Wheels Mfg Pf30 Bottom bracket… Any good?

Just looking at options for a new bottom bracket for my stumpy and come across the Wheels one.

Does anyone use the PF30 bottom bracket and if so is it any good?

Cheers

Steve

I struggle to look past the Hope one to be honest.

I thought they were good when onone /planet x were doing them for 18 quid, but I cant seem to find them for less than 45 now. Depending on how much I ride, I get 6-12 months from the standard steel bearing version. I’ve just bought a sram one from the recommendation of my LBS because apparently they have improved them quite a bit in the last four or five years since I last used one of theirs. Fingers crossed!

@renton

The wheels unit is a nice quality piece and the bearings are easily replaced when required.

However, the choice of BB depends on the tolerance of your stumpjumper shell. If within the PF30 tolerance range, wheels will work well. If the frame is slightly oversized try praxxis works. You might need carbon fibre grip paste on the frame shell where the cups seat if your frame is on the far end of the oversized range.

I had 4 different carbon fibre stumpjumper and each had different tolerance on the BB s.

I’ve fitted the screw-together model on a carbon enduro and that has been fine. You need the specific tool though. Hopes have a good rep but are more money, and the tool is more still.

Sram have a bad rep from all the reports I’ve read.

I dont really want to fit a plastic Sram one as I have heard they dont last long at all.

Also Im torn between sticking with the original 30mm crankset that came with the bike (will need new rings soon) or getting a conversion bottom bracket and using a normal hollowtech 2 chainset.

When ours wear out will be replacing with the Hope one. Have been very happy with the Hopes that were fitted when we had our frames built up. Looks like Specialized have changed the design on next years Enduros. Might filter down.

Cheers Tracey,

Out of interest do you still use the 30mm chainsets ?

Yes only two that dont are the Chameleons. Kevins Stumpjumper had XT but that was pinched a couple of weeks ago along with Katies Enduro.

Fitted a few of the wheels mfg bb30/pf30 BB’s now for customers as they seem not to creak and last, have one club guy into his second year using one with out problems so gonna give them a thumbs up for longevity and lack of faff

I replaced the standard Sram one with a Wheels MFG when it seized up (on a 2016 alu Stumpjumper).

For the 2-3 rides I still had it, it seemed fine. Obviously can’t comment on longevity as I sold the frame shortly after.

Sram have a bad rep from all the reports I’ve read.

Yeah I’m hoping to give them the benefit of the doubt. Their original design was poor, and the new one does indeed look a bit different.

The wheels unit is a nice quality piece and the bearings are easily replaced when required

Anyone know where to get replacement enduro bearings for the wheels mfg one?

[Quote]. Looks like Specialized have changed the design on next years Enduros.[/quote]

They have gone for a 73mm threaded BB.

The ceramic hybrid in my 29c spins such that a CK seems positively friction bound. Very impressive.

Just when I thought we could standardise on everything to save on spares.

Just when I thought we could standardise on everything to save on spares.

You mean that you don’t replace your fleet of bikes every year?

I wish every bike came with a threaded bb shell. Really can’t be arsed with bb30 or pressfit bbs. Managed to avoid them on everything except my last couple of cross bikes so far.

Are we thinking the standard plastic Sram one have been improved upon then and maybe worth trying again?

@renton

The best setup on my 3rd (?) Stumpjumper was shimano xt HT 2 using praxxis works conversion BB for bb30/pf30. Cranks bought cheap online and chainrings swapped for single thick/thin

I’ve got through 2 SRAM ones in less than 8 months. Thats with no jetwashing. Absolute garbage. Hope next for me.

Praxis. Creak-free in 17 months.

Are we thinking the standard plastic Sram one have been improved upon then and maybe worth trying again?

That was certainly the advice of the mechanic at my LBS, who also had a PF30 bike (although not in a stumpjumper – neither do I for that matter).

I’m not endorsing the SRAM one. I will if it lasts a decent amount of time (yet to be determined)!

I have a wheels mfg on the spectral, had it for over a year, feels good thus far. I also went 24mm and fitted shimano cranks, as the amount of 30mm BB options was very limiting.

Just chuck some new bearings in the old cups. Easy peasy, big choice of bearings available. 🙂

Can anyone recommend any bearings that fit in the wheels mfg cups?

The old cups were plastic and fell apart on removal !

In regards to SRAM changing the design of their own plastic PF30 BB, I noticed one quite significiant difference.

The original SRAM BB had these metal bearing protecting seal things on the outside of the bearings (click to embiggen):
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But the new SRAM BB now has these plastic outer bearing protectors that fit inside the bearing, where your spindle makes contact with the bearing inner, like so:
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This could be a good thing or a bad thing. The original one sucked so anything might be an improvement.

But this also has an interesting knock on effect, the inner dimension of the bearing of the SRAM BB is now 30.5mm to allow for that plastic insert. The usual BB30 (6806 2RS) bearing was 30mm.
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However I don’t think this will be much of a problem, these plastic BBs are not designed to have their bearings replaced. However I was hoping that if the plastic bearing protecting sleeve actually helped improve bearing life, I was contemplating using it on my wheels mfg BB with new bearings, but sadly the sleeve doesn’t fit in the standard BB30 bearings.

Please don’t consider this my endorsement for the new SRAM PF30, merely illustrating it has changed!

When people change the bearings in the wheels mfg BB – do you re-use the plastic rings/protector seals that sit on the outside of the bearing?

Mine have seen much better days, I’ve just had a new set of bearings delivered. After finding3 old wheels mfg BBs sitting in my garage, the rubber on those seals ones are all coming apart and crappy.

I can only find a replacement kit for £12 on ebay seems a bit steep, my bearings were only £9 for a pair of ABEC-7s!