Bottom braket failure shortly after overhaul. Is this reasonable?

[Al Bondiga]

Hello everyone,
I took my road bike into a local shop recently for a complete overhaul, which included the bb overhaul. That was 3 months and 600-700 miles ago. This morning while riding the bottom bracket failed, casuing me to crash. I am unsure on the acceptable failure rate of bottom brackets but common sense tells me that the bike shop should bear responsibility for this occurring, seeing as how they did a complete rebuild of it recently. Is that a fair expectation? I don't want to make unrealistic demands from the bike shop, but I also want to be fair to myself. In addition to having the bottom bracket replaced there is also the matter of my torn pants and jacket as well as hand injury, which although is not broken, I may need to go see the doctor as my mobility with my left hand is quite limited. Any advice or suggestions are much appreciated.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Saying "The bottom bracket failed" is rather vague. How exactly did it fail?

 

[midlife]

You need to go back to the shop to see what happened, did something break for you to fall off?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Unless they installed the bottom bracket incorrectly or did not install a new one I can't see how it's their fault. 600-700 miles implies the BB was installed just fine.

 

[Al Bondiga]

The left crank arm flew off mid-ride. The pieces below are what I retrieved from the road.

 

[Al Bondiga]

Saying "The bottom bracket failed" is rather vague. How exactly did it fail?

sorry for the vagueness. The crank arm broke off midride.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Do you mean that the frame failed at the BB? I can’t understand how a BB bearing failure would cause a crash.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The left crank arm flew off mid-ride. The pieces below are what I retrieved from the road.

View attachment 487653

Surely you felt it coming loose as you rode?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I smell a crash litigation. It smells like carrion which in turn smells like someone who fell off his/her bike and now wants to blame someone.

Sniff sniff....yes, that's it. That smell's coming straight from the west.

Hey OP! Yes you! Take some responsibility for your own life.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I’m guessing that’s a self extractor that’s sheared off. That’s interesting. It’s possible that the bike shop did something that initiated the failure. Self extractors can be a pain in the backside if they get stuck, I’d be asking questions about exactly what they did.

 

[Al Bondiga]

Surely you felt it coming loose as you rode?

No, none at all. There was no noise or vibration whatsoever. I stood up to power up a short hill and half way up the block the crank arm came off.

 

[midlife]

Halfway up the block... As in USA type of block and not halfway down the road?

 

[Flying Dodo]

I’m guessing that’s a self extractor that’s sheared off. That’s interesting. It’s possible that the bike shop did something that initiated the failure. Self extractors can be a pain in the backside if they get stuck, I’d be asking questions about exactly what they did.

I'd agree.

You said the bike had been in for a complete overhaul. Assuming the bike shop provide a breakdown of what they do for that level of service, and if the BB was removed and reinstalled, it's possible it hadn't been installed correctly so you'd need to speak to them, to see if they'll cover some or all of your incurred costs.

 

[Drago]

And what pre ride checks did you conduct? ABC's? M? BESTCOP?

Or none?

 

[Profpointy]

Unless they installed the bottom bracket incorrectly or did not install a new one I can't see how it's their fault. 600-700 miles implies the BB was installed just fine.

Seriously ? A replacement bb lasting 600-700 miles being "just fine" Mine, as originally fitted to the bike has done maybe 12000 miles and still going string, and plenty of people on here, albeit not me these days, could do 600 miles in a fortnight. Even on my modest commute I'd be doing that in 6-8 weeks