8/21/15 10:13 AM

I had a set a few years ago, and when all the new BB formats started coming out I had a chance to sell mine at a good price and I did it. Well, with all the problems I've read about with the new standards I ordered my new frame with an "upgraded" threaded BB.

I just bought a new set of Park BTS-1 bottom bracket tap/facer set. Guess I'll try to avoid the new stuff as long as I can.

Maybe the industry will swing back to thread bottom brackets? Na, too expensive. Think how much stiffer yet compliant the new ones are")

8/21/15 10:43 AM

But you'll need the BB60 when it comes out to keep up on club rides...

I have to say this though. Buying that Reynold 753 Henry James fitted framest for $200.00 seem to be something that will happen more now. Folks buying the latest and greatest has made a lot of good stuff 'get rid off fodder' apparently.

Had a conversation at the LBS that I had bought the disc Roubaix at yesterday. All 3 mechanics, young guys too, were all in agreement about cookie cutter too stiff new carbon bike they sell and work on. And I though the good stuff was a retro farts game.

I had the 753 bike, and they went nuts over it. One kid yanked out his Ti Lemond project bike he had just striped the Ultegra off to send it out for paint removing/dipping and brushing. He might buy a loose AME straight blade I have for it. The AL crown/steerer orig fork on it surprised me on a Ti bike, orig matching paint.

At least the frame was 1-1/8 steer/head tube. That was one 'new' thing back in the day needed with carbon steerer forks to be sure. The Merckx EX I had late 90s with the 1" Look carbon steerer fork was down rite scary to descend on. ;) HSC Zero I used to call it....

8/21/15 3:33 PM

Are those facing and tapping tools really need?

I've built up several frames (Litespeed, Co-Motion and Surly) over the past 10 years or so and all of their bottom were parallel and had good clean threads. No additional work was needed on them.

In the past, when machining and casting techniques weren't nearly as good, facing and tapping bottom bracket shells was done routinely for good reason. Today? Not so much.

8/21/15 4:07 PM

Every frame I've ever used them in was improved. After I chase the threads, I can thread in a BB by hand until it contacts the face. I've never been able to thread 1 in by hand chat was not chased.

Besides, I like tools.:)

8/22/15 1:15 AM

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Are those facing and tapping tools really need?

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8/22/15 2:32 PM

Maybe I've been lucky but all of the frames I mentioned above could be hand threaded as received without any tapping. The sole exception were the two Surly frames and I had to clean out a bit of paint overspray but that required no special taps.

Also, when fitting Shimano Hollowtech II bottom brackets and cranks, the spindles inserted very easily with no need to force them into alignment and that says the bb shell faces were very parallel, again with no machining.

8/22/15 2:33 PM

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I can only recall one frame I've purchased where chasing and facing the BB shell didn't improve matters

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