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Submitted by
d
a
from UK
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Smooth,
| | Weaknesses: | Its SQUARE TAPER and snaps doing 4ft drops(frequently)(100 quid wasted on a xtr crank 8( | | Similar Products Used: | Many other Taper BB
Hollowtech,ISIS | | Bottom Line: | My advise is to never buy square taper your allways ganna snap them no matter how good the quality is and how much money you spend just dont buy,
I reccomend Hollowtech 2 or ISIS(dont last that long lo isis)
I have now snapped every single Square Taper BB and Crank ive owend im so glad Hollowtech and ISIS came out,
Im sorry but any square taper bb or crank gets a ZERO mark(but i cant leave zero DAM IT)
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Patrick
a Cross Country Rider
from Morgan Hill
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Tule | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | I can't remember | | Strengths: | Solid reliable product. Doesn't leak or squeak and takes loads of punishment without a whimper. I have owned 3 and only replace when I get a new frame. I check em when I sell my old frames and they all spin smooth. | | Weaknesses: | I guess they are not as stiff as the Isis or x-type but I can't tell. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Lx Isis toasted in 6 months and boy did that crank creeaaak! | | Bike Setup: | Yet 575 with Marzocchi AM1 up front, swiss army knife of bikes. | | Bottom Line: | I can buy whatever I want these days but I can't stand a noisy or unreliable drivetrain. This is by far the most reliable trouble free bottom bracket on the market today! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sky
a Cross Country Rider
from Aiea, HI
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | Smooth, Strong, Quiet, & Long Lasting! Lightweight for a square taper BB. | | Weaknesses: | None so far~ | | Similar Products Used: | Truvativ, UN-53 | | Bike Setup: | '04 Specialized Hardrock Pro Disk - SS Conversion | | Bottom Line: | Great BB for $20, has lasted me since I bought my bike and got rid of the crap Truvativ BB that came on my bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stefan Baillargeon
a Cross Country Rider
from Bellefeuille
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | local trails | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | La Cordee | | Strengths: | Very smooth, no more cracking noise...(so far) | | Weaknesses: | none... | | Similar Products Used: | did not used other brand since I changed the original BB for this one on my Cannondale F900SX | | Bike Setup: | F900SX Hard tail, Lefty front suspension, LX/XTR SETUP | | Bottom Line: | Very satisfied so far, I do about 100km per week of cross country (a bof free ride) and it is been running very well since I had it installed.
Hope that it will do as good as the original BB that was insatlled on the bike, in witch it lasted 2 1/2 year. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere on 2 wheels. | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Bikefit | | Strengths: | Inexpensive and does exactly what it is supposed to do. | | Weaknesses: | None. Just the people that are using them the wrong way. | | Similar Products Used: | Real(piece of crap), UN52 (good but heavy) | | Bike Setup: | Trek X01, Klein Attitude Race. | | Bottom Line: | These bottom brackets do just what they are supposed to do. Keep your crankarms together and go round and round forever. I have 24000 km ( year round riding on salted roads and rain the rest of the year) on the X01 and 5000 km on the Klein and both are still as smooth as silk. It just seems that the retards that are breaking them are doing 5 and 8 foot drops are using the wrong gear. Duh!!! Open your eyes fellow cyclist's ( I have to be polite) and start using your brains. That is the bottom line!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger
a Cross Country Rider
from Regina, SK, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Dutch Cycle | | Strengths: | Good product. No complaints. Smooth and fairly tough. | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | Stock parts. | | Bike Setup: | Kona w/ xt shifters, derailleurs, hayes disc. | | Bottom Line: | This is a good BB for cross country riders, and weak offroaders like myself. I've never had any problems, smooth as silk. If you're the kind of rider that's taking six foot drops, you'd better be ready to dish out for parts. There's nothing wrong with that style of riding if you have the guts and the coin.
Torque is measured in ft*lbs or N*m. It's exactly how it looks. Length from the joint multiplied by the force. The length MUST be measured at 90 degrees from the direction of the force. Unless you're 3D inclined, forget about picturing it or calculating it. Torque on a BB can occur in different directions, and the most is produced when you land with the cranks horizontal to the ground. This maximizes the torque due to the length of the cranks. Of course, this is the only reasonable way to land if you want to keep your boys intact. Landing with your cranks perpendicular to the ground will make the length of the cranks negligible, and minimize the torque on your cranks and BB. The longer you fall, the higher the downward force, and the higher the torque on your BB. No type of 3/4 inch metal can withstand someone falling six feet time and time again. It will wear, it will tire, and it will eventually break. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Theo DR
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Hup Leong | | Strengths: | Buttery smooth compared to my stock bb. | | Weaknesses: | None found so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Stock bb on my bike | | Bike Setup: | KHS FXT Sport | | Bottom Line: | Left the bike shop with a big grin on my face after feeling the smoothness! Hasn't given me any problems so far, still as smooth as ever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Pleasanton CA.
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Any East Bay Park. | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Cheap and reliable when used for its intended applications.
| | Weaknesses: | Wear out in about 1500 miles of 10-20% grades.
I wish Shimano would make them greasable, like the Micro-Lube on my SXR fork. | | Similar Products Used: | STX R/C, UN-71. Some kind of Race Face piece of junk, that didn't last one summer of riding. | | Bike Setup: | FSR xc with; Easton Carbon Riser bar, F519 rims with DT hubs. | | Bottom Line: | First of all; Shimano's quality has not dropped. When the UN-71/72 bottom brackets were first designed, free ride didn't exist.
Second; I wish I could still remember the mathamatical formula for FT lbs energy, because a 5+ ft. drop is a lot of torque to put on a piece of metal thats only about 3/4 inch in diameter, especialy if you add in the torque multiplication from the crank arms.
People have invented new and extreme offshoots of mountain biking, then complain that parts break.
I've got news for you people; Extreme versions of any sports that involve machinery, break parts on a regular basis.
The problem is made worse by the constant demands that said parts be made lighter. The manufacturers can't keep making things lighter and stronger, and keep the part affordable.
I find some of the reviews on this web site amazing, because people will admit things, like breaking a part when they crash, but they put the blame on the manufacturer instead of themselves. That people, is truly strange.
I don't doubt, that the people complaining about a good product, break a lot of parts other than the ones they are complaining about, in a paticular review.
Also; If you are doing "drops" you aren't a cross-country rider any more, you have become something else. People are doing 8 ft. drops and then calling themselve cross-country riders. Where did that thinking originate from?
I use my XT bottom brackets for cross-country use and have had no problems what-so-ever with them, even though I do jumps and weigh 210 lbs.
If you do extreme things on a bike, things are going to break.
Bottom line; this is a very good product for normal mountain bikers. I've had more expensive parts on my bike and they almost never last, and they don't usually save more than a few grams in weight, if they weigh less at all.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pascal
a
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Trials | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Eurotech Cycle | | Strengths: | Well, the XT square taper BB was cheap and the bearings are very smooth... Stiff untill it breaks Also, it is light which is nice. | | Weaknesses: | This BB is dangerously week. It suddenly snaps with no warning at all leaving a sharp bit of metal that just rips into your ancle. | | Bike Setup: | Norco Team Trials HS33 brakes, XT and XTR components | | Bottom Line: | I have to give this POS the lowest overall rating possible because it really messed up my shin when it snapped off a 5 foot drop. I landed the drop perfectly so the BB really wasn't stressed that much when it broke.
On the other hand, it did turn my pedals for a whole year of intensive riding so I have to give a high value rating... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bobo D. Clown
a Cross Country Rider
from L.A.
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Bobo is often spotted on most ocal trails | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$22.00 | | Strengths: | Price, Durability, Smoothness | | Weaknesses: | Weight, if you're into that sorta thing. | | Similar Products Used: | White Industries Titanium BB. I'm not sure what madness induced me to sell it. | | Bike Setup: | Bobo's Custom Dakar: See Bobo's review 2002 Jamis Dakar | | Bottom Line: | I see alot of discrepencies between the reviews here. From what I gather the folks having trouble are doing some serious drops or DH. I mean, how do you break a bottom bracket spindle?!?! Don't get me wrong, 4 to 5 ft high speed drops are no match for bobo and his custom dakar but anything beyond that and I'm wetting my shorts. Based on about 3 months of that kinda xc/freeride use the XT BB has held up fine. Plus for 22 dollars it's a pretty good way to go. 4 havelinos to Shimano for a solid product. Let's see if the XTR can get the 5 rating by cutting some weight | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jensen fong
a Weekend Warrior
from hong kong
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | tai mo shan | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Strengths: | it work"ed"...and i m on my third one
it's smooth when it works | | Weaknesses: | it broke and screwed my crank
it makes sounds | | Similar Products Used: | none i guess | | Bike Setup: | da bomb xlr8r, z1 drop off 2000 model, deore disc, d321 rims, middleburn crank and chainring, deore/lx derailleur with 8 speed hg casette | | Bottom Line: | it's a weak piece of crap....and it seems that the older ones are better...
the first one lasted a few years and the second one lasted a few months..i m on my third one now and i dont know when it will die
btw....i dont ride hard
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Weekend Warrior
from Waterford, Mi.
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | T&C | | Strengths: | What Strenghts? | | Weaknesses: | It is, its own weakness. Broke a spindel, well in side of the housing. | | Similar Products Used: | Lots | | Bike Setup: | P.3 | | Bottom Line: | Smooth but weak. 7ft huck in to a small table top... nice smooth landings and it spun right off... Took a huge chunk out of my Crank... Im on the light end to (145lbs) KING or Race Face... thats it. Bottom Line Shimano sucks. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan Flanagan
a
from Chicago, IL US of A
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | urban assualt/trials | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | It came a pretty box | | Weaknesses: | I do alot of pretty big dropoffs, and admittedly this is not what this product was intended for. Still, i would expect a product bearing the name "SHIMANO XT" to last a bit longer than a FREAKIN' MONTH. I was jumping off of a loading dock that was maybe six feet up and the BB snaps on the left side sending my race face crank (complete with shard of said bottom bracket) into my calf. I had to coast on my bike back to my dorm (foot on the other crankarm)with with a 3 inch gash on my calf, bleeding all over my shoes. Ryan was not pleased. | | Similar Products Used: | Other bottom brackets whose names i am uncertain of. They were cheap but they didnt give me any problems. | | Bike Setup: | Its an Azonic DS 1 with a sexy guy on the seat. | | Bottom Line: | If you do urban assualt and/or trials get a raceface or something. Thats what im going to do. This BB wont hold up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
drew
a Cross Country Rider
from england
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | just keeps going and going | | Weaknesses: | had the same one for 4 years with no problems | | Similar Products Used: | un52,cheapo shimano copies | | Bike Setup: | univega alpina 502 rigid,xt mega 9 chainset(tapered),front mech,rear mech,suntour 8 speed cassette,sram pc59 chain | | Bottom Line: | This bottom bracket is tops in my book.Never creaked or complained at all.Had the same one for 4 years and it has delt with some harsh treatment.In that time have been through 2 chainsets,2 rear mechs,6 cassettes and many chains but this bottom bracket just keeps going. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George
a Downhiller
from CT
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | It works for a little while | | Weaknesses: | It breaks on you when you ride it like you should, the fricken left crank snapped off where it connects to the bb, this shouldnt have happend im dissapointed b/c shimano usually makes good stuff | | Similar Products Used: | race face - get one of these they dont fricken break | | Bike Setup: | a standard dh rig | | Bottom Line: | dont buy this flaming piece of hog balls, its absolutely worthless and will break on you, im slowly losing confidence in shimano which is supposedly the leading brand in bike parts, im only givin it 3 flamin chilis for price cause its cheap as hell | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BOB
a Cross Country Rider
from Marysville CA
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | South yuba (all 16 miles) | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Many stores | | Strengths: | Price is great. Availibility is excellent.Cheap enough to have a spare on hand. | | Weaknesses: | Wear one out about every 8 months. | | Similar Products Used: | Numerous brands and models. | | Bike Setup: | S/C Superlight, XT drive train w/ race face cranks, Mavic 517 Xtr hubs, Avid brakes and Psylo r fork | | Bottom Line: | I have tried alot of other bottom brackets and they all wear out in about the same time. The big advantage of the UN-72 price. The price is fair for how long I get out of one.I always have a spare one on hand ready to swap one out. I dont do huge drops but I ride a real lot and parts wear out. I am just a serious trail rider and this bottom bracket meets my needs. Simply put the bottom bracket on a bike that gets used alot wears out. I will continue to use this bottom bracket until I go to splined cranks or I find something as cost effective. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Siegje
a Cross Country Rider
from Belgium
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere in Tibet or North of Beijing | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | The fact that after browsing this MTBReview page this is the first time in 5 years that I have given any thought about this bottom bracket. | | Weaknesses: | It creaks. But somehow this creaking doesn't bother me anymore, and, strangely enough, I'd be more worried if it stopped! | | Similar Products Used: | None. | | Bike Setup: | Nameless alu frame, X517 rims, PMP hubs, Sapim CX-ray, old Manitou shock, XT + XTR components, local Chinese bar, post and saddle. | | Bottom Line: | For the cross-country cycling I do, with no drops or hardcore downhilling action (I prefer uphills and flats), I think this is a very good value bottom bracket. I would buy it again, but for the sub-8kg super hardtail I am currently building up I would like to buy the best there is in terms of quality, strength and weight. Any recommendations? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
keith quille
a Downhiller
from ireland
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | any jump course! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | un-named irish shop! | | Strengths: | Light , Cheap | | Weaknesses: | snapped on the left hand crank arm. only over a 5" drop,really hurt and pissed off at it breaking cos it damaged my left xt crank. | | Similar Products Used: | un 52 | | Bike Setup: | z.1, jack flash ,xt groupset , xt discs ......... | | Bottom Line: | really lost faith in supposed jump / downhill parts.(xt)
buy something else............dont get hurt! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike b
a Cross Country Rider
from Sodom in the North
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | boggs | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | many, many bike shops | | Strengths: | reliable to a fault
very reasonably priced | | Weaknesses: | boring
should last just a little, little bit longer | | Similar Products Used: | race face
cheap shimano
| | Bike Setup: | sc superlight 25.5 lbs dog dick red w/o stickers, uses solid, reliable components | | Bottom Line: | damn the botique bottom brackets.
no more race bb's for me, what with all the creaking and crackling, not to metion the maddening chainline problems. why is my mechanic able to install a regular old un 72 and make all of these problems go away?
this is something like my sixth xt level bb. i cannot understand what sort of drug induced madness inspired me to waste my money on anything other than a simple, reliable shimano xt bb. i have learned my lesson and will now stay on the path of sanity that living forty years on this earth has taught me to follow.
i have had xt btoom brakets in my kona (94-98), my GT (98-99) and both of my ibis alibis (98/99-present) i have an xt bb in my superlght. xt bottom brackets run and run and run, then give you ample warning that they are going belly up, then die. when you get that first warning that they are sick, you replace it, cheap. end of story.
i don't know what all of you who are writing about creaking and the like are yammering about. maybe youse should eat a Competence Pill or something, because my shimano equpement has been for the most part trouble free.
forget about using expensive, chi chi parts in this place on your frame. pick simplicity and reliability over the cool factor down at the bottom bracket shell. like it or not, shimano is the word here. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pascal
a
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything with trials | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | airbomb.com | | Strengths: | Did wat is is supposed to do for a hole year. | | Weaknesses: | None so far... | | Similar Products Used: | Some POS shimano junk that seised up after like a week of use. | | Bike Setup: | Norco Team Trials HS33 brakes | | Bottom Line: | I ride trials, and this BB has kept turning for over a year now. I am a happy rider. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zeke "the ripper" Hudson
a Downhiller
from Ashland, OR
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Time warp | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$12.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | lightweight, smooth. | | Weaknesses: | square taper, weak. | | Similar Products Used: | truvative isis dh bb | | Bike Setup: | psylo, alite 4000, hussefelt, rhyno lite, avid 2.0 shimano xt disc, 9.0 sl, lx/xtr, kore freeride light handlebar, thomson post | | Bottom Line: | this worked fine for about 1 year exactly. i got into freeriding, and the fricker snapped on me. it's good for XC use i guess, but i would suggest getting a spline system. it's much stiffer. i had the unsplined version, so that may change some of the stiffness, but mine snapped at the cup, and sheared the spindle off... kinda scary. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Gao
a Weekend Warrior
from Shanghai China
Date Reviewed: September 27, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | a local shop | | Strengths: | durable, smooth, light, maintenance free, hollow axle...it's DEORE XT, | | Weaknesses: | the aluminum right adapter broke several months ago | | Similar Products Used: | shimano lp25 lp26 | | Bike Setup: | bridgestone hardtail, xt-xtr, sun rims | | Bottom Line: | i began to use this bb more than 2 years ago, and then no need to remember it. so durable and smooth, no play at all. after 2 years abuse, it's still so smooth like the day i bought it. but several months ago, my crank shaking, after an overhaul, i found the right side aluminum bb adapter cracked! luckily i had a old lp 25 bb whose adapter is on the right side, so i just replaced the xt adapter with the older resin adapter. then it returned to heaven. now i still feel very confident and comfortable on this bb.
but it's not available any more...why does shimano stopped making such a good product? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Oliver
a Downhiller
from Muenster
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Spiegeleierweg | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Strengths: | Lightweight, easy to install | | Weaknesses: | Bent after a 5ft drop | | Similar Products Used: | all shimano 4square, syncros | | Bike Setup: | MC san andreas, stratos,... | | Bottom Line: | If you have enough money to buy a new one after every ride o.k. if you only do xc-cycling o.k.
not for downhill, not for jumps! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Racer
from Budd Lake,NJ
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | mt creek | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | cycle works (bryam) | | Strengths: | good price | | Weaknesses: | fell apart on me after 6 months of owning it | | Similar Products Used: | lx,xt | | Bike Setup: | access alu-ht frame manitou mars c fork rolf dolmite wheels lx drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | the product worked great for the first 6 months that i had been ridin it i raced a lot but i didnt take it off any significantly big drop offs nothing over 5 feet like i saw many people have and clearly this product should not be used for that but it started to severly creek and it got really anoying and ended up having a faulty bottom bracket so i had to buy a new one because xtr models only go with xtr cranks and so far this one is working fine im just waiting to c if the same thing happens and if it does i dont recomend this product | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George Mason
a Weekend Warrior
from Cornwall, Ontario Canada
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything that has 5 foot + drops | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Bicyle World | | Strengths: | Seems better then the one I just replaced, looks good but who will see it burried in the frame. | | Weaknesses: | None yet, but I have only had it a few hours | | Similar Products Used: | UN52 | | Bike Setup: | Basicly stock FSR with R/F cranks and tioga 2.3 DHs | | Bottom Line: | Seems like a decent bb for the price, but is onlty a temp fix. I have killed 3 UN52s in the last 2 years 2 this year alone. I want something that can take the bigger hits I am doing now. Got any hits in the $100 cnd range let drop me a line, oh yeah slined is out till I kill the R/F cranks. | | < |
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$ 22.00
