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Action
Tec Ti Bottom Bracket
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Submitted by
Alison
a Cross Country Rider
from Hershey, PA
Date Reviewed: November 30, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Speedgoat | | Strengths: | Light, never had a problem | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | XS Racer-X, hope minis, SID SL | | Bottom Line: | Great BB for light riders. Speedgoat installed BB for me when I bought the frame. Never had a problem in 3 years of use. Only thing making noise on the bike is the Hope freewheel and its supposed to!
This BB is not recommended for people over 175lb; if this is you, don't bother buying one! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
biker bika
a Downhiller
from canada
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | ur gf | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | airbomb.com | | Strengths: | NONE | | Weaknesses: | EVERYTHINGbearings blew in the first 3 dayz then i got htem replaced the 4 dayz later cracked the axel | | Similar Products Used: | umm raceface evolve | | Bike Setup: | .. | | Bottom Line: | THERE SHTITY | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
PAT BEEZLEY
a Cross Country Rider
from LAKE FOREST, CA.
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | ANY STEEP TECHNICAL TRAIL W/O DEATH AND DIEING | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | ACTION TEC | | Strengths: | LIGHT WEIGHT, EASY INSTALLATION, | | Weaknesses: | BETTER SUITED FOR RIDERS LESS THAN 185 LBS | | Similar Products Used: | SHIMANO | | Bike Setup: | HAVE USED WITH COOK'S CRANKS,COOK BROS. CRANKS AND RACEFACE CRANKS | | Bottom Line: | THE STRONGEST OF THE LIGHT WIEGHT SPINDELS DUE THE SPECIAL TITANIUM METALURGY SPECIFIC ONLY TO ACTION TEC SPINDALS. I HAVE USED THIS SPINDAL ON 3 DIFFERENT BIKES THAT I HAVE OWNED AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BREAKAGE OF ANY KIND. THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO DO IS REPLACE BOTTOM BRACKET BEARINGS EVERY YEAR AND A HALF OR SO; DUE TO SEALED BEARING WEAR. BUT I THINK THATS PRETTY GOOD CONSIDERING THE ABUSE I GIVE THEM DURING THAT TIME. THE TRAILS THAT I RIDE HAVE A TENDANCY TO WEAR PARTS OUT ON A YEARLY BASIS. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Sycamore, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Rock Cut and Kettle | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria | | Strengths: | Light, Simple, and inexpensive. | | Weaknesses: | That cup tool needs work. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Dean Jester, Tru fires, White bros. xc4. | | Bottom Line: | I installed it 2 years ago and haven't had to touch it since. It could be because it was mated to a new crankset, or it could be because of a generous amount of anti-sieze, and it can't hurt that I weigh 150. But it is put through creek crossings, sand, and mud on a regular basis and has yet to disappoint. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from New Mexico
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Signal Peak Race Course | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Twin Sisters Cyclery & Fitness | | Strengths: | Lightweight, Strong, Customer Support | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face, Syncros, etc. | | Bike Setup: | Da Vinci Custom FS, IRD TL5, Dean Titanium, Action Tec Titanium, IRD, Da Vinci, IRC, Avid, DT Hugi, SRAM, Delta, etc. | | Bottom Line: | Awesomely light. Replaced my old shimano bottom bracket, and it's a shame how much weight it took off of my bike. Strong and light, you can feel the difference. Have to watch it for first couple of weeks, as mine got loose. Had LBS tighten it up and since then no complaints what so ever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Clay Holt
a Cross Country Rider
from Yuma
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere I ride | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | Frankford | | Strengths: | Lightweight,Quality,Longlasting, | | Weaknesses: | Creaks under power. | | Similar Products Used: | Un72(xt)and outher shimano junk | | Bike Setup: | Old cad1 w/lotsa goodies,(fart around bike)Roads,sidewalks,dirt-roads,chasing roadies ect | | Bottom Line: | If you don't mind a little creaking once in a while buy It I could tell the diffrence in the pedal stroke and the bike lost 1/4lb. antiseize compound in the threads,helps for a while but basically I gave up. its not too hard to set up,(be sure you get enough shaft end-play so as not to side load the bearings,or so much as your pedals drift,ect)the spindle fits the bearings pretty-tight so make sure you get a good reading by tapping w/block of wood and hammer. antiseize compound everything.(mines messy but works well) yuma we don't get alot of rain I've had no problems with the bearings in almost 9 mounths and 11219 miles on that bike. (I have two outher bikes but I almost never ride them,) (I ridden 12132 miles from January 1st til today august 23rd 2001)and still going strong,Me and my action-tec bottom bracket. My best advice is if you don't mind a little creaking when really hammering big gears, buy it, if you can't cope with that then "White-Industeries" Ti bottom-bracket might be better because the bearing cups are longer and probibly won't be as likely to creak under strain Bottom line stay out of water,use anti-sieze compound,proper installation,ingnore creaking,pay money and its prefect,the wrench doesn't get any awards either,but I kinda like mine its got charactor and it works real good,this bike rarely see's dirt though (I've got a Gary-Fisher for that.) creaking cost it though (a steel frame probibly wouldn't creak,Ti w/teflon tape probibly not,I havent ever heard of anyone using teflon tape w/alloy frames perhaps I'll try that next time I've got I apart.) If it works I'll let you know | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gabriel Temmy
a Cross Country Rider
from Surabaya, Indonesia
Date Reviewed: May 1, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | everywhere that have a singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$89.00 | | Purchased At: | Action Tec online ordering | | Strengths: | Easy to replace bearing, beautiful craftmanship, LIGHTWEIGHT!!! | | Weaknesses: | The Wrench tool!!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano BB, FSA Ultimax Ti | | Bike Setup: | Miyata Elevation 2000, XT group | | Bottom Line: | I ordered 107 with 73mm shell width (like my previous BB), but the left cup is not flush like Shimano and FSA, so I replace the left cup with BB UN90 cup and intall a bearing. Work well!!!!! Be careful with the BB tool, it very weak.
4 chilli because of the tool. A great upgrade (especially the weight), and easy maintenance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pat G
a Weekend Warrior
from Ohio
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Gunny Loop, CO | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | on line dealer | | Strengths: | Light, cheap, easy bearing replacement | | Weaknesses: | cheap bearing fail very quickly, special included wrench needed, can't always find it when you are on long trips, wahh, wahhh, wahhh | | Similar Products Used: | Just about everything out there | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Heckler | | Bottom Line: | Maybe it was just my bearings...but they seized up solid after only a month. I sold a frame with the BB in it, the guy put new bearing in it, more expensive american made, and it works fine. Maybe it was just me. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
York
a Racer
from Southeast, Kansas
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Devil's Den, Arkansas | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | CBO | | Strengths: | Design
Weight
Cost | | Weaknesses: | Wrench
Seals | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano STX and LX | | Bike Setup: | '98 GT LTS-1000DS, Manitou SX Ti fork, Kore Elite Seatpost/Stem/QR's, King aheadset, Kooka cranks, Race Face rings, White Industries/Mavic/DT wheels, Avid Ultimate levers/Arch Supreme brakes, XT shifters/front deraileur, Proshift rear deraileur, Ride-On cables = superlight cross country full suspension flyer!! | | Bottom Line: | THE WRENCH IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE. Mine is so distorted it is almost unusable. I have to straighten it every time I use it. I have a degree in mechanical engineering and can tell you that the material used for this wrench is way to soft to be used for a tool. Plus, with only three notches in the cups, you can not use a pin spanner, thus you are forced to use the included wrench.
The bearings are sealed cartridge units. However don't mistake this as being sealed like the Shimano units. I had to replace the bearings in my BB today because water had worked its way into the BB shell and destroyed the bearings. I don't know where Shane D found bearings for $3, because I ordered 2 premium MRC sealed units today for just under $31 a piece! (I work for a company who does hundreds of thousands of dollars of business with the bearing supplier I ordered these from and can assure you this was a good price on these bearings) Action-Tec also sells a 'Dry-Valve' which is a one way valve that keeps water out of your BB. For under $10, it is an excellant investment for anyone.
On the up side, this is a very simple and effecient BB. You will be hard pressed to find a BB that is lighter than the Action-Tec. It is very easy to install and adjust, and the bearings are easy to replace (as I have been so unfortunate to find out). All of the components are beautifully machined and fit together perfectly. Being an engineer I thoroughly believe in tightening all bolts with a torque wrench and the liberal use of anti-seize compound on the spindle flats as well as the threads. Also make sure you use grade 8 or hardened washers on the crank bolts or you will damage your cranks. If you do all of this and your cranks are flawless where they mate to the spindle, I doubt you will find any creaks that others have complained about.
For the value, the Action-Tec is hard to beat and I give it five flamin' butt fishes for value. However, the wrench, and the inability to use a pin spanner, knocks the overall rating to 4 flamin' butt fishes. If you are looking for a light weight, gorgeous Ti BB that is easy to install, this is it. If you are looking for a truely sealed maintenance free BB, stick to Shimano, because if this BB was truely sealed, I would be out riding and not here writing this review. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Maegus
a Weekend Warrior
from NY
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything fast and tight | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | light and LIGHT.. did I say light? | | Weaknesses: | barely noticeable flex with the Ti spindle. | | Similar Products Used: | shimano | | Bike Setup: | 98 S-Works | | Bottom Line: | Nice red cups to match bike. No problems yet- I have crossed several streams, no creaking- Can't imagine getting any lighter. Got it from Speedgoat for only $75 with shipping. X-C riders need check this product out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shane D
a Cross Country Rider
from SLC, UT
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Weight
Cost
Servicability | | Weaknesses: | Cheap Installation Tool | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Light F/S | | Bottom Line: | I love this BB and have had no problems other than it does tend to creak after about 1000 miles but it is easy to work on and that's part of the fun. Just be sure to use Ti prep on the spindle and a good aluminum anti-seize on the cup treads and you're good to go. I weight 175 and beat on it and haven't had any problems. When its time to replace the sealed bearings just press them out and take them to your local industrial supply wherehouse and they can match up numbers and give you a new set for about $3. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rod Herring
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin,Tx
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Unamed | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Light and durable. Easy to setup. Adjustable Chainline. | | Weaknesses: | Spindle stops tend to work loose. Installation/removal tool is cheap. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano, Syncros(junk) | | Bike Setup: | Wild Hare, 99 Z2 Bam | | Bottom Line: | Bought this BB with the bike a couple of years ago. Very light and spindle has not bent/broken. Bearings are still good and easy to service. Only problem I have had is the spacers that align the spindle between the bearing cups tend to move around after banging the cranks on rocks and things. The installation/tool could be made a little better, the notches could be made to fit the bearing cups better. I have run this thing through water/mud/dust and it seems to hold together fine. No problems with bearings, just make sure you check for lube once in a while. I weigh 175lbs with gear and I can't feel any flex. Don't know that I have ever felt any flex in a BB at my weight.
rh | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken Kanuk
a Cross Country Rider
from Kew UK
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Devils Punchbowl | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Bottom Line: | I to bought this product because it had been on the market for such a long period of time that I felt sure that it would be trouble free...
The thing creaked after about two months, servicing ie reinstalling the cranks would solve the creaking for two rides but the creak would slowly return. When I say creak that was the first noise this little creak would become a clicking popping metalic gnashing noise that would cause people to literally stop to see what the hell is making all that racket!
I tried installing the cranks dry, wet..it just didnt make any difference.
No way could I get this noise to stop, I pulled the 120 bucks worth of *&!>* and put an old shimano unit into my beloved Moots Ybb\Sl, no problem since.
So like the chap earlier I have a low mileage ti-BB for any one who wants to buy... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron "redbaron"
a Racer
from Scottsdale, AZ
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Honda Valley, Hesperia, CA | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | This bottom bracket rules, I have broken six sets of american made cranks but this bottom bracket still going strong, and i have only changed the bearings once and that was because I didn't maintenance it...at all. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | simpson, shimano, white ind, | | Bike Setup: | boulder bicycle, all american made components, spin wheels | | Bottom Line: | its a nice bb...buy it if you are weight conscious and want the titanium ....
if your not worried about weight...buy shimano
If your are really worried about weight skip a meal, its easier for you to drop a couple of pounds then it is for your bike...a lot less expensive. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike AKA:"Mad Dog"
a Racer
from USA
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | weight
cheaper than many other ti models | | Weaknesses: | noisy
not as confident with the durability vs. steel/aluminum bbs. | | Bottom Line: | Initially, I was very impressed like the reviewer below me was with the Action Tec TI BB. I was really attracted to this product over other ti bbs. because this was one of the original ti bbs. on the market and has not been changed. It was my assumption that this meant it was a superior design than say some of the other brands. After a month or two of racing, the ti bb has developed an awful creaking noise. My local bike shop has advised this is the problem with ti bbs in general. The mechanic said that they could cure the creak noise for a ride or two, but it would probably just develop it again soon after they had performed the over haul. I was real disappointed with this product from the stand point that it sounds awful. My bike reminds me of a Huffy sound from the BB area and I paid nearly a $100. I feel like a real chump! My advice is to steer clear of ti bbs because they are not what they are cracked up to be. In fact, I am going to replace it with a Race Face or XT model even though the weight will be increased. If anybody still insists on buying this product, drop me a line and I will sell you my ti bb for a good deal because it is virtually unused. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a racer
from Philadelphia
Date Reviewed: December 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Very light and, so far, pretty durable. And the price is not to bad considering the other titanium alternatives. I have not noticed any flex in the spindle, but I only weigh 140 lbs, so a heavy rider may not feel the same way. Definitely worth it if you are looking to shed some weight off your bike. | | Overall Rating: |
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