What is BB30?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Globalti

Legendary Member
I have an FSA BB30 bottom bracket on my Spesh and the bearings are beginning to show a bit of play. Can I use any BB30 replacement bearings, removal and refitting tools or must I use FSA stuff? I wanted to buy the tools but all the FSA BB tools on CRC are out of stock.

Might be better just taking it to a good LBS, I suppose.
 

Gerry Attrick

Lincolnshire Mountain Rescue Consultant
AFAIK, BB30 is a standard, so any makers BB30 will fit yours. The thing is, once you have invested in the special tool, they are incredibly simple to service/change. That will be cheaper than paying your LBS.
 
OP
OP
Globalti

Globalti

Legendary Member
Thanks. So I don't need to buy the FSA BB30 spanner? Anybody's BB30 spanner will do the job?

I agree with your advice to buy the tools and do it myself - it's just that this is new territory to me, things have moved on a little since cotter pins and square taper!

Will I also need the bearing removal and replacement tools? How tight a fit are those bearings in the cups?
 
OP
OP
Globalti

Globalti

Legendary Member
Interesting thanks but my BB doesn't look like that; it has exterior cups screwed into the frame. I guess I really ought to take it to the LBS for the first bearing change.
 
OP
OP
Globalti

Globalti

Legendary Member
Okay... go on... so if I understand right, Mega Exo is FSA's version of BB30?

Somebody on here very helpfully linked me to these replacement bearings: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=40215

How tight are these likely to be in the shells? There is also a BB30 bearing removal tool and a bearing pressing-in tool. Do I really need these?
 
OP
OP
Globalti

Globalti

Legendary Member
Thanks both. Bike is on the car boot so I'll nip to my LBS (Cooksons in Whitefield) at lunch time to get the bearings and a spanner. I can probably get them cheaper online but the lads there are happy to chinwag and give advice and that's worth paying a couple of quid extra.
 
OP
OP
Globalti

Globalti

Legendary Member
This is turning into a saga! Been on the phone and the web all morning and I've now discovered that Shimano Hollowtech 11 BBs are compatible with FSA aluminium cranksets but according to various sources including FSA not with the carbon cranksets, which I have. My carbon SLK Mega-Exo crankset needs an FSA BB8000 bottom bracket, which I have ordered for £34.99 from Cyclo Sports UK as no LBS seemed to have one in stock. When it arrives I will compare it carefully with a Shimano BB out of interest and report here.

Watch this space......
 
Top Bottom