30 mm spindle-english BB - bad idea?

[Schredder]

Hi,

I’ve been pondering crankset options, is a 30 mm spindle with an english bottom bracket a bad idea relative to bearing life, etc.? What am I missing...

Thanks

Chris

[fbhidy]

Originally Posted by Schredder

30 mm spindle with an english bottom bracket a bad idea

My understanding is that there are a couple of bb’s available. The issue is there isn’t much room, so bearing size/diameter is quite small which means they wear quickly. That being said, your crank options are much greater. So if bearing cost isn’t a big deal to you, just always have a backup on your bench.


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[jpritchet74]

I have this on one bike and then on 2 others I have it but with Italian BB threading. Pretty sure it's the same bearings though.

I have gone thru a couple of sets of "cheap" bearings before finding the "Teachings of Hambini", which led me to NTN bearings, which are absolutely the GOLD STANDARD.

Hambini has a video talking about bearing quality and I am sold that NTN are really what you want.

In my opinion, these are the best bearings that money can buy:
https://www.hambini.com/product/ntn-...nuine-bearing/

Shipping from the UK to get them made them pricey though, so I bought these from Amazon (these are Grade 3 and the ones that Hambini sells are Grade 5 if my memory is correct):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

*EDIT* I just put a pair in the cart on the Hambini site and there was an option for cheap shipping, so that's what you would want to do

It all comes does to the quality of the complete bearing - I have had a couple of ceramic or even higher "Grade" bearings, but that just describes the balls, not the complete bearings.

These spin fantastic. I have been on them for about 6 months. If these ones ever die I will pony up and order 6 bearings from Hambini though so that I will be covered for years to come.

[joosttx]

I had no issues once I figured out I had the correct spindle length. Raceface and White Industries makes these BBs.

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by joosttx

I had no issues once I figured out I had the correct spindle length. Raceface and White Industries makes these BBs.

Used the W.I.’s BB, 30mm spindle and 68BSA, absolutely no issues. The W.I. Is jewel like, very nicely machined but pricey

[tuscanyswe]

Lots of manufacturers makes these.

King for instance. And i doubt ck would make them if they thought the bearings would wear out fast or other issues were a problem with these.

[Schredder]

Thanks everyone. Here is wheels manufacturing https://wheelsmfg.com/threaded-to-30...-bb-black.html

Haven’t done a close comparison, but is there any reason why they would use smaller outboard bearings in this application?

Chris

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Schredder

Thanks everyone. Here is wheels manufacturing https://wheelsmfg.com/threaded-to-30...-bb-black.html

Haven’t done a close comparison, but is there any reason why they would use smaller outboard bearings in this application?

Chris

"Will not work with standard BB30 cranksets"

??? What cranks does this leave exactly?

[Schredder]

Originally Posted by robt57

"Will not work with standard BB30 cranksets"

??? What cranks does this leave exactly?

Force 22 for one. Just need to find crankset with at least 104mm long spindle

[tuscanyswe]

A lot.. bb30 cranks have a short spindle. Many of todays 30mm spindle cranksets have longer axles for pf30 and various other standards.

[jtbadge]

Originally Posted by robt57

"Will not work with standard BB30 cranksets"

??? What cranks does this leave exactly?

SRAM Force 22/Force 1/Rival 22/Rival 1 "BB/PF30" (longer spindle than "standard BB30")
Easton EC90
Anything called "BB386"
Rotor 3D30/3D30+
many more

[robt57]

So the 104mm it sites is longer than standard?

I have managed to stick with BSA and IT threaded mostly UT/HT-II. I do have a few pressed frames that landed here last 6 months or so.

A PF30 that had UT Cups, and the Crockett that has BB86 as I recall.

I do have a OSBB S-Works with HT-II, these 3 non threaded are behaving well. Not had one 30mm crank land yet. Oh and the BB90s I have had no trouble with at all, once I got an OS bearing for one... Yada.

Seems BSA with 300mm spindle, a nice long needle bearing setup should be possible. I still have the 7700 ball/needle BB in service on two bikes. One of the best BB IMO, provided you know how to not over tighten upon install.

[FriarQuade]

Originally Posted by robt57

"Will not work with standard BB30 cranksets"

??? What cranks does this leave exactly?

True BB30 cranks are a fair bit narrower, they are also pretty rare these days. You need to pay attention to the spindle length. They will both go through the bottom bracket just fine. But a BB30 only crank won't have enough engagement to get the opposite crank arm on all the way.

As for bearing durability for a 30mm spindle in a BSA frame, it's on par with most modern combos. IIRC, the bearing size for a SF30 is the same as if you put it in a cup and thread it into the frame. There's good bearings that have great durability and there's cheap bearings that wear out way to fast.

The only modern combo that's truly bad is a PF90 with a 30mm spindle. That shell was designed by Shimano and their 24mm crank spindles. It works great for that. But stick a 30mm spindle in there and there's not a lot of room for the bearings and they just don't last, doesn't matter who makes them.

[unterhausen]

I have done some work with bearings. Both for runout and for life prediction. I never understood why bike bottom bracket bearings die so easily. My conclusion the problem is a combination of cost cutting and less than adequate preload.

One of my projects involved detecting failed motor bearings, and we could never make one fail. Even machined some holes in bearing races. One of those is still in use, I have been too lazy to change it out. You can cause them to fail with big loads that people are incapable of producing. . Next time I need a bearing for a SRAM crank I'm getting a wheels manufacturing BB, they look like they solve these two problems pretty well. Regular GXP bearings aren't that cheap, and my luck with them has been poor.

[Clean39T]

In case you need it, I have a Rotor 3D30 crankset, 175 50/34 like new takeoff I can sell cheap - just PM me..

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