Contemplating new bike/frame – and a couple of contenders on my list have press fit BB. Always have threaded BB on previous bikes.

My gut instinct is to avoid – but is this being too cautious? Has the tendency to creak been fixed…….?

Keen to hear folks’ real-world experiences with press fit BBs.

Got one on my Specialized, came with a Race Face adaptor for 24mm cranks. I was all set to replace it. Had a year out of it without so much as a grumble or squeak. I’d take threaded in preference still but I’m not against them based on my personal experience.

All being equal, I’d go screw in. But, if it is pressfit then make sure it’s one of the better versions, PF86/92 is pretty good, BB30 is best avoided IMO.

As above, bb30 might make me a little wary, but I’ve had 2 and 1/2 problem free years from the bb92 on my current fs.

I’m not overly happy about having pressfit (on road bike) but it seems a necessary evil on the bikes I want/choose. I’m having reasonably good life out of, and experience with, my threaded (together) PF30 BB from WheelsMfg: http://wheelsmfg.com/bottom-brackets/pf30/pf30-bottom-brackets/pf30-threaded-abec-3-bb-black.html

It’s not something I’d choose, had one once, it didn’t creek but it seemed such a massive faf to change when external works so well.

Has the tendency to creak been fixed…….?

Judging by a number of friends with them, some of which have had many replacement BBs to try to fix the issue (which always returns after a few rides) or even returned a new bike for exchange… no.

Personally, avoid at all costs. Spawn of the devil, utterly pointless other than to make it cheaper for manufacturers, and even if they don’t creak they’re a pain to replace and need specialist tools.

What deadkenny said – I have only had press fit on road bikes with carbon frames. Three to date – they all died early and have been noisy. I have left to LBS to change. I have a couple of MTBs and my sons one each – all screw in BS and not a problem even on the old one – 8 years. and I can service them or replace.

My Cube road bike has a PF BB and is now 8 years old. It’s still the original BB and there’s still no noise.

Have press fit on my orro road bike. Absolute shite. Creaking like mad. Got lbs to fit a praxis bb and it’s now silent.

IME BB86/92/PF41 is OK and is the only standard endorsed by Shimano. The one to avoid is BB30/PF42 where the bearing is pressed directly into the frame and requires a level of tolerance few manufacturers can achieve. PF30/PF46 avoids this by using a housing for the bearing.

I bought a mtb and road bike this year and both have threaded, vote with your wallet and they will stop making them hopefully

Never had one, don’t want one…ever.

Spawn of the devil, utterly pointless other than to make it cheaper for manufacturers, and even if they don’t creak they’re a pain to replace and need specialist tools.

My last full suss had a bb92 and my opinion is the same as above but with the added bonus of all the press fit bb’s it went through lasting half as long as the threaded bb’s on my other bikes 😡

We have 17 bikes between us and the only bike I’ve had BB issues with is the only bike that is BB30. When I was shopping for new pride + joy road bike it was a factor, luckily old-fashioned screw-in seems quite common on titanium frames.

Thanks for the comments. On balance, am going to stay with threaded BB 🙂

Cheers.

It would be way down the list of considerations on a new bike.

Properly fitt PFBB with quality bearings lasts longer than external BB. Bearings that come on a bike generally aren’t quality which usually causes the initial problems. These are exacerbated by being replaced with equally poor bearings because the owner is too tight to spend the £ needed to but decent ones.
ime

+1 for rOcKeT ^

It’s the plastic casing and installation of PF BBs that is the issue. A metal casing will true itself to the BB shell if it goes in slightly wonky, a plastic casing with just deform and the result will be that the bearings will be aligned with the axle but not the shell and thus will wear more rapidly.

Any of the metal casing PF’s replacements will resolve the problem, I have the Hope PF41 in my old Zesty which was an excellent replacement. Similarly, a really good factory install may last acceptably but then subsequent replacements of standard units may give shorter than expected life.

Like many, I had a preconceived mistrust of them based on a few internet anecdotes.

Not heard a peep out of either of the ones I have fitted to my Production Privee frames in over a year and they were only £15 Deore jobs too.

never go full pressfit

IME BB86/92/PF41 is OK

this. They’re OK, and as long as you treat them as expendable items and replace every 18 months or so, they’re no worse than ext BB

Bad engineering but if you really prefer a frame with PF then Praxis has the answer. Got one on my Enduro and its been totally creak free

Nope.

It’s a step backwards which benefits no one but the manufacturers.

My Boardman Team CX (2600 miles) FSA PF30 was terrible (The one that was fitted as stock) creaked , came loose etc. (Couple with Gossamer Cranks!). Replaced with a new PF30 and it’s been fine. I have bought a threaded adapter as I was going to switch the Gossamers for SLX cranks and a single ring, however the damn crank arm won’t come off so I’ve left it as is for now and just ordered a new NW chain ring. But yeah, first experience of PF30 was poor but the replacement has been fine. The same goes for my Cube Reaction GTC (1300 miles), that’s been flawless since day 1

I have pressfit which died after a ride in the rain and you don’t find out until it clicked away during a dry ride.

Reinstalled a new unit and sorted in 30 mins.

I wouldn’t get it again with a carbon frame after tapping the old one out, tools needed and rubbish adjuster spacer from Sram.

My Caad10 and Boardman have BB30 & PF30. As long as the bits are cheap I’ll buy.

My mtb had a XT cartridge which clicked like hell. The best I’ve had is HT2 but others had exposure to mud and hate them.

A screw in cup with properly sealed bearings from rain or mud is what we need for the U.K. and not California BB30.

My Cannondale BB30a collapsed on me, the replacement is on its way…. My new rule is avoid press fit BB of any sort.

My main bike is BB92, I don’t like it but it wouldn’t put me off the right bike. If I could magic in a threaded BB I would. But the lifespan is still resaonable and it’s a 5 minute job to change.

Press fit is a total pita from my experience! Can’t go wrong with a threaded BB but if the frame you want has a PF then don’t let it put you off.

Fitting a pressfit Shimano BB is a doddle. Screwdriver and hammer to remove old, large rubber mallet to install new.

Job done, on multiple bikes.

Fitting a pressfit Shimano BB is a doddle. Screwdriver and hammer to remove old, large rubber mallet to install new.

Or, alternatively, Park’s wonderful BB remover and a proper bearing press. I’d have no problems bashing out an old bearing any way you can, but new ones should always be pressed in as clobbering them in rarely does them any good.

My general experience is that all SRAM BBs are crap, regardless of whether they are PF or not. Their crank mounting system is like something from back in the square-tapered days (40-50NM? Seriously?) and compared to Shimano’s precise pre-load and pinch bolt system, it feels like something from the dark ages. And don’t get me started on the drive-side gap either!

I’ve had a few issues with creaking PF BBs over the years, all resolved with either grease or (in extreme cases) loctite in the shells, but the majority are ok. My general recommendation for MTBs is to use cheaper BBs and replace them often (6 months under heavy use is not unknown) rather than pay big bucks for something that might last a bit longer, but would force you to keep running it past its best.

I wouldn’t worry too much if the bike of your dreams is PF – they’re really no harder to change than a screw fit and with care will not cause any real problems over the life of a frame. A fair few manufacturer’s (e.g. SC) are still using threaded BBs on carbon bikes, so if it really matters, hunt out one of those.