Chainsets, cranks, BB - Im confused!

[Ethan]

Right, I'm slowly buying parts to build a good bike.
As it stands I've got ultegra rear mech and cassette. So the back end is done, right?

Now, what is a chainset exactly?
Im presuming thats just the chain rings and cranks.
To get it all working I need a bottom bracket and then its job done?

Or am I over simplifying it, as I seem to do with most cycling related things.

 

[theloafer]

hi Ethan
yes you are right (chainset )= front rings+crankarms with a bb to match...also poss need a front mech? you will find this site helpfull .... http://sheldonbrown.com/

 

[Sittingduck]

Right, I'm slowly buying parts to build a good bike.
As it stands I've got ultegra rear mech and cassette. So the back end is done, right?

Now, what is a chainset exactly?
Im presuming thats just the chain rings and cranks.
To get it all working I need a bottom bracket and then its job done?

Or am I over simplifying it, as I seem to do with most cycling related things.

Perhaps you have it just right and others tend to over complicate things

Have you decided which chainset you are going to get, as this will have a bearing on the BB (no pun). Compact, standard double or a triple?

 

[accountantpete]

Two choices in this - either square taper chainset or Hollowtech II external bearings type chainset (most modern chainsets are the latter type).

 

[Ethan]

Cheers guys!
I'll probably end up getting the standard 105 double, which I believe is HollowTech II. Along with 105 shifters and an ultegra front mech.