Bottom Bracket- Old Style vs. New Cartridge Style?
11-06-18, 06:44 AM
#1
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Bottom Bracket- Old Style vs. New Cartridge Style?
Though I currently do not have the old style BB on any of my bikes I find myself wondering if they have less "drag" than the newer style?
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Thoughts?
Thanks!
11-06-18, 07:20 AM
#2
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They have as much drag as you want them to have. They are adjustable.
11-06-18, 09:03 AM
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The cartridge seal drag is negligible in the overall scheme of things.
11-06-18, 09:18 AM
#4
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Look at old bike race movies,
BITD, they had no special time trial bikes , same bike..
one scene: mechanics overhauled bb & hubs, re placed grease, with oil ,
then,
after the brief timed event , greased the bearings again,
for the following days stage race.
so got oil ports on your hubs? races all mirror polished?
...
BITD, they had no special time trial bikes , same bike..
one scene: mechanics overhauled bb & hubs, re placed grease, with oil ,
then,
after the brief timed event , greased the bearings again,
for the following days stage race.
so got oil ports on your hubs? races all mirror polished?
...
11-06-18, 09:49 AM
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It sure seems like the new designs have greater friction when one spins the mounted cranks (no chain) and counts the revolutions then does the same for a well set up loose ball BB. But I do like that the new designs tend to be better sealed and in practice have a narrower range of preload, a range that seems to be about right. This address two big drawbacks of loose ball BBs. That they are adjustable and often are not done (adjusted) so the way too tight factory setting is the adjustment that shortens their life. And that usually the sealing is less effective so they need clean and greasing rather frequently. Back in the day we would overhaul our bikes a few times a season. These days maybe every couple of years.
fb- I have a friend that during one of his overhauls, during the riding season when we were in high school, found he had no true grease. So he used Vasoline. Last I talked with him he was still riding that bike, although with proper grease. Andy
fb- I have a friend that during one of his overhauls, during the riding season when we were in high school, found he had no true grease. So he used Vasoline. Last I talked with him he was still riding that bike, although with proper grease. Andy
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AndrewRStewart
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11-06-18, 11:33 AM
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It’s a compromise between how well sealed they are, and how much they drag.
If you want the ultimate in free-spinning extacy, go for one where the holes in the cups are wide-open bores.
On a fair-weather bike, it can last a surprisingly long time between servicing.
Or accept a speed loss comparable to - oh, I don’t know, breaking posture for a minute or so every hour to stretch your back/neck and fit something that’s faster to install and reasonably resistant to contamination.
If you want the ultimate in free-spinning extacy, go for one where the holes in the cups are wide-open bores.
On a fair-weather bike, it can last a surprisingly long time between servicing.
Or accept a speed loss comparable to - oh, I don’t know, breaking posture for a minute or so every hour to stretch your back/neck and fit something that’s faster to install and reasonably resistant to contamination.
11-06-18, 11:34 AM
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I'll add a comment about drivetrain friction. Look at the amount of back pedaling friction with and without a chain. There's a LOT of added friction the chain causes. Look at the chain's contribution when it's tensioned bu the der cage spring and when the cage is held forward a tad (so there's no spring tension acting on the chain).
I try to keep in perspective the real conditions and sources of friction on a bike. Andy
I try to keep in perspective the real conditions and sources of friction on a bike. Andy
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AndrewRStewart
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10-22-19, 02:28 PM
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It’s a compromise between how well sealed they are, and how much they drag.
If you want the ultimate in free-spinning extacy, go for one where the holes in the cups are wide-open bores.
On a fair-weather bike, it can last a surprisingly long time between servicing.
Or accept a speed loss comparable to - oh, I don’t know, breaking posture for a minute or so every hour to stretch your back/neck and fit something that’s faster to install and reasonably resistant to contamination.
If you want the ultimate in free-spinning extacy, go for one where the holes in the cups are wide-open bores.
On a fair-weather bike, it can last a surprisingly long time between servicing.
Or accept a speed loss comparable to - oh, I don’t know, breaking posture for a minute or so every hour to stretch your back/neck and fit something that’s faster to install and reasonably resistant to contamination.
what do you mean by ( If you want the ultimate in free-spinning extacy, go for one where the holes in the cups are wide-open bores ) maybe pics ?? Thank,s
10-22-19, 02:34 PM
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No seal drag at all. No protection against contamination either.
10-22-19, 02:48 PM
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It’s a compromise between how well sealed they are, and how much they drag.
If you want the ultimate in free-spinning extacy, go for one where the holes in the cups are wide-open bores.
On a fair-weather bike, it can last a surprisingly long time between servicing.
Or accept a speed loss comparable to - oh, I don’t know, breaking posture for a minute or so every hour to stretch your back/neck and fit something that’s faster to install and reasonably resistant to contamination.
If you want the ultimate in free-spinning extacy, go for one where the holes in the cups are wide-open bores.
On a fair-weather bike, it can last a surprisingly long time between servicing.
Or accept a speed loss comparable to - oh, I don’t know, breaking posture for a minute or so every hour to stretch your back/neck and fit something that’s faster to install and reasonably resistant to contamination.
10-23-19, 07:28 AM
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The ultimate in low drag bottom brackets would be unsealed cups, polished races, loose balls and light oil lubrication. Plan on a lot of maintenance and/or a short service life.
10-23-19, 10:12 AM
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It's not that the bearings are better but the larger holes in the cups never touch the spindle and cause no drag at all. The downside, as noted, is no protection from dirt and water contamination.
The ultimate in low drag bottom brackets would be unsealed cups, polished races, loose balls and light oil lubrication. Plan on a lot of maintenance and/or a short service life.
The ultimate in low drag bottom brackets would be unsealed cups, polished races, loose balls and light oil lubrication. Plan on a lot of maintenance and/or a short service life.
10-23-19, 01:44 PM
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This reminds me of the pinewood derby car case where everyone spends inordinate amount of time getting the aerodynamics perfect, wheels balanced, axles polished, etc., and one kid tales his out of the box, nails the wheels to the rectangular block of wood, and proceeds to win the race.
