Bottom braket failure shortly after overhaul. Is this reasonable?

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rogerzilla

Legendary Member
Is that a BB30/PF30 type? The crank is usually held on by a large bolt in the centre. Dud it break or just back out?
 

robgul

Legendary Member
Guessing at the actual components it would suggest the "internal locking ring/nut" (for want of a better description) that forms the self-extractor wasn't replaced correctly and tight enough when the LH crank arm was re-fitted.

The bits you picked up are missing the lockring/nut - that would have fallen out before the crank fell off and is probably back down the road somewhere. This pic https://www.picclickimg.com/00/s/Nj...42-32-24-TEETH-CHAINWHEEL-SET-CRANKSET-_1.jpg shows the thing I'm talking about in the LH crank

A pic and name/brand of the crankset would be useful - it's not a a "BB fail" as such in my view.

Rob
 

derrick

The Glue that binds us together.
The crank fell off - do you not check them at all ? They can work loose, but you should have felt it, or heard a noise. After 3 months of riding, it's not the bike shop's fault - you do have to check these things ! Worse case is the extractor bolt failed - that can happen too.
Cranks do not fall of if fitted properly.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Cranks do not fall of if fitted properly.

No they don't, never had any myself, as I fit them. I'd like to see more photo's as the crank looks like the bolt has sheered. We don't have enough info. Things can work loose, and there are usually tell tale clunks when something isn't torqued up - e.g. GXP BB's will clunk if you havent torqued them up - and it's very high.
 

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
Guy give a guy a break, I too would be disappointed if I had paid a professional to rebuild my bike & it failed after 600 miles, I'd be going back to ask if they could determine what happened.
Absolutely! I'm amazed that people are being so snotty to the OP. Seems to me he's absolutely within his rights to be well pissed off at a major mechanical failure ditching him less than 1000 miles after paying professionals to fix his bike.

Pre-ride checks and the like - sure, good idea. But that's got nothing to do with the core issue: if a bike fails badly enough to fall apart within 1000 miles of being serviced (assuming it hasn't been abused in the meantime) was it serviced properly? Seems to me the answer to that is a clear 'No!' And the OP is absolutely right to take the shop to task, and to expect compensation for all consequences.

Whether or not he'll get it is another matter; but to get snotty with him because he feels entitled to it doesn't seem very fair or friendly, let alone helpful, to me.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
I think people are focussing on the wrong thing here as the original description of bottom bracket failure seems to be colouring peoples view of what happened.

Firstly when a bottom bracket fails you don't typically get a crank-arm coming off - it will still be attached at both ends but the bottom bracket will be in bits around it. So far it seems that the BB is still relatively intact minus a few seals and the wave-spring washer for the crankarm.

Looking at the arm itself it looks like an FSA possibly k-force lite or gossamer? This has a self extracting bolt in place which holds the left hand arm onto the chainset, I can't tell for sure from the picture, but it looks like that has possibly broken - in which case this is a failure of the crankarm.

To see better, could you possibly provide some better photos of both sides of the top of the crank arm as I can' t see clearly what condition it is in.

If that bolt has failed, then I would say that it's probably not the fault of the bike shop as it's not something that would be checked as part of a routine service.

The good news is that if that is what has failed, then they are a user replaceable item, although it looks like you may need to get a new BB fitted anyway - something that under the circumstances you can probably persuade the bike shop to help with.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Guy give a guy a break, I too would be disappointed if I had paid a professional to rebuild my bike & it failed after 600 miles, I'd be going back to ask if they could determine what happened.
Absolutely, a proper job should have been done.

Nevertheless, the gentleman is negligent for failing to complete pre ride checks, and this entire episode - including damage to pants and dignity - would have been avoided.

We, the rider, are responsible for the roadworthiness of our bicycles before embarking on a ride, no one else.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
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

Faulty products exist, quality control varies. A BB appears to have broken but we do not know who's fault this was. Was it a manufacturing fault or the shops incorrect fitting? If it's the former you can hardly blame the shop.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
Nevertheless, the gentleman is negligent for failing to complete pre ride checks, and this entire episode - including damage to pants and dignity - would have been avoided.
Playing the devils advocate can I ask do you strip & rebuild your BB before each ride to have the internals x-ray'd to see if there are any hidden fractures? If the internal bolt has snapped, it could have failed without warning. On the other hand it could well be poor maintenance which could have prevented it, at this time I don't think we have enough information to be pointing fingers in any direction.
 

derrick

The Glue that binds us together.
Absolutely, a proper job should have been done.

Nevertheless, the gentleman is negligent for failing to complete pre ride checks, and this entire episode - including damage to pants and dignity - would have been avoided.

We, the rider, are responsible for the roadworthiness of our bicycles before embarking on a ride, no one else.
So you do a thorough check on your car before going for a drive? The only thing i check on the bike before going for a ride are tyres. The OP obviously does not know about bikes, just like about 80% of people on here.
PS, I always check the Di2 battery has enough in it.
 
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