kevin_cambs_uk
Guru
- Location
- Near Cambridge
Still in the same BB after at least 14,000 miles, been serviced a couple of times that all
Bottom Bracket
- Thread starter AdamBlade
- Start date
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Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
Cheers guys thanks for the advice. I will check to make sure that it is not any other part before I bother with the BB. If it is the BB I am guessing that I need a crank removal tool, and a BB tool. when the BB is installed should it be at a certain torque?
leyton condor
Veteran
- Location
- London
I had a campag veloce BB for 10 years at about 2,500 miles per year.
I'm building a bike from scratch at the moment - mainly from ebay parts... Quite a learning curve but I've got the ear of a local mechanic that can help.
BB cartridges are a mixed bunch, you can get ridiculously cheap ones - or really nice expensive ones. But with them all, oiling is pointless - if it is the BB that's gone, it needs replacing. If oil can get past the seal, then so can water and other road cr*p.
If it's an old fashioned spindle and bearings BB, then it's a simple job to repack and tighten it up - provided you can get the tools.
Alternatively, you might have a modern external bearing BB (with the big exteranal bearing cups screwed onto the outside of the BB). In which case, the face of the BB itself may be a factor too if the bearing is wearing too quick.
BB cartridges are a mixed bunch, you can get ridiculously cheap ones - or really nice expensive ones. But with them all, oiling is pointless - if it is the BB that's gone, it needs replacing. If oil can get past the seal, then so can water and other road cr*p.
If it's an old fashioned spindle and bearings BB, then it's a simple job to repack and tighten it up - provided you can get the tools.
Alternatively, you might have a modern external bearing BB (with the big exteranal bearing cups screwed onto the outside of the BB). In which case, the face of the BB itself may be a factor too if the bearing is wearing too quick.
2Loose
Guru
- Location
- Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Noises seemingly from the BB often aren't. If there is no play in the cranks and they rotate smoothly when pedalled backwards, then there is a good chance that it is something else making the noise.
Creaking seatposts, stems, even cable housings creaking in the cable stops are often the real cause. These can be sorted easily with a bit of grease at the joints. All of them only make a noise under pedalling load...and it is difficult to pinpoint while moving, so the assumption is generally the BB as it is related to pedalling.
A cartridge BB should do well in excess of 10K miles unless you are very unlucky.
Creaking seatposts, stems, even cable housings creaking in the cable stops are often the real cause. These can be sorted easily with a bit of grease at the joints. All of them only make a noise under pedalling load...and it is difficult to pinpoint while moving, so the assumption is generally the BB as it is related to pedalling.
A cartridge BB should do well in excess of 10K miles unless you are very unlucky.
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
I gave the bike a could clean this weekend. On my commute to work this morning everything was fine the creaking noise was not there. However after around 8 miles it started again. I stopped the bike and lifted the rear wheel off the ground and pedalled it as hard as I could in top gear so I could put my ear closer to the noise. When doing this it became apparent that the noise was coming from the rear wheel hub/cassette area not the BB. God knows what it is.
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
Remove wheel, check hub bearings, if any play or grittyness and they are conventional cup/cone bearings, they can be adjusted with cone spanners. Is cassette on firmly? no play?.
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
Cheers Pete, I will check this when I get home. I think I really need to start buying some cycle tools, I have plenty of car stuff so maybe I will have spanners that fit.
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
I just went to the bike shed and checked both the hub for play and the cassette. The hub is fine, but the cassette has noticeable lateral play, it is obviously loose or something is faulty. To tighten the cassette am I right in thinking that I will need a cassette removal tool and a chain whip? Thanks for the advice by the way it is great to be able to identify the fault.