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Old 09-13-21, 06:59 AM
  #20  
Hiro11
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,608

Bikes: 2022 Specialized Allez Sprint custom build, 2019 Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0, 2018 Seven Mudhoney Pro custom build, 2017 Raleigh Stuntman, various others

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I had been vehemently anti-press fit for years. I wouldn't buy a bike with a press fit BB... then I bought a bike with press fit. I currently have two bikes with press fit, neither has been an issue over many thousands of miles. I've been persuaded that (properly manufactured) press-fit is just fine. It's worth noting that every other bearing in the entire world is press fit, apparently other industries can figure this out.

I think one major factor in the negative press around press fit is that some of the largest brands (notably Trek, Specialized and Cannondale) are also some of the worst at properly manufacturing press fit BB shells. Also, some standards (example: BB86) seem less reliant on perfect tolerances than others. Having said that I have a cross bike with the supposedly awful BB30 bottom bracket. I haven't had to touch that BB30 (notably high quality NTN bearings in a precisely made titanium shell) since 2017 despite riding it through countless rain storms, mud pits, dust clouds etc. It still turns smooth as silk. In that time, I've replaced two threaded bottom brackets on my (significantly cheaper) gravel/adventure bike. So, I don't know what to believe.
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