasing at least annually due to british weather. I guess that also depends on the amount of mileage. I have done just over 2000 miles in 9 months on that particular bike.
Thanks

I would imagine that you must have outboard bearings if the shop spoke of replacing these annually. However as said, these do not require re-greasing and are easy to fit. The traditional square taper will last much longer than this without attention but outboard bearings are brilliantly situated so as to get the benefits of our foul weather and road muck.

 

[accountantpete]

Have a look at the video.



You would just need to buy two tools (assuming you have a hammer) and have a bit of nerve when giving the first tool a bit of a whack - but then you are saving £40 and a whole load of time every time you replace them after that.

I'm a cheapskate and make my own tools- it's not that hard.

 

[Cubist]

Have a look at the video.



You would just need to buy two tools (assuming you have a hammer) and have a bit of nerve when giving the first tool a bit of a whack - but then you are saving £40 and a whole load of time every time you replace them after that.

I'm a cheapskate and make my own tools- it's not that hard.

I read the post as if the £40 included the parts, in which case he'll only be saving about a tenner. The drift will cost about £20 and the press at least £25, so it will take him until year 4 to get back the cost of the tools.

 

[billy1561]

I read the post as if the £40 included the parts, in which case he'll only be saving about a tenner. The drift will cost about £20 and the press at least £25, so it will take him until year 4 to get back the cost of the tools.

Yep parts inclusive i was informed.

 

[billy1561]

Agreed a price of £35 parts and labour for an ultegra bb from shop i bought the bike from.

 

[billy1561]

Was fitted a month ago and was great. Tonights ride has started to worry me as i can hear it grinding again when under load

 

[Saluki]

My new bottom bracket was £13.99 and my LBS fitted it when they serviced my bike. £40 sounds a lot to me.

 

[albion]

Bike sounds are always hard to locate.

It might just be the rear hub that needs greasing.

 

[I like Skol]

I don't get it with all these modern format BBs. All you hear are people moaning about short lifespan and repeated problems/high price. The Shimano tapered axle cartridge BB (like UN54/55) appears to be the pinnacle in relation to price, ease of installation, reliability and life span. So why have all the manufacturers moved away from a proven concept? The cynic in me suggests they weren't making enough money from selling such super reliable gear!

When was the last time you heard of someone being disappointed with a UN55?

 

[billy1561]

Well bike is provisionally booked in for a check of the bb tomorrow but in the mean time i've removed and cleaned the cleats and added a dab of grease to the threads. Next i'm going to swop over the peddles to another pair i've been meaning to use for a while. Then, i'm giving it one last shot on a local hill to see if it is actually the bb (which i still suspect it is) then at least i've removed some other possibilities from the equasion.