I know STW a good point of reference but I could do with a site/book that explains EVERYTHING! JUst doing my first build so need to know EVERYTHING!! Does such a website/book exist? For example I’m looking at BBs at the mo and could do with pro’s and cons of each type all on one page!!

Its all in here:
http://sheldonbrown.com/
or here:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/tag/Maintenance

Yes but unfortunately I’m not available in book format.

Park Tool Big Blue Book?

Park Tools’ Big Book of Bike Repair is very good.

Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is also very good.

I have a copy Zinn to sell.

Google is your oyster…

there are plenty of sites with useful information out there, Sheldon brown (although not really updated much since his death) and the Park site are handy but not exhaustive, there are others but the best thing you can do is search, you’ll soon find all he handy pages and bookmark them…

A one-stop type website for all things related to bicycle technology would be marvelous but it doesn’t quite exist IME, and anyone attempting to compile such a thing could never quite get on top of it all IMO.
Any book published on the subject will be out of date before it made it to the shelves…

Nah Google; Bung in a few sensibly worded searches and see what you get, free information sifting that’s the beauty of the internetz innit.

Thanks, only looked at Sheldons site and learnt about BCDs already, will be sifting through alot of internet info over the coming weeks (as wll as posting q’s!)

OP – I don’t think any bike building books will tell you the pro’s and cons of differents parts…especially BB’s as they are usually frame specific, although adapters can be used on some.

I hear what you’re saying d45yth!

My first point to ponder is which BB to go for…..or should I get cranks first then be forcerd in to a certain BB purchase??

Was told yesterday to go for square taper or octalink as will last longer (hopefully) than the type with bearings on ‘outside’……?

I switched back to Octalink for mtb I use in winter as the external BB didn’t last long.

SiB – Member

I hear what you’re saying d45yth!

My first point to ponder is which BB to go for…..or should I get cranks first then be forcerd in to a certain BB purchase??

Was told yesterday to go for square taper or octalink as will last longer (hopefully) than the type with bearings on ‘outside’……?
Like I said, it can depend on the frame with a lot of new ones having press-fit BB’s. If the frame has a standard, English, screw-in type, I’d go for a decent quality external BB (Hope, CK, etc.).
Who told you to use square taper or Octalink?!? Someone with grey hair and a beard I’d guess? 😛

EDIT: If you’re going to build a mountain bike with new parts, chose current 10sp ones. Chose anything else and you’re going to be limiting yourself…8-9sp parts are becoming harder to get hold of except at the lower end of the market (or the opposite with some niche brands/components). A lot of the discontinued parts often cost more than the equivalent 10sp too!

Was told yesterday to go for square taper or octalink as will last longer (hopefully) than the type with bearings on ‘outside’……?

I wouldn’t listen much more to whoever told you that. IME the only reason people have shortlived external type BB is that their shells are not faced.

Sheldon Brown is very good, but as above on more recent stuff is a little lacking (understandably so). The Park site is in general very good.

The Park one is very good, bought that for the brother in law who was clueless and is now pretty good. Haynes was ok but there are also some cheap ones in Book Factory that are also good for basic stuff. You tube is a better resource for a lot of stuff and Park have got a directory for most of the general tasks. Better to watch it be done that to piece pictures and words together.

If you’re going to build a mountain bike with new parts, chose current 10sp ones. Chose anything else and you’re going to be limiting yourself…8-9sp parts are becoming harder to get hold of except at the lower end of the market

REALLY ?????

stAn-Bad Brains MBC – Notice the word ‘becoming’, most decent 9sp parts have stopped being made so I still stand by my point. There would be no reason for anyone chosing anything less than 10sp if needing to buy a whole groupset IMHO.

d45yth……….yes, was grey haired beardy bloke who recommended square or octalink! Not press fit BB, standard 68mm threaded. Are the bearings not more protected in a square/octalink than thise of an external type? I’d prefer to have a fit it and leave it BB

Facing of BB….whats the approx cost a lbs would charge to do this?

Facing of BB….whats the approx cost a lbs would charge to do this?

Dont bother IMO.

is there a ‘bike building bible’ ?

I think so. Something about being built in seven hours and followed by a bit of a holiday, wasn’t it?

There would be no reason for anyone chosing anything less than 10sp if needing to buy a whole groupset IMHO.

Low-Normal, only do it in 9sp, so I won’t be going 10sp any time in the near future.

sugdenr – Can’t believe I overlooked that myself! I have dual control levers on my bikepacking bike, I’m taking it that’s what you use?

OP – “I’d prefer to have a fit it and leave it BB” – No BB is fit and forget! How many miles do you do or are planning on doing? Normally those who build their own bikes don’t mind doing a bit of maintenance. I use Chris King BB’s and put fresh grease in them every year…so far I haven’t had to replace one.

Bottom Bracket Tech Breakdown

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Bottom_Bracket_Standards_2573.html

d45yth……this will be my fourth bike but first I’ve built and if its anythng to go by I use my present 3 bikes roughly equally and I expect the new build will slip in to this equation……so not alot of miles on new build (or any individul bike), say 100miles per week split roughly equally over the four bikes. I know, not alot all in all and not enough on new build to warrant buying a CK or Hope BB…….but then some wouls argue buy once and it will last years. Decisions decisions. Unfortunately money is a factor in this build so the cheaper the better initailly with the plan of replacing worn parts over the years with upgrades.

Macavity……they look spot on, thanks for pointers

Facing of BB….whats the approx cost a lbs would charge to do this?

think I got charged £25 quick job but specialist tool needed so not cheap.
I’ve had very mixed results from external bearings, some died after a few rides others last ages. If it’s for a bike that’s gonna be ridden in the wet a lot (ie a winter bike) square taper is probably a good shout.

My Shimano SLX BB lasted 18 months before it needed replacing, which i thought was pretty good for the money. Admittedly only about 15 miles a week, although that is in the Peak District, which eats bearings.

New BB every 18months sounds reasonable, but a new BB every 1200 miles doesn’t sound so good.