So I’ve got a Cannondale Caad12 which has an fsa BB30a BB in it. It’s been good for 2 and a bit years but started creaking on my last ride. The cranks have recently been taken off and cleaned / copper slipped and had been fine for a month or so of riding so I’m pretty sure it’s time for new bearings.

I’ve ordered a press tool for bb30a bearings and a removal tool so going to have a go myself.

What bb do I need to replace it – as far as I can see it’s just 2 circlips, 2 bearings and 2 washer things + a wave washer. My bike has all that so I figure I can just buy bb30 bearings – is that right?

Also, should I put anything on the bearing before pushing it in – grease / copper slip / some kind of bearing retainer paste?

I recently bought some ‘dunlop’ bearings from a bearing supplier on the Isle of Wright and have been the smoothest bearings I have ever had and I have been through lots of them. Pretty cheap as well , so worth a try for those.
I just put a slight smear of grease on the shell before pressing in to help keep them straight and not damage the frame. If you are using 30mm crank axles direct to the steel inner races of the bearings, I would suspect most noise is coming from there, so cleanliness is paramount although I binned the cranks and fitted adaptors and shimano 24mm axle cranks in the end.

Ah, I like my Si cranks and bought Spiderings for them fairly recently – I think it’s quite a light setup and until recently I hadn’t heard a squeak out of them.

I’m probably going to order bearings from Cannondale spares – I just wanted to check if normal grease is ok or if I needed something specific for the job.

Nothing fancy in the grease that I have ever used. As long as it stops the bearing picking up and scrapping the bb shell then its done its job etc.

Check the lockring for the chainring, it’s got a ridiculously high torque setting for such a flimsy item, and i’ve seen quite a few “creaking BB’s” where they’ve cracked.

Ah ok – thanks for that tip. I’ll
Take it all apart this week and check. I’ve got the lockring tool and crank remover already as I’ve changed rings reasonably recently. Must have done quite a lot of miles in silence before this creak suddenly started on the last ride.

@coatesy – the lockring is cracked / snapped. It’s still in but it’s not a full intact circle anymore. They do seem a bit flimsy for the torque setting.

Old bearings came out ok and new ones pressed in lovely. Bought a Burton Bikes bearing remover and bearing press kit and it was well worth the money as it make the job really smooth.

According to a diagram online the spacers / wavy washer weren’t on in the right order (put in that order by the lbs where I got the bike from) so I’ve corrected that.

When I was doing the cranks up the crank bolt sheared off the part of it that butts against the cranks.

So just ordered a new lockring and new crank bolts – £25 I’d have preferred not to have to spend. Bloody Cannondale!