ISIS stands for International Spline Interface Standard. This new crankarm interface has been developed by a group of designers and manufacturers including TH Industries. TH is currently the only manufacturer with the abiliity and knowledge to produce a forged ISIS Drive spindle. By using a forged spindle we are able to offer a stronger, lighter weight and more reliable product. All ISIS Drive mountain cranksets are designed to work with the 113mm spindle.
Submitted by
Alan Chan
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2007
Strengths: None
Weaknesses: The BB bearing comes loose after one week of riding. Currently in the process of claiming warranty.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is...this BB is crap. I only do XC and max jumping is not over two feet. Bearing comes loose as I can feel the gap with my crank arm on with one hand! This usually happens to old bottom bracket that has been used for a long time (2 years approx) but this is happening to mine that was used for less then one week! I never tried FSA product before so I decided to give it a try. I will never go back it. Going back to Race Face...
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Chameleon, Fox Vanilla RL, Chris King on Mavic 317, XT/XTR, RaceFace Next LP, Thomson Stem + Seatpost, Selle Itaila SLR XC, Time ATAC Carbon, Easton CT2, Hope Mini, Avid Juicy 7, Continental Explorer Supersonic
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Submitted by
Kyle
a Downhiller
from Wausau, Wis, U.S.
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2006
Strengths: It's stiff, unlike shimano which they apparently think that BB's are made of jello, and that nobody over the weight of 180 pounds rides a bike. I've twisted every single octalink BB mady be shimano, as well as others. this one held up easily
Weaknesses: none, this one actually works, and more people who are have play develope in the spinle, KEEP UR BOTTOM BRACKETS TIGHT. play is developed when the bearings can move lateraly, and when they do that they wear unevenly, unevenly worn bearing=spindle play.
Bottom Line:
buy this, if your have the balls to put it in ur bike properly(tightly, with cheater bars otherwise don't complain). the only reasone I could see not to buy one of these is if you don't own a bike, even then It'd be cool to own a fine piece of machanical engineering. (THIS IS THE ONLY BB THAT HAS COME OUT OF MY BIKE THAT YOUR COULD TURN THE SPINDLE BY HAND)
Similar Products Used: all of shimanos, some truvative, FSA
Bike Setup: SS chucker, set up for urban FR
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Submitted by
jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from california
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2005
Strengths: NONE, this thing is total crap. It is stiff, but this is the second one to develop play, the first one had major slop by 2 weeks, this one, took a WHOLE YEAR!!! Wow, that's durable!!
Weaknesses: Develops slop, its expensive, FSA doesn't stand behind what they know is a piece of junk. DO NOT BUY FSA, YOU'LL BE SORRY, READ THE POSTINGS, TALK TO MY FRIEND WHO HAD A CRANK SNAP ON HIM. For the record, I'm 155, ride cross country and do not race, I've nevered snapped a chain or broken ANYTHING, and i've never had a BB perform this poorly. I ride my mountain bike once a week, about 15 to 20 miles, mostly i ride road, but i love a good mountain bike and a great trail. So the BB went in say about 1000 miles, probably less, NICE, REAL Friggin Nice.
Bottom Line:
This is a total piece of junk, FSA sucks, I'll be telling everyone I ride with, don't buy their crap. Two good friends are VERY experienced mechanics and they say to stay FAR away from ANYTHING FSA. What next? Sell my Race Face cranks(which I love)burn the stupid FSA BB and say HELLO Shimano XT Hollow Tech intergrated!! Think I'll have any trouble in a year? Don't think so!! If i could give them no dog piles I would. DON'T BUY ANYTHING FSA, GOT IT? ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used: Shimano, which is where i am headed back too!!
Bike Setup: Rocky Mountain TSC, XTR, XT, Time, Manitou, etc.
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Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Longmont, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2004
Strengths: Light, Price
Weaknesses: Durability
Bottom Line:
Less than a year was all that it could give me. I must add that I weigh 195 lbs. Around 50 miles/week is what I ride. I now have a TRUVATIV Giga Pipe Max Ti. One year and still cranking smoothly.
6 of these bad boys in 1.5 years. I got tired of sending them back for warranty so I'm guiniee? pigging the deus now. The warranty was good. The turn around was pretty good. Seems like a waste of perfectly good ti to me.
Submitted by
James Flynn
a Weekend Warrior
from Coventry
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2004
Strengths: Very lightweight Taken my abuse for a year and I am damn heavy. Another thing on my bike I have just banged in and forgot about, until it started creaking a few days ago.
Weaknesses: The cost, the money I spent on this AND the special tool to fit it could have bought me enough petrol to cover 800 miles in my car :(
Bottom Line:
Good solid bottom bracket, saying that, mine has just developed a nice creaking sound but I haven't investigated that yet and it hasn't fallen off so it can't be too serious.
It would probably be wise spending money on something a little less extravangant, sacrifing those precious few grams is worth having a few extra notes in the wallet.
Similar Products Used: Too many, nothing that was this expensive though
Bike Setup: Planet X Ford Fiesta, just another trials bike really...
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Submitted by
Jono
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2004
Strengths: Hmmm, looks nice.
Weaknesses: Non-drive side bearings collapsed after about 3 months of off-road use. Tried repacking the bearings (even though they're sealed) but to no avail. Too much lateral play even when new.
Bottom Line:
Look elsewhere, I'm trying Truvative next. Saving weight is great but no good if you DNF due to equipment failure. I couldn't recommend this to anybody who goes off-road.
I hope Cannondale puts the SI crank and bb on their hardtails next year. The scalpel has it now so I hope the Optimos end up with it soon. FSA, Race Face, Truvativ, and Shimano should all be ashamed of themeselves. We can put people on the moon but no one can make a bb last past the install. I would pay $1000.00 for a bb if it would last more than 4 weeks without creaking or developing play. This would save me money because I could make more sales and money and spend less time reinstalling my bb every other ride to get my expensive bike to feel expensive (by being quiet). My last two FSAs had slop in the bearings before I ever rode them!
Buy a frameset with an integrated bb from the frame maker. Like Cannondale Scalpel and hopefully the Optimo soon.
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Glen Carbon, IL
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2004
Strengths: Good bottom bracket, sturdy design. Never creaked or groaned from urban assaulting or dirt jumping.
Weaknesses: One of the crank bolts backed out and I lost it. FSA has to be different of course, and has a special sized bolt that you can only get from them for $15.
Weaknesses: stopped working after 20 months - berrings developed play, had to be changed
Bottom Line:
just over a year and a half of use seems to me a little dissappointing for a quality product. At 190 lbs and a relatively mild riding style I don't think I abused it so it should have lasted longer.
Submitted by
Biff
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilson
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2004
Strengths: Very light as claimed
Weaknesses: I have gone through 2 of these in less than a year. I sent the first one back for replacement after 200 miles and almost 5mm play side to side at the tips of the crank arms. FSA treated me good and had as new one right out to me with in 5-7 days. I am a 165 lb xc rider who does not go big. The BB has never bee submerged and again after 300-350 road miles here we go again. It's not the Ti it's the shi__y little bearings FSA is using. I am considering going back to steel. It's 1/3 the cost and only a few ounces heavier.
Bottom Line:
This product has such a short lifespan I find it hard to belive that FSA has not addressed the problem. If I were selling a $90 plus BB I would make sure than in addition to being light it actually performed. Ti-whatever! This is a novelty Item.
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh, PA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2003
Strengths: price, ISIS Drive
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
I have read lots of bad things about ISIS drive BB bearings creaking and going bad in a short amount of time. However, so far this bottom bracket has held up just fine. It has endured quite a few winter rides in the snow and a very muddy and wet spring and early summer here in pittsburgh. About a month ago there was a creaking so I removed the cups and bottom bracket. The BB felt like it was spinning smoothly so I cleaned and regreased the cups and that solved the problem. So it had nothing to do with the bottom bracket.
Bike Setup: 2000 Jamis Komodo, Manitou Black Super, XT/XTR/Race Face, Avid Mech Discs
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Submitted by
Sean
a Weekend Warrior
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003
Strengths: Pretty. Smooth movement. Looks well engineered.
Weaknesses: Only lasted 3 months.
Bottom Line:
This BB has only 100 miles on it. It's hard to believe that it has developed play already. The XT's never did this. It's covered under warranty, but I'll be getting something different—maybe the RaceFace Signature FR.
Weaknesses: Bearing developed play after 6 months. The spindle shattered after 1 year.
Bottom Line:
Seemed ok for first couple months. Then major slop in the bearings after about 6 months. The BB just shattered and is in for warantee. I wouldn't reccommend it for any free-riding. Go for the Platinum or go Race Face.
Bike Setup: Brodie Brute with Z1, 8" Hayes and D321s with Michelin 2.8" and High Roller 2.5" rubber.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from North TX
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003
Strengths: Stiff! Easy to install and very, very strong
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
Recumbents are very hard on bottom brackets and cranks due to the force that can be put on them when the rider braces himself in the seat. I have tore chains in half (Shimano ones) due to the pressure. Switched over to a TruVantiv Elita 45/42/26 crankset and went with the FSA Ultimax. That BB is stiff, strong and can handle long hills and off-roading with no problems. Easy to install, easy to maintain and very high quality. $45 at the LBS and I am very pleased with it's performance, price, quality and weight.
