Description:This maintanance-free bottom bracket is fully sealed, providing off road riders of commuters a no-hassle replacement bottom bracket. Perfect for replacing your worn-out bracket or for building your bike from scratch. Chro-mo steel and aluminum construction creates a high-strength, durable bottom bracket.
Submitted by
jose luis spencer
a Cross Country Rider
from madrid Date Reviewed: June 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sierra de Guadarrama,
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Comes with the bike
Strengths:
Cheap, solid,
Weaknesses:
Weight... but so many people eating like worms and looking for a feather bike...
Similar Products Used:
Race face,
Bottom Line:
10.000 miles, I decided to upgrade, bought xtr... 2000 miles and broke (expensive but not 100% sealed and no warranty...), the back to my old bb for 12.000 miles more, a new upgrade, an incredible Race Face Deus... 370 miles and broke! Back to my old and cheap bb... Now after 8.200 miles I believe that I should upgrade because it´s starting to make little noise under high pressure, but... I am scare, so many baaaad bb out there! 30.200 smooth-miles with dirt, sun, snow, water, mud under 240 pounds... If you want a better BB don´t buy xtr or race face...
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Submitted by
cougar
a Cross Country Rider
from Baltimore Date Reviewed: April 27, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bike
Strengths:
Tough, no flexing, spins smooth, available in many sizes
Weaknesses:
none that i've experienced, although with any square taper, it's a good idea to check the crankbolts occasionally for tightness.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano octalink, ISIS
Bike Setup:
Trek 4300 with rigid fork, other upgrades
Bottom Line:
I honestly have no problem with the old school square taper BB. I have Octalink and ISIS on other bikes, and really don't see any big advantage. I'm onlt 150lbs. so I don't notice any flex. I think the square taper BB last a bit longer the the splined types. This BB only has one year and maybe 5000 miles on it, so I can't comment on long term durability. Had to take drive side of crank off one time because the BB was a bit loose. This was probaly my fault in not tightening it enough during initial insrallation. After tightening it back up, it's good to go! Spins smooth.
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Submitted by
gertrudis martorell
a
from Hialeah,Florida,USA Date Reviewed: October 22, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
1338 west 80 st
Bottom Line:
I need 4 bottom bracket of shimano bike UN 72
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Submitted by
steve
a
from ann arbor MI Date Reviewed: April 19, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
very durable
Weaknesses:
a little heavy. not as stiff as current B.B
Similar Products Used:
isis, hollowtechII, octalink
Bottom Line:
Very durable. I have had mine for 11 years now and it is still as smooth as when I first got it. Having worked at a shop i have seen lots of these B.B come through and have only had to replace a hand full.
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Submitted by
Vince
a
from Utah Date Reviewed: February 19, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
No Fuss it works....well. Spins smoothly, no maintannce so far. Works well with the first generation hollowtech cranks.
Weaknesses:
None, not the top flashy technology, the crank style is fading.
Similar Products Used:
ISIS and OCtilink
Bike Setup:
2004 fsr xc specialized, 2004 fox talas, cane creek rear shock, hope hubs, hayes hfx 9 dh brakes, ritchey every thing else.
Bottom Line:
Works, If you can find a good square taper crank set, pick one of these up, they are old school but work great. If you dont care about having the blingy new stuff. Im replacing crank set with a custom octink crankset soon and moving this to another bike that im building. Im replacing the bb because its a 68 mm and I need a 72mm, what a waste!
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Submitted by
chris anderson
a Cross Country Rider
from norwich Date Reviewed: May 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
mah dah hey
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
never have to worry about it.
Weaknesses:
none
Bottom Line:
i used this bb for eight years and never had a single problem. it came on my old mt. shasta tempest and i switched it over when i bought a new bike two years ago. This bb, and the stem are the only two parts still running on my new bike and i could be happier about it. I have heard so many negatives regarding the isis drives, and everyone loves these old taperlocks. i just wish it was easier to get a hold of square taper cranks these days, cause i would just keep running this bb. highly recommended. happy trails. p
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Submitted by
matt savage
a Cross Country Rider
from bend, or Date Reviewed: August 4, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Voodoo
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$50.00
Strengths:
Indestrucible
Weaknesses:
NUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
NUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bike Setup:
Rad!
Bottom Line:
This bottom bracket has lasted me through 3 frames. It's a first generation XT BB from the first year they did 9 speed. I'm still running it today. I'm astonished, no, flabbergasted that it's lasted this long. It's been raced, "freeriden", and just plain old abused in the Pac NW mud and it is still running strong. XT stuff rules all the way. I just hope I can still find a square taper to replace it IF it goes.
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Submitted by
royce
a Weekend Warrior
from onida,s.d Date Reviewed: July 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
porcupine rim
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
xt grade quality,way lighter than the OEM stx-rc that only lasted a few rides
Weaknesses:
I spose it wouldnt be much good to a freerider
Similar Products Used:
xt on my other bike,my other higher end jekyll has an lx on it from factory that has lasted 3 seasons
Bike Setup:
custom jekyll
Bottom Line:
the xt un-72 that came on my giant 980 carbon fiber full susp. has lasted flawlessely for 5 years.I figured when the cheap stx-rc whent to hell I'd go with a new xt unit and I'm happy and dancing again.Yay!
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Submitted by
luke
a Weekend Warrior
from Suffolk, UK Date Reviewed: April 7, 2003
I've ridden this BB to the ends of the earth. I've ridden this BB for 6 years through snow, rain, mud and not a murmer. I've never even cleaned the bike! It's the only part of the whole bike that still works!
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Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Georgia Date Reviewed: December 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
urban ville
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
it's cheap and it adds to smooth pedaling, it works for what it is made for, cross country
Weaknesses:
alot, after 3 months of use, the ole boy snapped on me and about sliced my leg open. This bottom bracket isn't as strong as these other reviewers are making it out to be. I only weigh 130 pounds for goodness sake.
Bottom Line:
too cheaply made, maybe mine was just a factory defect, but I seriously doubt it!
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Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Atl, GA Date Reviewed: August 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
Super strong and very smooth. If installed properly will last a long time. Mine held up over 2 years before replacement. I replaced it with the same cause it works!
Weaknesses:
Not the lightest but its strong and works.
Bike Setup:
Kona Ti Hei-hei
Bottom Line:
Highly reccomend if you want high quality and longevity. Make sure its installed properly and it will give you years of service.
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Submitted by
Leotis Denetclaw
a Weekend Warrior
from Waterflow NM USA Date Reviewed: June 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pinon Mesa
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$23.00
Purchased At:
ABQ Bicycle Center
Strengths:
Price, Availibity, XT product
Weaknesses:
Duribility, It did not last as long as I needed it to.
Similar Products Used:
Suntour, Various shimano makes, RaceFace(the best)
This product looked nice, I wanted to like it so bad, the cups kept pushing out, the bearings developed play it them, it lasted most of the summer. I am 240lbs and figure this was the penalty for my weight, that is until I tried RaceFace............It is the best I have used to date.
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Submitted by
SGT. ROCK
a Racer
from Edmonton, AB Date Reviewed: June 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Mail order
Strengths:
Cheap Smooth Strong
Weaknesses:
Not weightless
Similar Products Used:
LX BB
Bottom Line:
These units pretty much last forever. Managed to kill an OEM LX unit after a couple seasons, but I have yet to see an XT unit fail. I suppose if you ride through mud on a continual basis you could pack one up...or if you subject it to forces it wasn't engineered for, like 10' drops. But as another learned gentleman said in his post, expecting an XC BB to survive freeride antics is like buying an air sprung race fork to ride the World Cup DH circuit - STUPID.
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Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: May 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Lake Morana (race 2 NORBA California)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
JensenUSA.com
Strengths:
great BB, no problems
Weaknesses:
every once in a while I get some squeeks in either my BB or my TruVativ FireX. I pull and clean the crank and all's well.
with over 4,000 miles of riding it hasn't failed me yet, It does what it's supposed to do.
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Submitted by
dan frost
a
from UK Date Reviewed: May 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
cliffface!
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$23.00
Purchased At:
Chain reaction, UK
Strengths:
great, cheap disposable bb
Weaknesses:
unservicable
Similar Products Used:
LX
Bike Setup:
Voodoo canzo esp full susser
Bottom Line:
Great, typical good value shimano, shame they dont make a servicable bb tho
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Submitted by
walter
a Downhiller
from Netherlands Date Reviewed: May 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Works well.
Weaknesses:
???
Similar Products Used:
bbun51
Bike Setup:
XT-LX-SRAM
Bottom Line:
Had it installed the very first season these cartridge bb's came out. Still does the job. Wich can't be said of the bb un 51, wich was on my other bike.
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Submitted by
Lau
a Cross Country Rider
from Macau, China Date Reviewed: April 10, 2002
I don't know why my BB is terrible. My friend who has a ATX team, also with UN72s, feel light of riding. I don't know what to say- just terrible on my UN 72
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Submitted by
Derek
a Downhiller
from Fresno Date Reviewed: January 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:
007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
stevens bikes
Strengths:
Good durability Cheap Easy to find replacement Disposable
Weaknesses:
Some say heavy but who cares Disposable
Similar Products Used:
other shimano, race face, real, lots of others at the shop
Bike Setup:
Sata cruz s-8 for DH Trek 9800 for XC
Bottom Line:
This is the only BB I use. It is cheap and easy to replace. Every expensive, non shimano BB I have seen has lived less than a year and cost 5 times as much. at $20 a pop, who cares how long it lasts, but these last me an average of 2 years. I can't complain about that. Desers higher than 5 for value.
$ 30.00
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