How long are your bottom brackets lasting?

[thetrash]

Feeling a little miffed that my Race Face external BB has bitten the dust after three months. I've probably only had 5 muddy sessions in that time the rest of the time I've been lucky enough to get out when it was dry or frozen. So how long on average should they be lasting? and have I been unlucky enough to buy a friday afternoon special?

Is this the way new bikes are as my old and a lot cheaper bike is still going strong?

[Parrot of Doom]

How do you mean? Despite what they say, many of them are perfectly serviceable. Is there play, or is it just noisy?

[anniesdad]

Have the same BB as you - mine is 18 months old and still going strong.

Cranks taken any impact damage?

[thetrash]

Parrot of Doom said:

How do you mean? Despite what they say, many of them are perfectly serviceable. Is there play, or is it just noisy?

I took it to the local cycle shop who pulled out the crank, undid the BB and we had a look at the sealed bearings. They had a very small amount of crap in them but it didn't worry the the shop enough for them to recommend them to be changed(different shop to where I brought the bike so they didn't have a vested interest). Everything was cleaned,put back together and torqued up, after three rides the creak/tick has returned and happens on the same part of the pedal stroke every revolution. The noise is a lot louder when riding out of the saddle. Can you remember what a raleigh striker sounded like in the early 80's? it's what mine sounds like now!

[matt-ITR]

Race Face are known to have poor bearings (for external BB's).

Shimano versions are better quality and fully compatible. If your feeling flush then Hope get good reviews.

[.Adam.]

My XT BB has been in for almost 3 years now, although it is getting a bit noisy so think I might have to replace it soon. Looking at the Hope BB's

[snotrag]

We see people at work every day with shot external BB's. I have no idea how they do it.

Raceface are the most common, then shimano.

My XT is nearly 2 years old, very, very well used, and is absolutely as-new.

I really dont understand how people ruin them!

Anyway - they are serviceable if you pry the seals off carefully.

Hope seem to be the longest lasting replacement if your really struggling to find something that lasts.

[Big Bob]

Truvativ grumbles a bit from time to time but still going after a year, Shimano LX died seriously after about six months, FSA MegaExo quad still silky smooth after a year and this winters abuse.

[GHW]

My Raceface external BB is still smooth after 18 months too..

[hman]

my road bike shimano ultegra sealed bearing set is still smooth as silk 19 years and a load of miles later, it has never had any maintenance!

My peasant spec mtb truativ bottom bracket is 4 years old and is fine too.

[Parrot of Doom]

hman said:

my road bike shimano ultegra sealed bearing set is still smooth as silk 19 years and a load of miles later, it has never had any maintenance!

Try riding it through 1,000 miles of thick gloopy sandy mud, and see if it lasts 19 years

[pdV6]

Shimano LX/XT (same model goes in both HTii chainsets) lasted me about 18 muddy months before literally falling to bits internally.

Didn't touch it at all in that time, though.

[thetrash]

Stuck a Hope one in today, We'll see how long this one lasts!

[Gooby]

anniesdad said:

Have the same BB as you - mine is 18 months old and still going strong.

Cranks taken any impact damage?

Ding

I am on 16 months - 3rd rear Mech, 3rd set of brake pads, 2nd saddle, 2nd front Mech, 2nd chain, 2nd cassette and 2nd set of chainrings but race face bottom bracket is still strong and good (Massage that woody grain)

[hman]

Parrot of Doom said:

hman said:

my road bike shimano ultegra sealed bearing set is still smooth as silk 19 years and a load of miles later, it has never had any maintenance!

Try riding it through 1,000 miles of thick gloopy sandy mud, and see if it lasts 19 years

Ha!, I dont think its skinny little road slicks at 120 psi would get me far in gloopy sand

[ewenm]

My previous one endured 10 years of abuse with no problems (Royce, incredible quality), new one is going strong (XT) but I rarely use the bike at the moment

Edited by ewenm on Friday 27th March 09:13

[Gooby]

Hmmm, just looked and my BB is Hope not race face...

[carbonjunkie]

Do you clean the bike after every ride?

If so, don't. the day i stopped cleaning my mountain bike is the day i stopped haveting to replace my bottom brackets every few months.

leave it dirty. it'll last much longer.

[thetrash]

I did. Have started not to clean it from today. It's more due to the fact that I've just ridden through 10 miles of bog and am knackered.

[carbonjunkie]

thetrash said:

I did. Have started not to clean it from today. It's more due to the fact that I've just ridden through 10 miles of bog and am knackered.

isn't summer great...