Bottom brackets - advice required

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pubrunner

Legendary Member
Hi there,
I'm looking to buy a square taper JIS bottom bracket;
size 68mm X 119 or 120mm. This would be to go in a 753 steel frame.
The only options that I've found are :

a) Acor bottom bracket

:biggrin: Stronglight JP400 in steel (a few pounds more for a lighter one with alloy cups)

c) Shimano UN54

All of these retail for about £15 - price isn't an issue.

What I would like to know is:

Are any of these to be recommended or avoided ?

Can anyone recommend any other BB which is significantly better ? (Does anyone have anything better that they'd wish to sell ?)

Are there any problems with using alloy cups in a steel frame ?

Thank you for any advice/info.
 

Steve Austin

The Marmalade Kid
Location
Mlehworld
The Shimano BB's are pretty much indestructable ime. I use one on my commuter and it must be 10 years old
 

Landslide

Rare Migrant
Use copper grease to avoid seizing when you install it.

As Steve says, the Shimano ones are fit, forget........................................:smile:
Unless you're unlucky and get a dud, in which case it'll probably last less than a year, at which point I'd be taking it back to the shop.
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
I researched a little while ago. Certainly read a few uncomplimentary things about the JP400. So although I was fitting a Stronglight branded chainset I went with a UN54. No complaints so far - although I hate the fact that the left cup is plastic.

I've also used a Tange BB on another bike - ... has a metal L/H cup... not enough miles on that to judge how good, but they seem popular with the fixed crowd (with shorter spindles of course). There's an ebay seller that does all the different lengths - although they all seem to jump from 118mm to 122.5mm
 

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
porkypete said:
I researched a little while ago. Certainly read a few uncomplimentary things about the JP400. So although I was fitting a Stronglight branded chainset I went with a UN54. No complaints so far - although I hate the fact that the left cup is plastic.
Yep.

do take care fitting the plastic cup - the splines get chewed up surprisingly easy. Cleaning the bb shell properly & greasing is a must.
 

snailracer

Über Member
Plastic cups are better than metal cups - won't seize, lighter, prevents damage to the BB threads in case of overtightening, won't creak.
 

gwhite

Über Member
snailracer said:
Plastic cups are better than metal cups - won't seize, lighter, prevents damage to the BB threads in case of overtightening, won't creak.

All true and they after a year or two, tend to splinter as you attempt to remove them.
 

gwhite

Über Member
accountantpete said:
I use an external bearing based BB - much better IMHO.

Better in what way? Certainly they don't seem as durable as inboard bearings but are a bit lighter I suppose, although what matters few grams. Quite a bit of drag also as I found when I ditched my new FSA chainset and returned to an old-fashioned cup and cone Campag Record BB combined with a Chorus triple chainset.
 
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