My bike came with a 12spd NX Eagle cassette, GX der, GX shifter, SX chain, X1 1000 (OEM option) DUB crankset. The frame is carbon and uses a press fit 92mm shell.
I changed the chain to X01 when the SX chain wore out, and i've been perfectly fine with the durability and performance of everything, other than the BB.
The durability of the DUB BB with the PF92 shell hasn't been the greatest for me, and it started creaking like 2 months after I bought the bike. I just dealt with it, but now the BB is pretty worn and I really want to fix every squeak and creak on the bike. When it comes to the creaking, from what i've read I have two options. Installing a press fit BB with retaining compound, or a thread together PF bottom bracket.
My problem with the retaining compound is that it kinda seems like a gamble whether it works or not, it's pretty expensive, and I might create a headache for myself when I have to remove the BB cups next time. From what i've read I need Loctite 641 retaining compound, and 7649 activator. Where I live 641 costs about €16 for 10ml, and the activator is about €23 for 150ml (which is the smallest I was able to find). That's about the same cost as a DUB BB itself, and who knows whether this stuff will expire/dry up etc. the next time I change the BB.
The other option would be a thread together style BB, but I can't seem to find anything for a DUB crankset and PF92 shell that's tested, durable, and reasonably priced.
Also, neither of these options would fix the durability issues that are caused by that 30mm spindle inside this small BB shell (?).
The next option would be to change the crankset and go down to a 24mm spindle, and a reasonably priced thread together bottom bracket (like Token Ninja, etc.). However one thing I like about SRAM stuff is the cheap steel chainring option. Their DM steel chainring is about €13-15, and it seems to last for ages.
SLX M7100 is pretty reasonably priced, from what i've read the teeth are steel, although the chainrings are almost twice as expensive as the cheapo steel SRAM rings (and I think i'll need a new tool to remove/install Shimano DM rings). One thing I don't know is how well the Shimano 12spd chainrings play with other 12spd chains, from what i've read it seems like there could be compatibility issues?
Another option would be the Race Face Aeffect R. The crank arms themselves are about €45-50 more expensive here than SLX, the steel rings are a bit cheaper but almost the same. What I don't know if these cranks will work with thread together BBs meant for Shimano cranksets, I don't know anything at all about Race Face stuff.
Any other options that i'm missing?
Since the cassette is starting to wear out and the derailleur got banged up a few times, I also thought about trying 11spd Linkglide, but I really love how quiet and smooth my current drivetrain runs with minimal maintenance and cleaning, and i'm a bit afraid to change things up since everything works so good (other than the BB).
I changed the chain to X01 when the SX chain wore out, and i've been perfectly fine with the durability and performance of everything, other than the BB.
The durability of the DUB BB with the PF92 shell hasn't been the greatest for me, and it started creaking like 2 months after I bought the bike. I just dealt with it, but now the BB is pretty worn and I really want to fix every squeak and creak on the bike. When it comes to the creaking, from what i've read I have two options. Installing a press fit BB with retaining compound, or a thread together PF bottom bracket.
My problem with the retaining compound is that it kinda seems like a gamble whether it works or not, it's pretty expensive, and I might create a headache for myself when I have to remove the BB cups next time. From what i've read I need Loctite 641 retaining compound, and 7649 activator. Where I live 641 costs about €16 for 10ml, and the activator is about €23 for 150ml (which is the smallest I was able to find). That's about the same cost as a DUB BB itself, and who knows whether this stuff will expire/dry up etc. the next time I change the BB.
The other option would be a thread together style BB, but I can't seem to find anything for a DUB crankset and PF92 shell that's tested, durable, and reasonably priced.
Also, neither of these options would fix the durability issues that are caused by that 30mm spindle inside this small BB shell (?).
The next option would be to change the crankset and go down to a 24mm spindle, and a reasonably priced thread together bottom bracket (like Token Ninja, etc.). However one thing I like about SRAM stuff is the cheap steel chainring option. Their DM steel chainring is about €13-15, and it seems to last for ages.
SLX M7100 is pretty reasonably priced, from what i've read the teeth are steel, although the chainrings are almost twice as expensive as the cheapo steel SRAM rings (and I think i'll need a new tool to remove/install Shimano DM rings). One thing I don't know is how well the Shimano 12spd chainrings play with other 12spd chains, from what i've read it seems like there could be compatibility issues?
Another option would be the Race Face Aeffect R. The crank arms themselves are about €45-50 more expensive here than SLX, the steel rings are a bit cheaper but almost the same. What I don't know if these cranks will work with thread together BBs meant for Shimano cranksets, I don't know anything at all about Race Face stuff.
Any other options that i'm missing?
Since the cassette is starting to wear out and the derailleur got banged up a few times, I also thought about trying 11spd Linkglide, but I really love how quiet and smooth my current drivetrain runs with minimal maintenance and cleaning, and i'm a bit afraid to change things up since everything works so good (other than the BB).
