Definitive BB 30 solution

[Mongoosed]

I'm the owner of a cannondale caad9. Its BB has been making noise (cracking) since the very beginning. Two FSA gossamer and one Sram crankset after I have installed a Rotor BB 30 to 24 adapter and a Shimano 105 crankset. After four months it's been making noise and cracking again. Cannondale and my LBS don't wan't to known nothing about it, that after 4 cranksets it's not a warranty item (i think it is). Does anyone know which is the BB30 definitive solution? 2 years and 4 cranksets after I don't know what to do, maybe a wheels manufacturing cups?

[BdaGhisallo]

I have followed the BB30/PF30 saga for a while now. I understand the benefits to frame construction from the larger cross section BB shell facilitating better mating with larger frame tubes. I get that it's supposedly stiffer. I get the lower Q factor allowed. I get that it's lighter than comparable standard systems. What I cannot get is the littany of issues that folks seem to have with them. Creaking seems to be top of the list. I don't know that I could count high enough to catalog all the threads on various forums complaining about creaking. It seems to me that the pressfit style bottom brackets don't seem to be that robust when it comes to the real world. It's a great design on paper but it seems to rely on tolerances tighter than can be realistically achieved and maintained.

I don't know. Can someone enlighten me. I am genuinly interested since it seems to be a good design and there's so much fanfare about it, but it seems to have so many issues that traditional BSC threaded BBs don't. Is it that BB30 owners are more vocal? Why can't Cannondale, who pioneered the BB30 standard, always get it right themselves.

I am not trying to start a flame war here but nothing I have seen has convinced me of any overall, all in superiority of BB30/PF30 over what came before.

[Zachariah]

Get Cannondale Hollowgram Si or SiSL and have it installed right. Any other BB solution is useless, for the System Integration/BB30 bottom bracket. I've been there and done that already....SRAM Red/Rotor/Shimano DA. Absolutely NOTHING beats Hollowgram stiffness, smoothness and power transfer. Your CAAD 9 is actually a CAAD 8.5...without Hollowgrams!

They are expensive...but worth every penny spent.

[Mongoosed]

I totally agree with you, BB30 doesn't work in the real world, maybe in the pro world where you have a fulltime mechanic doing this and that to your bike. If I knew for sure that cannondale hollowgram were noiseless, creackingless, silent, stiff and all that maybe I could make the 500€ effort to get it!

[Mongoosed]

I've seen that hollowgrams cost 800€... For that money I have to decide if I buy the hollowgram or a non BB30 aluminium frame (canyon, rose, principia...) It's a matter to think about.

[Arky]

Ghisallo: "Saga" is a bit of a stretch.

Why do you come out slugging it with BB30 when you have 0 experience with it? At least the OP does.

Mongoosed: Loctite gap filler solves creaking (creaking = cracking?! ). Bearings require super tight tolerances for press fit. Too tight and it causes bearing failure. Too loose and you get wear between the mounting surface and the bearing.

I am totally confused about your "cracking". Are your cranks cracking?

Why are you complaining about BB30 when you do not even use a BB30 crank? BB30 cranks are not expensive. Using a real BB30 crank is the definitive solution. I do not like the idea of adapter cups. Do they put a cantilevered moment on the (former) BB30 bearing surface? A real BB30 crank puts a natural radial load on bearing surface.

[Rick]

If you search this forum you can find a couple of my prior BB30 solutions in other threads.
I am also less than totally satisfied with BB30, but I have it working acceptably well with some loctite and higher side preload.
I think it is too finicky for a trypcal home bike mechanic.

[53x12]

I'm the owner of a cannondale caad9. Its BB has been making noise (cracking) since the very beginning. Two FSA gossamer and one Sram crankset after I have installed a Rotor BB 30 to 24 adapter and a Shimano 105 crankset. After four months it's been making noise and cracking again. Cannondale and my LBS don't wan't to known nothing about it, that after 4 cranksets it's not a warranty item (i think it is). Does anyone know which is the BB30 definitive solution? 2 years and 4 cranksets after I don't know what to do, maybe a wheels manufacturing cups?

You wouldn't happen to be related to bones now would you? Not sure about your particular circumstance as I don't know you, your bike, or your LBS personally. But let me tell you, that many of us have put thousands upon thousands of miles upon our BB30 bikes without any issue. So I am not sure if your crank is improperly setup, if you have just had crappy luck with the cranks you bought, if your mechanic is inept or you have a legit issue with your frame. If you don't trust your LBS, take it to a different shop for a 2nd opinion. Better yet, buy some tools yourself and do your own maintenance.

I have Cannondale Hollowgrams on all of my BB30 frames, 1 SI and 2 SISL cranks. Zero issues. They are the best crank setup I have ever owned. I first owned the SI and was blown away by it. Ended up selling my SRAM BB30 cranks to move completely to Hollowgram setups. Once you go Hollowgram, you won't go back.

[soonerrebel]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=101576


This MAY help.

[PoorCyclist]

I still have a small problem with the SRAM spindles manufactured a bit smaller than the bearing race. Usually on one side you see a little more discoloration on the anodizing than the other. This can manifest as a creak at certain climbing situations for a few revolutions although most of the time it is quiet.

I didn't have problem with my last crank which was FSA and seemed to fit tighter.
I think the solution is to apply loctite to the INNER bearing race instead of grease, but I have not decided on doing that yet.

I have used loctite 641 (removable strength) between shell and bearing outer race, which is removable strength and it pressed out fine, one side made a pop and the other didn't upon pressing out with the enduro tool, especially since my shell is also anodized. I don't think the loctite bond that strong on anodized surfaces, best bond is on steel/steel and even steel/alum interface the strength is weakened.

But for the crank spindle there is no way around but tap it out with a hammer. However I am thinking with enough freeze spray on the spindle it will separates easy.

[Zachariah]

If a BB30 bearing is installed correctly the very first time using only a precision bearing press....then no creaking or Loctite will ever be necessary, as the BB shell machining will never, ever become compromised. As long as the BB30 bearing extractor is always used(basically, a reverse bearing press) - your BB30 shell will forever retain its' factory machined tolerances.

This is why I will never buy a used BB30 frame...only because even just ONE instance of hastily using a hammer and punch to remove or install a BB30 bearing will permanently ruin the BB shell. Once a shell is compromised - bearings will go bad, creaking will be present, etc. No thanks!

[PoorCyclist]

This is why I will never buy a used BB30 frame...only because even just ONE instance of hastily using a hammer and punch to remove or install a BB30 bearing will permanently ruin the BB shell. Once a shell is compromised - bearings will go bad, creaking will be present, etc. No thanks!

That is a bold statement to make, I agree if the bearings is skewed in the frame you could damage the shell.. but then almost no shops use a press to remove the bearings.
That said I am lucky to be able to build up my own (2 bikes), only after I replaced the frame that was mistreated by someone with a hammer and a pipe. I will never have a shop work on BB30 since I have all my tools now.

[topflightpro]

The "litany" of problems associated with BB30 consists entirely of creaking, which is only one issue.

There have been numerous threads about how to fix this. Simply apply Loctite to hold the bearings in place and you will be fine. IIRC, it is the Loctite 609 compound - it's green.

And no, it has nothing to do with whether the proper press is used to install the bearings, and the proper removal tool is a metal plate and hammer. Sometimes, there is just a little play that is solved with Loctite.

I've done this on three different bikes now and each time, the Loctite has solved the problem.