Less than 500 miles in and the bobbins Tiagra BB that came with the bike is already clicking like my old man’s knees. I thought it was just Cannock chase grinding paste that did this to Shimano BB’s but I was obviously very wrong. What’s good and what’s not in the world of external BB’s in the road world.?

My Ultegra one lasted about 18 months before It got a bit rough – my MTB hope stainless BB is still going strong so would be interested if the road ones are similar?

I don’t know if it is anything similar, but my ISIS one started clicking slightly after maybe 1000 miles. Undoing it and refitting it with some grease got rid of the click, and it’s been going for >5000 miles after it and still seems fine.

500 miles sounds like an insanely short amount of riding for a bottom bracket – I mean that could easily be less than a month’s riding on a road bike.

Hope road BB shares the same cups and bearings as the MTB version, just using thinner spacers and a narrower sleeve.

My money is on the NDS cup coming slightly loose. Unless I ‘flay’ the things in all three of my road BB’s work themselves slightly loose on the NDS.

going to flog my mint CK one soon. Keep an eye out 😉

My ultegra one’s still fine after ~2000 miles.

http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/items.asp?CategoryID=237&Name=Hollowtech+II+bearing+upgrade

Get these pressed into your Tiagra cups, they’ll outlive a £70 Hope BB any day!

Any should cost you much to press if you have a decent LBS or mate with the correct gear.

Dave.