Weekly Posts to Resume! And a note on Bottom Brackets

Welcome back Bike, Blog, or Die fans. I've been wrapped up in a mix of winter SADs and writing for Quip, but starting next week I will be doing regular updates to the blog.

Topics for this season include:
New product reviews
Maintenance guides
Compulsive rants
Riding tips
And videos!

Anyways, I wanted to take a moment to address the issue of bottom bracket maintenance. HOLD ONTO YOUR BUTT, THIS WILL BE A VERY EXCITING LECTURE. The bottom bracket is a sensitive area because it is where pretty much all the dirt and grime that lands on your bike eventually goes by way of gravity. It's also right in the splash-zone for the rear wheel and since it's the lowest bearing surface it is the most likely to get swamped when you go fording streams and large puddles. It also has the job of making sure those massive watts your legs are jamming are smoothly converted into mechanical energy by way of the cranks, so it's important to take care of it.

The good news is bottom bracket (BB) maintenance is easy. Most BBs in the first world use sealed cartridge bearings and a decent mechanic will load the general area with grease to create a gasket around it's edges. Beyond that, all you really have to do is keep the frame clean. Dirt from the road that collects on the frame slides down the tubes to the BB, as stated above, and that grime ruins the grease gasket and allows water to get in and ruin the BB. If you keep the frame clean, the BB will last longer and work better.

How do you know if the BB is going out? If you hear something that sounds like small bowling balls rolling around, or creaking, or squeaking, or feel grinding -that's a pretty clear sign something's up. It's a good idea not to let it go on too long because corrosion can cold-weld the BB shell or outer bearing race to the frame. Parts and labor will run you $80, assuming everything goes smoothly.

And don't think that because you only ride on the trainer that you're immune to BB troubles. Your salty, smelly sweat is awful for your bike (and your mechanic doesn't like it either). Drape a towel over your top tube and give the bike a little wipe-down with a damp towel every once in a while.

For reference, below are some pictures of when you should clean your frame.

This is a rusted BB30 bearing

This is LEVEL I dirt. As you can see, it hasn't claimed much territory on the BB itself, though if you ride through a rain storm the dirt might find a way in. 

This is LEVEL II. The BB isn't ruined yet, but if you don't clean off that grime and salt soon it will do some carnage.

LEVEL III. This BB bearings are gone and it might have seized up in the frame as well. The only way to get it out is with serious chemicals, a lot of leverage, and if all else fails: electrolysis