Truvativ HammerSchmidt AM Bottom Bracket

Retro Tech Delivers the Goods

Advantages: Cheap, extremely durable, abuse tolerant
Disadvantages: Poor crank choice, may not be suitble for extreme use

the others, and now the latest big thing are external bottom brackets. X-type from Race Face, Hollowtech II from Shimano, and GXP from Truvativ. While they have different names they are all interchangeable, as they are all made to similar specifications and similar dimensions. Each "improvement" has led to stiffer and lighter BB's, with a marked decrease in durability. The latest BB's can last as little as 3 months on a mountain bike, if ridden in wet and muddy conditions. ISIS are particularly bad in this regard, but the new external BB's are in a class all of their own. Mounting the BB outside of the frame, makes them extremely vulnerable to water penetration and early failure. The UN54 will give you an average service life of around 18 months to 2 years, and this reason alone may be enough to persuade you to stick with square taper. My ...

fred_redwood 31.05.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Shimano UN54 Bottom Bracket

Shimano UN 72 Tapered bottom bracket

Advantages: Cheap
Disadvantages: Breaks easily

I have had three or four of these because they were cheap, it turned out that in the long run it was cheaper to save up and buy a decent bottom bracket. Everyone of these that I bought broke in under a month, the same two faults occured each time. 1) Mud and grit easily get past the seals and wear out the bearings causing them to cease or rattle. 2) The ends of the tapered arms round off very easily, even during light XC and commuting use I have rounded them off. Steer clear and buy a decent bottom bracket, or even better get the new external type, or if your into jumping and DH get some 3piece cranks. ...

Cheezy_Feet 26.02.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of UN 72 Shimano Tapered Bottom Bracket BS 68mm

libertines - up the bracket

Advantages: Some great tunes, Petes Vocals
Disadvantages: Petes drug habit and the bad press it gives the band.

The Libertines - Up the bracket. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pete Doherty it seems like you cannot open a newspaper with out some headline or other screaming about his on/off relationship with Kate Moss or his appalling drug habit. What you don't seem to read about is his music, the thing that gave him his fame in the first place, so im here to tell you about it. The Libertines formed in about 1998 when Carl barat and Pete Doherty were introduced to each other by Pete's sister, it wasn't long before they were playing guitars, writing songs and planning their careers in the music world. After this first meeting the boys started to play lots of small gigs with various different band members over the years, even including a 63 year old drummer at one point! The lads had a few ups and downs but come 2002 they ...

kylecoare 07.08.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Up The Bracket - Libertines (The)