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10/26/2015
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USA
Edited Date/Time
7/28/2025 1:04pm
Inspired by a side-discussion in the podcast version of the "Dumb bike problems" thread AND a deeper dive in Geek Warning podcast I got to thinking; is the press fit BB hate really warranted?
They (this includes the implementation) have a bad rep for sure and the tools to install/remove them aren't something most of us have lying around but are there actually that many problematic instances out there?
What's your personal experience?
Edit: I meant to make the poll multiple-choice but don't see a way to do that. @sspomer can you fix that somehow?
Poll
I had two bikes in the past that used the Shimano BB92 standard and I fitted the cheapest Shimano bottom bracket I could get my hands on. In both cases the BB lasted the lifespan of me owning the frame without noise or issues. I tend to find the standard Shimano threaded BBs I've had are similarly durable and trouble free. For my usage and climate/weather in the UK I have no complaints.
I always run Shimano cranks with 24mm spindles and I imagine I might have more problems with 30mm or 28.99mm spindles.
Press-fit is not the problem, bearing press-fit is a worldwide industry standard.(your linkages are.... press-fit...)
The issue has ALWAYS been the Frame. Press-fit "hole sizing' Is a perfect way of telling If your expensive botique Frame is actually good quality With the Brand Giving a sh1t.
I've worked on some seriously expensive Road Frames and the damn hole is not even round - There are alot of expensive frames that a go, no-go Guage Can slide into easily or expose gaps around it.
I've personally Checked My own Press-fit holes, if out of whack ill warranty the frame and try again... on all the frames with ROUND holes, i've never once heard a BB noise.
I've been lucky enough not to have had creaky PFs on my own bikes, but I've worked on several customer bikes where the PF BB creaks. Sometimes the fix was easy - just pop it out, note the complete absence of any grease or whatever was spec'd, grease the F out of it, whack it back in, mattafix. Sometimes we would just spec the thread-together PF BBs that Pedal Bob posted [which are amazing, and work every time, 100% of the time], and be done with it. The worst were always commuter bikes [lots of road salt] and tri bikes [crusty with dried sweat, energy drink and urine].
Creaking issues originate from (in order of importance)
#1 bad frame tolerances
#2 too small bearing (24mm axles allow for larger and thus more reliable bearings)
Post a reply to: Do press fit BBs really have creaking issues?