Phil Wood Stainless Steel Bottom Bracket

Price Paid:  $90.00 at Ben's Cycle

Favorite Ride:
any

Bike Setup:
Cannondale Track, Sugino 75 cranks, Level Component hubs

Summary:
Solid and smooth. Use this on my fixed gear commuter. Effortless pedaling. I hear the durability is legendary and should last me a long time.

Strengths:
Solid and smooth.

Weaknesses:
none.

Similar Products Used:
Miche pista bb, Shimano UN53

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Internet

Favorite Ride:
Morati

Bike Setup:
Ti road & Campy

Summary:
15,000 miles and never a problem. Pulled the BB out after 14,000 miles. Removed the seals. BB was still fully greased. Looked like new.

Strengths:
Bombproof

Weaknesses:
"Zero"

Price Paid:  $76.00

Favorite Ride:
anything country, especially mountains

Bike Setup:
Which one? it's lasted for three mountain bikes!

Summary:
Bought this gem to replace the inexpensive spindle set that came with bike and and had already worn out _thrice_. Expensive, but dealer assured me it had a five year warrantee on the bearings, so I took the chance. That was in 1986. So far it has outlasted that bike, the one that came after and is still going strong on my present bike!

It has endured mountain biking through dirt, mud, stream crossings (even totally submerged), commutes of anywhere from 50-100 miles a week, every week, or 15 years, rain or shine.

The only maintainance it has had is once a year I carefully remove the outer seals, clean out the old grease and repack with boat trailer wheel bearing grease and reseal.

This has been going on for twenty years and counting yet except for the grease, I have replaced NOTHING! it's still on the original spindle, bearings, everything and it still runs smooth even after 51,000 (that's Fifty One Thousand) miles.

Need I say more?

Strengths:
can be positioned for perfect chainline, very low maintainance, immortal

Weaknesses:
Are you kidding?

Similar Products Used:
whatever came with the cranks I had at the time

Price Paid:  $120.00 at Bike Shop Hawaii

Favorite Ride:
Commute to work

Bike Setup:
Soma Smoothie ES

Summary:
I needed a replacement for the DuraAce 103mm bottom bracket that is unique to my crankset. Phil Wood was pretty much the best option and I have heard nothing but good things about the quality. Installation was a little tricky but was made easier by using two installation tools. Quite a bit of torque is required to install the cups, but they have stayed tight and noise free. Almost 6000 muddy commuting miles later it is still silky smooth. Wouldn't buy anything else. The 102mm campy taper would be an excellent replacement for a Chorus or Record.

Strengths:
Durability, Quality construction.

Weaknesses:
Installation is crucial, let a LBS do it if you are not handy. If you do it yourself, buy two tools and tighten simultaneously, especially if you have an english bb.

Similar Products Used:
DuraAce, FSA, and Campy bottom brackets

Price Paid:  $100.00 at Branfords

Favorite Ride:
Ones with lots of climbing

Bike Setup:
All Record except for Centaur triple crank, Chorus cassette and Phil Wood BB.

Summary:
I bought the 111mm symetrical BB to replace my 102mm BB because I went from a double to a triple setup.

Strengths:
Very robust construction. Light considering it's made of stainless steel. Highly elastic chainline variability with precision.

Weaknesses:
Need propriatary installation tool to install. Retainer rings sold seperately.

Similar Products Used:
Record 10 BB