Upgrading Bottom Brackets

[lowslowandold]

Trying to research into bottom brackets, I have removed a rather ropey shimano square taper, I want to run a single front ring, and replace the cranks

So can I just fit a hollow tech or octalink? And upgrade the rest or stick with the replacing the square taper and then upgrades of the original? I hope this makes sense?

Thanks

 

[Motty]

A decent square taper bottom bracket would be easier, cheaper and last longer, but the modern hollow tech bottom bracket would be lighter.

If you go for another square taper, Wiggle are doing the UN55 for under a tenner at the moment

 

[02gf74]

There are many some day too many formats of bb.

Afaik there is not a huge amount of choice in octalink chainsets so unless you already have one, avoid.

Hollow tech ii is shimano external bb format, been around for a few years, lots of shimano csets around.

External bb bearings dont seem to last as long but they can be repkaced by takink the external bbs apart.



... and dont dismiss square taper, been around for yrar, chrap reliable, loads of chaisets using that format.

Decide on you cset and take it from there.

 

[lowslowandold]

Re:

I think I will stick the square taper.

Is it best to just stick with shimano? Or are there other companies that do upgraded ones ie Hope, Cane Creek, etc,etc

Liam

 

[xerxes]

Re:

You can get some expensive lightweight square taper bottom brackets from Phil Woods and Royce, but for under £15.00 it's hard to beat the Shimano UN55 for value. They last for ages, so they're pretty much fit and forget, just remember to put plenty of grease or copaslip anti-seize on the threads because unless you do super high mileage, once fitted it will be there for years.

 

[makster]

Re:

Another vote for a good old square taper here.
I'm in the process of upgrading my modern 29er to a square taper bb and Middleburn cranks.
I'm sick of replacing the modern bb's so will take the extra weight penalty for reliability

 

[Osella]

Depends on the frame... What is it?

I have Square taper on all mine- retro and modern except for my '95 Cadex MCM which has benefitted massively from having a hollowtech external BB which has genuinely reduced almost to nil the BB flex inherent in the 19 y.o carbon frame..
If you have an old frame you feel is too flexy (as in you can actually see/feel it when pedalling!) then it's worth considering a hollowtech or similar; if on the other hand you have a nice firm frame then no real reason to change away from square taper.

I've had some nice 'Neco' (or Token) BBs with carbon shells, Alu Cups and Steel axles. Weight is significantly less than the UN55 if that's important, and touch wood they have so far been reliable (albeit only 18 months usage so far).