How far can you go with a badly knackered BB?

[Racing roadkill]

30 miles for me so far, I've only got to nurse it another 20 miles to get it home

 

[si_c]

How badly knackered?

 

[Rooster1]

I can hear the noise of loose bearings and whatnot right now.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

I'd probably guess around 15 miles at the absolute most

 

[vickster]

@jefmcg might be able to help

 

[jefmcg]

You don't expect me to write a new post, do you?

I'm not an expert on these things, but mine had a lot of play in it, and the local shop couldn't fit me for a while, so planned to take it to a remoter location. However a few days it failed catastrophically and the bike was unrideable. Lucky I was less than a mile from a station, that took me to a station near the local shop. I went to leave it with them until they had time to attend to it, but - bless them - they fixed it on the spot.

I wouldn't go on a long ride with a dying BB.

 

[DCLane]

I did the latter half of a 120-mile ride with mine clicking and crunching.

So you can make it ...

 

[albion]

My ancient utility bike I had years ago clunked for a good 5+ years.

I recall changing the cotter pins to no avail. So I just left it like students do.

 

[raleighnut]

If it's knackered then you ain't gonna do any more damage.

 

[oldroadman]

30 miles for me so far, I've only got to nurse it another 20 miles to get it home

Until it:

a) seizes
b) falls to bits in the road

Which did it do, or did it rattle home and save you?

 

[cyberknight]

My BB failed on the virtuoso two thirds around the midland monster sportive , it had no warning and when it went i had to do about 25 miles with ghost shifting as the cranks were wobbling from side to side.

 

[fossyant]

[QUOTE 3478668, member: 9609"]Is this thread about testicles ?[/QUOTE]

No, I am an expert on them

Cartridge bearing type BB you can get away with a fair few miles, but the old ball bearing type with lock nuts, they go wrong quite quickly. Stop when you hear the screech.

As for the above. You just have to put up with 'em.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I made it back, but as I removed it it fell apart, and spilled ball bearings all over my kitchen floor. It was finished after all. Hey ho, it did about 12000 miles and the bike cost bugger all. That's the beauty of having a rubbish winter bike

good old Decathlon to the rescue. I know what I'll be fettling tomorrow.

 

[Crankarm]

I made it back, but as I removed it it fell apart, and spilled ball bearings all over my kitchen floor. It was finished after all. Hey ho, it did about 12000 miles and the bike cost bugger all. That's the beauty of having a rubbish winter bike

View attachment 77015
good old Decathlon to the rescue. I know what I'll be fettling tomorrow.

I replaced an Ultegra bottom bracket about 3 weeks ago which had developed some play in it, but it was still spinning fine. I put it in about 8 years ago. It must have done about 60k miles. The new one has transformed the bike to like new again. A really easy job too as it came out really easily as I used quite a bit of anti seize paste plus I have removed it a few times and refitted when doing a complete service to make sure the cups haven't seized due to water ingress along the threads.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I replaced an Ultegra bottom bracket about 3 weeks ago which had developed some play in it, but it was still spinning fine. I put it in about 8 years ago. It must have done about 60k miles. The new one has transformed the bike to like new again. A really easy job too as it came out really easily as I used quite a bit of anti seize paste plus I have removed it a few times and refitted when doing a complete service to make sure the cups haven't seized due to water ingress along the threads.

I've only had to clean it and lube it and change a couple of rubber bits so far, the bike owes me absolutely nothing. This is the first mechanical job I've had to do on this bike. It's been a complete trooper so far