Your bottom bracket and you

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

By Scott Fitzgerald

Inside every frame beats a bicycle’s heart. It’s known as the bottom bracket. No centimeter of terrain is traveled without this beating heart turning over time and time again, relentlessly driving you forward, never questioning its purpose, selflessly taking the full brunt of your pedal forces.  It’s a quiet workhorse that asks for no recognition, seeks no glory, and never rests.

Why then do you insist on blaming every click, clack, clunk, creak and squeak on this trusty warrior? Of course like every hero, your bottom bracket may tire and a replacement must be summoned. But you must resist those who are building a culture of fear based on worn out BBs!

They want you to be listening, always listening for the first signs of attack – looking down at every switchback and wondering, “When will my BB fail?” They want you to second-guess your next bike ride and instead go to the shop for a new one. They want you to be tortured by the slightest unknown sound your bike generates. They want you to be counting the miles until your bottom bracket explodes right between your feet, launching you into the nearest ravine.

I am here to tell you, we have searched for the creaks and clicks and our findings are conclusive: The noise you fear is not coming from your bottom bracket!


PERMALINK:
Your bottom bracket and you | Planet JH News Article: Single Track Mind

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