Campy UT vs Square BB

[dsimon]

Is there any advantage to upgrade my BB and crank?

[Cicli]

Is there any advantage to upgrade my BB and crank?

You won’t die? I died three times on my ride today. 1-Square taper BB 2-rim brakes and 3- 9 speed drivetrain. Probably had more than that working against me.
Better luck next time.

[paredown]

I recently installed my first UltraTorque--and it is nice. I've had none of the problems that people complained about.

On the square tapers--if I had problems it was my fault--they work well--but you need to follow Old Potatoes' advice for install procedure.

The only reason I can think to upgrade is it may be easier to find carbon and/or compact--there some of both in square taper but they are not that easy to find. Other than that--ride what you got!

[El Chaba]

Campy UT is a pretty good system. Campy square taper is a better system. The Campy UT setup is engineered better than most, IME, and tends to stay pretty quiet as oversize BB systems go....unless you introduce some press-fit stupidity into the mix in which case it is beyond the control of the engineers in Vicenza....On group rides when things are hard and or uphill, I am amazed at the ticking, clicking, and squeaking sounds that come out of BB's today...and those noises seem to be tolerated as normal....

[oliver1850]

UT is a pretty nice system, probably saves a few grams and is a bit stiffer compared to ST. I'm happy to use either type, wouldn't be worth the trouble to swap out a good ST for UT for my use.

[cmg]

advantages.....weight and that's about it. the outboard cups might spread the load on the spindle but unless that's a concern the square bb will outlast the UT by about a decade. mo

[shinomaster]

Depends upon which crank you get. I was just looking at weights and the new potenza/centaur cranks aren't any lighter. I'd only do it if you need a compact or different gearing, or if you're in love with t he aesthetics. The 11 speed chorus and record cranks are pretty nice.

[Hindmost]

If you're the type that abuses bearings, that maybe won't service them sufficiently (am I the only one that has done this?); the UT bearings are replaceable, the square taper is toast.

[Black Dog]

If you're the type that abuses bearings, that maybe won't service them sufficiently (am I the only one that has done this?); the UT bearings are replaceable, the square taper is toast.

The square taper bb bearings are replaceable. For chorus and record bb. Not sure about lower group bbs.

[dsimon]

maybe I need new bearing because it sure creaks alot.... or im just fat and its under duress

[pincopallinobis]

One (but expensive) reason to switch from square taper to UT would be to have the easily completely interchangeable chainrings on one single crankset.

If that is not a desire, then imo there is no reason to "upgrade" from square to UT-10/early-11 (or any U-T before they made that common chainring BCD switch).

A good Campagnolo Record/Chorus or Phil Wood square taper bb is great.

[R3awak3n]

Like it has already been mentioned, weight is the biggest advantage.

[oldpotatoe]

If you're the type that abuses bearings, that maybe won't service them sufficiently (am I the only one that has done this?); the UT bearings are replaceable, the square taper is toast.

You can replace the 3 bearings on ST Campag BBS. Standard sizes. Not hugely easy but possible. No real advantages of UT vs ST..everybody went to external BBs so in 2007, Campag did too. They were selling too many groups w/o cranks as ST was considered ‘old fashioned’...marketing tomfoolery once again. Compared to other external BBs, Campag one of the best(THE best?) designs.

[C40_guy]

The square taper bb bearings are replaceable. For chorus and record bb. Not sure about lower group bbs.

Go with a square taper crankset and a Phil Wood bottom bracket. You won't need to worry about replacing bearings...those things last forever!

[Ronsonic]

Depends upon which crank you get. I was just looking at weights and the new potenza/centaur cranks aren't any lighter. I'd only do it if you need a compact or different gearing, or if you're in love with t he aesthetics. The 11 speed chorus and record cranks are pretty nice.

The system - cranks and bottom bracket assembly - is lighter in UT. This is not of any particular importance to any normal person.

Not all of us are normal.

[palincss]

Go with a square taper crankset and a Phil Wood bottom bracket. You won't need to worry about replacing bearings...those things last forever!

Not really. I had a Phil that was just replaced yesterday that had done around 7,000 mi in one bike, 12,000 in another and around 6,000 in a third. The bearings had developed some play. I replaced the Phil with a SKF and the shop guys were deeply impressed with how much better made the SKF is than the Phil.

[oldpotatoe]

Not really. I had a Phil that was just replaced yesterday that had done around 7,000 mi in one bike, 12,000 in another and around 6,000 in a third. The bearings had developed some play. I replaced the Phil with a SKF and the shop guys were deeply impressed with how much better made the SKF is than the Phil.

Phil bearings can be changed as well..not hard at all..mallet and vice...

[VoyTirando]

On the square tapers--if I had problems it was my fault--they work well--but you need to follow Old Potatoes' advice for install procedure.



Willing to re-post or share a link to that wisdom? I have Chorus ST´s in two bikes, one English (with a 1mm spacer on the DS), the other Italian. They work flawlessly with a few thousand miles on each. My technique was to grease them up and then crank the drive side in good and tight. Then carefully thread the NDS in until it created actual drag on the spindle, and then back it off a half turn. So far so good. But What´s the better way? I´d love to know and consider re-installing.

As to ST vs UT, I´ve got the tools for ST, I´ve installed lots of them, and my bikes are (mostly) steel, and I´m not racing. And the 10spd chorus cranksets are beautiful, whereas I don´t love the modern Campy look for cranks (or really anything for that matter)....