Does it mean you need new cranks etc to use with out adapters?? Do they last well in mud etc? DOne a Google but didnt find any mag type articles explaining. Thanks!!

Just cartridge bearings pressed directly into a bottom bracket shell, just like the way many bearings are fitted to hubs like hope et al

Just another fad, supposedly stiffens up the bb area, popular on plastic bikes, however to run normal cranks you need an adapter and the whole assembly creaks horribly.

Are Hollowtech 2 bottom brackets not BB30

No

No, they are X type. BB30's have no threads and bb bearings are pressed in to the frame.

Are Hollowtech 2 bottom brackets not BB30

No HTII are much smaller and fit in external cups. bb30 bearings press directly into the frame are much larger and come with all the draw backs of integrated headsets.

Does it creak horribly without the adapters??? Any one use them??

I'm about to buy a Lapierre bike for the frame and fitting XT HTII to it, I keep having 2nd thoughts everytime these threads come up. There always seems to be talk of creaking and/or siezing BBs with BB30

"Just cartridge bearings pressed directly into a bottom bracket shell"

Just like my 1984 Fat Chance.

It's a good system.

My e-120 has a BB30 shell – I'm running a "normal" fsa crankset/bb through it with the adapter the frame came with and I certainly haven't had any creaking from there.

No direct experience – I did research it a couple of years back when I had a CDale warranty frame with the BB30 shell. Ended up selling the frame as I needed the cash so never tried it out. Reports seemed really good performance wise, but there was a real dearth of drive train suppliers and the cranksets were well expensive. The sort of thing you'd put on a full monty, top line race machine. There must be more options nowadays though.

Didn't like the idea of an adapter at all – don't you have to bond it in and it's difficult to get out if you change your mind?

It's a thorny one. I'm OK using an integrated headset with a lefty because I'm on board with the whole idea, it's a proven product and the fork is a critical part of bike performance. I don't really give a flying one about my crankset, all in all, so using an exotic standard, even if it's a wee bit better, isn't that appealing.

Its not about any performance increase etc. I have been looking about for a new fgrame and the whyte 19 ti has come up as a good option, however I am unsure about the bb etc plus I have a groupset off my old bike to TX across.

Zedsdead – Member
Just like my 1984 Fat Chance.

pics please!

Same as old Kleins too.

Bigger bearings, slower wear, more stiffness, more protected against muck – BB30 – what's not to like??

Or rather Cannondale SI integration – as 'BB30' has been around under that name for a good while.

as for creaking, apply 'bearing fit' to outer race before pressing cartridge into shell.

it take out all the irregularity between bearing outer and BB shell… holds bearing better, stops fretting, movement etc..

use of bearing fit would help with suspension bearing seating as well

also BB30 helps simplify manufacture, no threads to cuts and machining concentric to bearings and crank axle not need to face BB shell

Its hard to see from the photo, but BB30 uses a 30mm diameter axle, I've been using it for about 18 months on my Whyte without problems.

I'm about to buy a Lapierre bike for the frame and fitting XT HTII to it, I keep having 2nd thoughts everytime these threads come up. There always seems to be talk of creaking and/or siezing BBs with BB30

Have two bikes with BB30 (road/hardtail; both C'dales) & so far no probs. Apparently the creaking is solvable by putting a bit of red Loctite (forget which number) on the bearing outer before pressing them home.

Lapierre don't use BB30 in any case; IIRC from a thread elsewhere on here (Edit: here) they use Shimano press-fit which is essentially a press-fit version of a normal external BB, with the bearings held in plastic collars.

Hollowtech II (Shimano cranks) isn't the same as Hollowgram (horrifically expensive Cannondale cranks).

There must be more options nowadays though.

Mainly FSA, though the 10sp SRAM XX/X0/X9 (don't know about X7) and road groupsets have BB30 options.

also BB30 helps simplify manufacture, no threads to cuts and machining concentric to bearings and crank axle not need to face BB shell

Partly true; BB30 does require pretty fine machining tolerances though. For that reason, I suspect that SRAM PF30 may actually become more common, as it uses the same cranks/tools but the bearings are in plastic collars like the Shimano press-fit system, meaning things don't have to be quite as precise.

Andy

had BB30 in a Whyte 19 steel for 4 months and no probles at all

What about BB92, like on the new on one carbon frame. Is that compatible with ht2 cranksets?

What about BB92, like on the new on one carbon frame. Is that compatible with ht2 cranksets?

Park Tool says yes. I've just realised the link in my posting above is to the wrong thread, and I can't find the right one (where all the differences were discussed) 😳

Andy

Hi Andy, hopefully the 'fine', machining tolerences need by bb30 are pretty standard with the normally available machining technics…. Not aerospace stuff after all… Anyhow the press in systems make sense, though woulbe nice to unify a standard… Threaded shells have been around for ages.. Would be nice for a new std to get established, though as manfuacture is so flexible, plus marketing etc, doubt it. Si