Just my 2 pennies worth - BB30's

[Krellon]

I had problems with my CAAD10, converted it to Hollowtech II and it's been absolutely perfect ever since

I've been toying with converting but not sure whether too convert now or just buy the tools and do my own bearing replacement :/

 

[Peteaud]

I said renowned because of experience I gleaned from other Cannondale users, granted some will have positive experiences but I have now had to have the bearing replaced 4 times in 9000 miles!! and it wasn't cheap. It leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth for Cannondales. I'm not about to go out and risk a load of cash buying another Cannondale nor recommend one to friends as once bitten twice shy.

So you would not buy a Specialized, Felt or a Boardman either then? They all use BB30.

Google the issues with the Trek BB86, that makes the BB30 the invention of the decade (almost bought a Trek, but after reading the horror stories of glueing in the bearings i thought better of it).

Not saying you are wrong in any way, but if Cannondale (or Dorel) had a failure rate that high they would have been gone long ago.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I said renowned because of experience I gleaned from other Cannondale users, granted some will have positive experiences but I have now had to have the bearing replaced 4 times in 9000 miles!! and it wasn't cheap. It leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth for Cannondales. I'm not about to go out and risk a load of cash buying another Cannondale nor recommend one to friends as once bitten twice shy.

The Specialized implementation of BB30 called OSBB has tighter tolerance than the standard defined by Cannondale and used by others. After reading the BB30 horror stories for which there are many while not experiencing any at all, I am of the opinion that it is the tighter tolerances that make a real difference. Every single bike I own other than my Dahon folder is BB30 (OSBB) including my MTB and I am yet to experience any issues.
Given the choice I would personally take BB30 (OSBB) as for me its been faultless, reliable and I like a narrow Q-Factor
I'm curious to know if its possible to fit Specialized's OSBB into a normal BB30 frame set and what the experience would be.

 

[Peteaud]

I'm curious to know if its possible to fit Specialized's OSBB into a normal BB30 frame set and what the experience would be.

Might be an interesting summer project.If the synapse BB goes wrong, i will look at that option

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Its obvious that Specialized changed BB30 slightly for a specific reason, but i'm yet to determine why.I don't know if they saw something others did not.
Im interested to see the outcome of that @Peteaud if you do it.

 

[Peteaud]

Its obvious that Specialized changed BB30 slightly for a specific reason, but i'm yet to determine why.I don't know if they saw something others did not.
Im interested to see the outcome of that @Peteaud if you do it.

Got me intreaged now. I am going to look at the bearing specs if i can find them. Has Specialized seen something no one else has?

 

[Peteaud]

@Mr Haematocrit

Got this from tinterweb


Your post illuminates a wildly held misconception about the difference in spacing between a carbon OSBB and alloy OSBB Specialized bike. This is Spesh's clumsy nomenclature for their version of PF30 versus industry standard BB30...former goes on the great Sworks Tarmac SL4 you are fortunate to own...one of the best race bikes on the planet. The way it works is...Specialized so called narrow version of PF30 on your bike really has standard BB30 spacing of 68mm. How so? Because the carbon shell measures 61mm edge to edge. Specialized delrin spacers have lip of 3.5mm on each side. So edge to edge the PF30 version measures 68mm, the same as BB30. They do this of course such that the spacing of all their race bikes is the same and they can sell their BB30 crank on them as a frameset modules. This applies to to their Sworks, Pro and Expert modules with carbon and alloy OSBB.

So a Cannondale BB30 is plug and play on any integrated BB Specialized bike. As to spacers, it is always best to evaluate crank preload as you build the bike. Ideally if you have a wave washer crank and not a mechanical preload variety like Rotor or Shimano, then you want first install the crank without a wave washer and measure lateral clearance. Assess the freestanding height of the wave washer and divide this value by two. That is how much space you want for the wave washer. You want the wave washer to be under some compression when installed. Crank preload or lack thereof is one of the reason many complain about noisy integrated BB's...because they don't know the difference between preload which keeps balls quiet in bearings and the bark that grows on trees.


Stolen from http://forums.roadbikereview.com/sp...ollowgram-bb30-crank-s-works-osbb-313011.html


BB30 bearing is 6806

30x42x7mm

Is the spesh bearing 46mm OD?

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

That's interesting @Peteaud
Good find

I will measure my BB over the weekend out of interest.

 

[Peteaud]

That's interesting @Peteaud
Good find

I will measure my BB over the weekend out of interest.

http://www.specialized.com/media/whatsnew/CG0307_RevA.pdf

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

This is getting stranger for me @Peteaud how come I'm not experiencing any of the common issues associated with BB30 on any of my bikes and I'm not aware of any Spesh owners on this forum complaining of such. Could there be difference in bearing quality (no idea, just speculating)

http://www.bb30standard.com

 

[fossyant]

Square taper cartridge. Fit, forget, forever !!!

 

[Peteaud]

This is getting stranger for me @Peteaud how come I'm not experiencing any of the common issues associated with BB30 on any of my bikes and I'm not aware of any Spesh owners on this forum complaining of such. Could there be difference in bearing quality (no idea, just speculating)

http://www.bb30standard.com

It is a puzzle, i followed your link and the list of manufacturers that use BB30 is pretty extensive.

As far as i am aware the bearings are standard as well.

Howerver, two things spring to mind:-

1. There are genuine FSA quality bearings (again the same would apply to specialized bearings) and there are cheap bearings. Just googled replacement bb30 bearings, price goes from around £6.00 to £22.00 a pair, for standard steel, ceramic goes to £50.00 +

2. Installation / maintenance. Do spesh have a higher quality stanrdard than Dale in the assembly? I would have thought the two companies would be reasonably matched.

Or is it the fact that people are fixing a problem on their cannondales that does not exist, then using cheap bearings and compounding the problem.



List of BB30 users :-


Cannondale

Blue

BMC

Felt

Focus

FSA

Glacier Bikes

Jamis

Kona

Kuota

Litespeed

LOOK

Lynskey

Masi

Niner

Orbea

Raleigh

Ridley

Rotor

Scott

Seven Cycles

Specialized

SRAM

Stronglight

Van Dessel

 

[doog]

It is a puzzle, i followed your link and the list of manufacturers that use BB30 is pretty extensive.
Or is it the fact that people are fixing a problem on their cannondales that does not exist, then using cheap bearings and compounding the problem.

A good point, the OP did state he has done 9000 miles and gone through 4 loads of bearings. Something doesnt ring true as this isnt the norm (even though he hints that it is)

Perhaps he can enlighten us on who did the repairs.

 

[Krellon]

A good point, the OP did state he has done 9000 miles and gone through 4 loads of bearings. Something doesnt ring true as this isnt the norm (even though he hints that it is)

Perhaps he can enlighten us on who did the repairs.

Hi, The first three repairs were done though my local bike shop (Pedal On) in Tadley, Hampshire. Due too cost and lack of confidence I bought the 4th set of bearings and tools to do the 4th installation myself. For the 4th installation I bought the SRAM BB30 set from recommendation. I have yet too install them.

Br