The other week I changed the bearings on my Road Rat and noticed the BB shell isn’t faced (or at least it has paint on it). Less than a week in and it’s making some really annoying clicking/tikcing noises, which I then vaguely remembered it did from new- although not as bad I don’t think and it did eventually settle down.

Is that likely to be connected to the lack of facing? If so do most shops do facing and is it something that’s easily muffed up?

It’s worth getting it faced and fitted properly, torqued and greased in. Some say its an extra money maker for you LBS but considering the stress and amount of rotation, and use it get’s it’s nice to know everything is tip top. My BB’s seem to last a wee while longer than any mates who back shed fits their kit. My 2p anyway!

I’d email Cotic – I think that the frames may be faced at the factory? If they have been then removing paint with a bit of wet and dry would be all that’s required.

Good idea wwaswas, I must admit I was a bit surprised to see it (apparently) unfaced. Maybe I need a closer look.
But a bit of paint wouldn’t really lead to a noisy BB in a week would it…?

But a bit of paint wouldn’t really lead to a noisy BB in a week would it…?

unlikely – how long had the old BB been on the same frame?

facing a steel frame at factory would be a bad idea. has to cross the sea before it gets here.

unlikely – how long had the old BB been on the same frame?

Only a year or so.

a year’s not bad for an HT11 BB 🙁

facing a steel frame at factory would be a bad idea. has to cross the sea before it gets here.

…and sea travel affects faced BBs in what way?

a year’s not bad for an HT11 BB

I dunno, the one on my road bike’s been in there a few years I think. But then it doesn’t go out in the crud very often.

Discussed at length here and here. My opinion is that its a con and a total waste of time, it might even be detrimental to your frame and BB if it is done excessively. Although I would urge you to make make your own decisions about where and how you spend your money. All I can give you is my opinion…