How much should I expect to pay for the installation of new press fit bottom bracket including removal of old one. Just wondering if its worth paying £70 for the 2 tools or getting bike shop to do it

£10

pop round to mine and i’ll do it for free and even make you a cuppa! 😀

LBS..£10-15

The fitting is dead easy, it’s the removal that can be a nightmare – correct tools or not.

The shimano bb30’s are made of brittle plastic and I’ve seen them disintegrate when trying to take out, even with the right tools, leaving the bearings in the frame with little to get purchase on to drift out.

I’d get a price in advance from an lbs and if around the 10-15 mark let them fanny about – or let Epo do it for a pack of hobnobs.

depends on how you look at it really, if you plan on building up many bikes then it would be worthwhile getting the tool.
Its also nice to be able to do these things yourself.

But, for me it cost me £8 at my LBS to pressfit the headset cups and the bearings, so I reckon that may be better value for money!

£70 to buy the tools to do it yourself?? buy/obtain a piece of threaded rod along with 2 big washers and nuts to fit the rod. get two bits of wood with holes drilled in them and press it in yourself. easy as and cheap as chips

Haggis seconded…basically you just need a homemade headset press and a big mallet.

It won’t be the first time you need to get it replaced so you might as well give it a go.

I bought two BB30 drifts from CRC for about £10.
Not had to replace bearings yet ..

That said. A friend cracked the frame around his BB whilst changing his BB30 bearings … So be careful!!

Remind me why these things are so good for the average rider?

i own a zesty and never again will i buy a bike with a press fit bb. the dilemas ive had with my bb in 1.5 years are just not worth it.

Evans wanted £40 just to fit one to a bare frame.
My LBS quoted £20 then charged £12 when they realised how quick a job it was.
Shop around if you can.

How/why is press fit superior? Or why was it developed? Serious question.

I have the similar BB90 on my Trek. One side rusted to death in a few months but never had a problem with the normal external BBs; wish I’d bought a bike that uses those now.

How/why is press fit superior? Or why was it developed? Serious question.

Stiffness, the frame can be made wider at the bb area, while still using normal chain sets, which is a big plus cos people don’t wanna buy frames that restrict what chain sets can be fitted in the future

For those who own a Meta AM and have not yet looked inside the bottom bracket… a special kind of fun awaits ye.

On the question of “Why” – why press fit and not some internal threaded bearings cups, that maybe used something like the bottom bracket tools of old. Apart presumably that they were horrid to use. Many hernia’s narrowly avoided removing those…

Many thanks for the replies £10-£15 sounds reasonable. Mine is a zesty aswell but 1st change required in over a year wifes is still going strong after 18 month.

You’re doing well. I had my Zesty’s BB replaced after 5 months. Fortunately Evans felt sorry for me 😉 and fitted it for free. I just paid for the part (wear and tear precluded a warranty claim apparently)

the why is simple, easy to make carbon frames pressfit and cheaper to fit on a production line

depends on the shops business model and where you get the BB from.

Bought from shop – cheap or free depending on how long to remove old one.

Sourced yourself – std hourly rate probably

I paid a tenner to have some headset cups pushed out and new cups fitted for a tenner – so I’d expect similar for a pressfit bb. Don’t they have cheap pressfit bb tools at Superstar components?

Yep, £55 total for both removal tool and fitting press.

Removal was the only issue on the Zesty I had.

They go in a lot easier than headsets as the cups are plastic. If you’re careful with a hammer ad a block of wood, they should go in very easily. Or a g-clamp and two blocks of wood?

Used this to fit my BB92 press fit jobbie:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEADSET-PRESS-INSERTION-TOOL-AT-LOW-LOW-PRICE-/110917770461?pt=UK_Spots_Leisure_Cycling_Tools_RepairKits&hash=item19d336dcdd#ht_780wt_1133

If it’s easier than a headset then DIY with hammer and wood.

Remember to open it up and grease it. My bearings were in for about a month when rusty water was noticed on the frame at the bottom bracket. Not smooth soon after. Took the covers off and looked inside and it was damn wet. Degrease and then replaced and now smoother than new.

How/why is press fit superior? Or why was it developed? Serious question

manufacturing costs are lower….