Am in the process of building a new bike (rather I will be very very soon), and the frame I’m looking at has a BB30 BB shell. Now I’ve fitted a number of BB30 BB’s and cranks to bikes (mainly road bikes) as a mechanic, but have not spent any time at all riding on a BB30 setup. I currently have both SLX HT2 and a Raceface Turbine HT2 cranksets kicking about that I could use on this new build, in conjunction with a BB30-HT2 adapter such as this…

http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/road-parts/transmission/bottom-brackets/rsp-bb30-adapter-bearings-for-shimano-chainsets.html

But, should I sell what I have currently and take the chance to upgrade to a nice new BB30 crankset? Will I feel any benefit in doing so? Or just stick with what I’ve got currently and have done with it?

If you stick with BB30 it’ll save a bit of weight I think. There are plenty of threads where people are moaning about the longevity but I’ve not had any problems on my MTB or roadie.

Entirely up to you but id be tempted to fit the kit you have and pocket the money. Then when it wears out or when you spy a bargain bb30 set make the switch.

I had BB30 on my Cannondale road bike and had to take it back to the shop three times because it developed a loud noise. Previous road bike was BB30 and never had an issue so it might have just been a dodgy one or badly installed.

I had a BB30 on my Niner AIR 9, wasnt that impressed with it. It had a fair few rides but nothing really wet and muddy, it didnt last long.

I wouldnt go back to BB30, I didnt find it very well sealed.

this is a cheaper adaptor and allows standard ht2 bb to be used

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=44067&_$ja=tsid:46412|cgn:FSA+-+Bottom+Brackets+Spares|cn:Chain+Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-DT-SE|kw:154247UK_BB30+English+Adaptor&gclid=CL-srMP0jrgCFdLLtAodSU4Aig

I use bb30 on the cross bike come winter road bike and its lasting well so far.

OK cheers guys

Any more for any more?

And cp, thanks for that, looks good! Though the way I see it is if I bought the one I’ve linked to, I would then only have to replace just the loose bearings (for a few quid a time) when they wear out, not the cups too. Though I might be wrong on that, I’m not sure.

you’re right, just check bearing cost and availability first. some branded ones are more than ‘a few quid’

The same response to all the stupid new “standards”: Just say no.

I concur. A square taper if possible would be even better 😉

mate has bb30 on his cannondale road bike, it came loose after a few rides, a couple of times when new, but after being tightened by a proper man its been fine.
just to add, my mate is a big fella, about 23 stone, so its obviously strong enough.

you’re right, just check bearing cost and availability first. some branded ones are more than ‘a few quid’

The bearing is just a 6806 2RS, about £3 each from my local bearing supplier. High quality bearings like SKF or the like last no longer in my experience on an MTB than cheap bearings packed with grease.

Got PF30 (roughly BB30 in a nylon sheel) on my Stumpy – would never touch it again if you paid me. On my 4th BB in 2 years whereas HT2 on my other bike is still going strong over same period. I can’t say I notice any real world difference when riding, other than the intense premonition I’m going to have to replace it again soon.

Got 2 press fit BBs, but it’s the Shimano verion. They’re seemingly shorter lived, but it remains to be seen if the Hope Press fits are any better – I’d like to think so.

I’ve gone with it – never been a fan of adapters. Things are designed in a certain way for a reason. Like most of the above I can’t notice a difference.

Come to that I can’t notice a difference between bolt thru forks and QR forks, so I might just be useless.

Got 2 press fit BBs, but it’s the Shimano verion. They’re seemingly shorter lived, but it remains to be seen if the Hope Press fits are any better – I’d like to think so.

I’ve gone with it – never been a fan of adapters. Things are designed in a certain way for a reason. Like most of the above I can’t notice a difference.

Come to that I can’t notice a difference between bolt thru forks and QR forks, so I might just be useless.

Matt-P, the PF30 BB’s are noted for their short life, but unlike BB30, you’ve got to replace the whole unit for about £40 a time. Fortunately with BB30 it’s just 2 cheap bearings that need replacing, hence I’m thinking of going with it…

mboy – i wish I just had a couple of bearings to replace. When it goes next time I might just throw a couple of adapters in and switch to HT2, I must have spent the cost of a new set of cranks already 🙁

Try the Praxis BB30/PF30 converter for 24mm cranks – make sure you get the right one as they’re slightly different. They work a treat, I’ve been using mine for 6 months now with no issues. It spins as good as, if not better than my Hope ceramic in my old Ibis. They’re about £50.

@mboy

PF30 and BB30 bearings are the same. You can easily press the damaged bearings out of the nylon PF30 cups and fit new bearings (unless you left it so long that seized bearings have started spinning in the nylon and chewed deep grooves)

we always use a small amount of gap-fill (bearing retaining) red Loctite between bearing and cup when doing this, and also some gap-fill Loctite between nylon cup and BB shell (Specialized now supply their S-Works frames with this procedure as standard)

I’ve been riding my Stumpy Expert Carbon (PF30) for 18 months and only replaced BB30 bearings once? (kept same nylon cups)