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Phil Wood
Stainless Steel Spindle Bottom Bracket
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Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Chester, SC
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Strengths: | Everything | | Weaknesses: | Some saidm the proprietary tool, but it's a lot smaller and lighter than a set of BB wrenches! | | Similar Products Used: | Whatever the cranks came with | | Bike Setup: | Wich one? this thing has lasted through three bikes! | | Bottom Line: | I bought it to replace the third short lived spindle set I had gone thrugh. I was somewhat apprehensive of the price until the dealer assured me it came with a 5 year warrantee on the bearings. Which I never used. That was in 1986.
Since then, it has endured commuting 10 -20 miles a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year for 15 years, rain or shine. Wekend mountain biking through dust, mud, rocks and creek crossings up to 2 feet deep (yes, completely submerged!), and the only maintainence it has ever recieved is once a year I carefully pop off the seals, clean and repack the bearings with boat trailer wheel bearing grease and reseal.
When I was building my latest machine in 2004, I apecifically asked for a crank with a square taper so I could continue using it. He did and I still am. It is still running as sooth as the day I bought it and get this, I've replaced NOTHING! I'm still using the original spindle, shell, retainers and bearing even after (are you sitting down?) twenty years and 51,000 (thats Fifty One Thousand) miles.
Ide rate this ten chillies, but they won't let me | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
al
a Cross Country Rider
from MN
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$115.00 | | Strengths: | low maintenance, strong, durability, overall value,replaceable bearings | | Weaknesses: | proprietary install tool & cups extra $$ | | Similar Products Used: | shimano es-71 splined and un-72 sq taper cartidge bb's | | Bike Setup: | SC Superlight | | Bottom Line: | I have the SS version. About a month into my 3rd year with this bb, I took it out to clean it and examine it. Turns out I didn't have to. It was as smooth as when I first put it in. Excellent seals on bearings, no worries of rust on the bb shell. Back in the bike with a little grease around the spindle ends!
Had good success with sq taper Shimano's, 3-4 years trouble free service life. Then, got the Octalink which had annoying creaks and clicks from the splined interface and beaings would burn out in a 1yr from bad seals (which isn't bad compared to ISIS).
Decided to go with old fashioned reliable sq taper again, Phil bb and RF Next LP cranks. I figure if the Phil bearings are toast in 10-15 years I can replace 'em and still be way ahead on money and time wasted on maintenance. I'm a medium wt rider (#165) and have not noticed any difference in stiffness between the SS Phil and Shimano Octalink pipe spindle.
If you're a non-clydesdale crosscountry rider and can still find sq taper cranks to go with your Phil bb, this setup is the most cost effective least maintenance way to go! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rico Mundy
a Cross Country Rider
from Angwin, CA
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Annadel | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Has lasted an incredibly long time and it looks beautiful when new. Also very light weight (182g @ 68 x 113) and has held up amazingly well for being that light. | | Weaknesses: | Only in square taper. It is probably quite flexy compared to the new crop of Bbs with outboard bearings and oversized spindles. | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight | | Bottom Line: | Here are my riding stats for the Phil Wood Titanium Bb
*7800 miles (all cross country miles (the biggest drop has probaby been 1 foot, I don't do big drops, hucks, or jumps) it has been subject to snow, ice, being submerged in water as well as exposed to the endless dust of summer)
*5.5 years of use
I've treated the Phil Bb (which is paired with a set of Race Face Next LP Carbon square taper cranks) as an install and forget it item. In 5.5 years I have maybe taken it out once or twice to clean the bearings. I just took it out last night for the first time in 2-3 years. The bearings are very gritty, but the spindle still turns and with the crank arms attached it spins fairly smoothly which is why I probably have never realized it needed cleaning all these years. Nothing appears to be cracking or failing yet so I will clean up the bearings and keep using it. I really wish it were available in ISIS. With square taper, I'm always a bit afraid to keep removing and reinstalling the cranks for fear of reaming them out, so instead I leave them on for years at a time which means the Bb does not get serviced. I see a lot of new Bb features in the last 5 years which seem really great (ie ISIS splines, outboard bearings for increased stiffness, etc) but after reading the reviews of any other Bb here on MTBR and it seems like there is not one which is worth anything in terms of longevity. Of all the Bbs listed on MTBR only Phil has an award for excellence, which tells me something. I bought it because of the fact it had the award 5 years ago and I'm still glad I made the purchase. I would give it 4.5 chilis if I could since I don't think a Bb exists yet that deserves 5 chilis, but since 4.5 rounds up to 5 Phil gets 5 from me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from East Bay
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Bogg's Mtn/Skeggs/China Cmp | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Slough's | | Strengths: | Looks, reliablilty, sturdiness | | Weaknesses: | Cost, only available in square/taperlock | | Similar Products Used: | S-company | | Bike Setup: | Ventana X-5, Bianchi Road bike | | Bottom Line: | Nice, would recommend getting it if you can find a sq. taper crankset. Livermore Cyclery says that they don't get much call for the product anymore, too bad (as other reviewers state) the thing isn't available in Isis. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Biggie
a
from WC, ca
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Bottom Line: | Been running this BB since my '92 Fisher paragon. It's moved from bike to bike over the years and just keeps going. Had to regrease it a year ago which was no sweat. This thing just keeps going. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Adams
a Cross Country Rider
from Pullman Washington
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$180.00 | | Purchased At: | Local Bike Shopt (B&L Bikes) | | Strengths: | It lasts forever. I have the titanium axle version. I have run this bottom bracket for about 6,000 miles and the bearings are as good as ever. Previous to this bottom bracket, I would got through one at least every 1000 miles, and less if I bought a cheap one. And those weren't replaced when the slightest play developed; I only did it when they were so loose that front shifting was affected. Anyway, I've had the Phil out a few times for various reasons (it always amazes me how light it is). One time I thought it was squeaking, but as it turned out it was my frame. But I put pipe tape on the threads anway, which made SURE there was no squeaking from the BB. Last month I had it out and the bearings felt a little dry (excusable after 6,000 miles) so I popped off the seals and put some grease in the bearings. It smoothed right out. So, it's pretty much paid for itself now, even though it was expensive. If it lasts another 10,000 miles, it will pay for itself again. | | Weaknesses: | Expensive, you need special Phil Wood BB tools to remove/adjust it. My bike shop has them and they let me use them, but it's a little bit of a pain. | | Similar Products Used: | Lower end Shimano BBs | | Bike Setup: | GT I-Drive, Marzochi, Hayes discs, Rohloff Speedhub (yes, really). No Shimano. Never again. | | Bottom Line: | Save your money, buy one, and you'll not have to buy another one. If you're over 180#, don't buy the titanium one (I weigh 170). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Fox
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | The one in front of me | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Merced, CA - Tom's Bike Shop? | | Strengths: | Un-ending value | | Weaknesses: | Huh? | | Similar Products Used: | All of 'em | | Bottom Line: | I bought a Phil BB, hubs and pedals 30 years ago to convert my old Raleigh Competition to an "off-road" bicycle. Got tired of the traffic in and around Yosemite. Probably 70 or 80 thousand miles later and it's still smoother than any Campy, Shimano, TA, Stronglight, Sugino or Suntour I've ever ridden. Just sent the Raleigh off for a new paint job (It's 3rd). Will restore it with all the original components (yes I still have them and they've seen little use since I made the conversion)but the Phil BB will go back in. And I'll put the Phil hubs back on, too. No better value anywhere in the world -- any product of any kind! Decided to buy another one to go on my old Woodrup with Campy NR Triple. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Eckley
a Weekend Warrior
from Avon Lake, OH, USA
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Licktons | | Strengths: | smooth like butta!set it foh-get-it, stiff as a wedding dink | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | xtr 952 | | Bike Setup: | '01 zaskar team: turbine LP's,time atac | | Bottom Line: | get it,set it, forget it, my riding buddy is on his second M952...my "Old Phil" is smoother than his new one...he said; "BB's wear out and need to be replaced"...little does he know what lurks inside my BB shell! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Racer
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Smooth like butter, this bottom bracket is like nothing else I've seen. | | Weaknesses: | Cost, though you get what you pay for. Get a shop job and deal one :-) | | Similar Products Used: | shimano & campagnolo catridge bottom brackets | | Bottom Line: | This thing is ridiculously cool, it's smoother than any bottom bracket I've ever ridden (including dura ace & record) and apparently gets smoother with time. All I can say is wow. Supposedly indestructible too, when the bearings wear out you can send the product back for replacement bearings, cost is $30 or so .. less than the cost of a UN-72 and only needs to be done every 15-30k miles, damn. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steve molnar
a Cross Country Rider
from orlando fl
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | any trail in colorado | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | very smooth,light @135gr. very reliable. iv got the mag ti in my mt bike, and the steel version in the road bike with over 12 yrs and massive amounts of trouble free riding. | | Weaknesses: | absolutly none.worth every penny. | | Similar Products Used: | xt,dura ace. | | Bike Setup: | kestrel road gt mountain | | Bottom Line: | if you want the best bb on the market, with trouble free riding. get the phil. gram counters will not find anything, lighter or stiffer then the mag ti at 135 gm. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Weekend Warrior
from Malaysia
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Direct from Phil Wood | | Strengths: | Light weight
Nice design
Seems strong enough
Very well made Phil tool | | Weaknesses: | Expense
Needs Phil tool | | Similar Products Used: | XT (UN72), XTR (UN91) | | Bottom Line: | This bottom bracket has a jewel like finish that makes it a shame to install it somewhere it'll never be seen. The Ti axled model, along with aluminium locknuts, weighed 155g (108mm). The axle is solid, not hollow. Installation was easy enough, just make sure you follow the instructions to clean out the BB shell threads with an alcohol-based solvent and apply the threadlocker compound. Because of the adjustable floating axle design, you'll need to fiddle around a bit to get the axle placement just right, which can be slightly fiddly with just one BB tool.
Have used it since 05/02, and no problems so far. Install and forget. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken, an any kind of riding rider
a
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | desolation lake | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Bottom Line: | When is Phil going to come out with an ISIS BB??? Hurry up already!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnnyb
a Cross Country Rider
from San Anselmo
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Mt. Tamalpais | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Cesars Cyclery | | Strengths: | Smooth, light and you don't notice it there. | | Weaknesses: | This is an update to a problem I had before. See the previous review | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano | | Bike Setup: | Stumpy Pro, Atom Bomb, XTR, Mavic | | Bottom Line: | When I called about my problem a friendly person on the other end quickly gave me a job number to include with the BB and they would ship it back right away. I got it back within the week and they included extra loctite and stickers (Yea!).
I've ridden over 350 miles and the only problem is that the crank arm bolts won't stay tight. I think a little loctite will solve that. Still is smooth.
I like the professional way they handled my warranty, now I hope the product lives up to its reputation. Five chilis for the service and product rep and three chilis for my experience so far with this bottom bracket | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnnyb
a Cross Country Rider
from San Anselmo
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Last one I rode | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Ceasar's Cyclery | | Strengths: | I've been looking for a good bottom bracket since I'm your clydesdale rider (220 lbs) and ride about 100 miles of dirt a week. I read all the good reviews here about the P.W. and talked to my LBS about it and decided to go for it. It looked good and felt good right away, BUT... | | Weaknesses: | I just noticed after two months of riding (about 800 miles) that there is now lateral play when tugging on the crank arms, SHEEE-IT! and the spindle turns with a slight grindy feel on the left side. This is supposed to be the ultimate bottom bracket? | | Similar Products Used: | UN-72 | | Bike Setup: | Stumpy Pro with Atom Bomb and 517s | | Bottom Line: | I need a product that can hold up. And I'm willing to pay four times as much as usual for a BB. At least the Shimano BB is predictable and cheap enough to replace annually. I'll post an update when Mr. Wood honors his warranty on this product. I ride alot but I don't abuse the bike. What gives? | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremont
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Toads | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$165.00 | | Purchased At: | Movin On Cyclery | | Strengths: | Light as a feather , super smooth and high quality bearings . No creaking of any kind . | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face Ti and chromoly - both junk , XT , World Class . | | Bike Setup: | Intense Tracer with all the goods. | | Bottom Line: | After wasting my time with 3 Race Face bottom brackets I finally wised up and got a Phil Wood Ti . I know it is expensive but my friends have been pounding thiers for years with no prblems . This is the first Ti bottom bracket I have seen that does not creak so that alone makes it worth the money . If you have had problems with other crappy bottom brackets its time to step up cause Phil Woods in the hood . | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Iriguchi
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacramento
Date Reviewed: November 9, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Salmon Falls | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$125.00 | | Purchased At: | Rivendell Bikes | | Strengths: | Virtually maintenance free. Smoooooth. Stiff... probably a lot stiffer than I need. | | Weaknesses: | None yet... well OK it's probably heavier than some of the hollow spindle types but it is dead reliable. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT which in all truth never gave me any trouble either in 2 1/2 years of service. I just wanted a Phil. | | Bike Setup: | C'dale hardtail. | | Bottom Line: | It's been two years since I first reviewed my Phil BB (see 1st review at bottom). I've put another 7000 miles on it and it's still smooth as butter. Most of those miles are commuting miles but they are in all kinds of weather, all year round. I'm approaching 10,000 miles on my Phil BB and never have to give it a thought. It doesn't squeak, it doesn't creak, it's stiff and smoooooooth. I suspect it will outlive me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Manry
a Cross Country Rider
from Monta Sereno, CA
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Long Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Slough's (San Jose) | | Strengths: | Smooth, reliable, maintenance-free | | Weaknesses: | Yet another special tool required (if I ever need to R&R it) | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano (LX,XT,XTR), Boone "helix" Ti, Kooka 3-bearing Ti | | Bike Setup: | Bontrager Ti Lite & Race Lite, both with Race Face Turbine LP cranks | | Bottom Line: | Phil Wood is the Chris King of bottom brackets. (Actually I think Phil retired, so I'm referring to the company not the man.) Basically you install this thing (or get a shop to do it, as a special tool is required) and then you forget it. I was worried about the tool thing since I mostly built my bikes and I do all my maintenance and repair, but I haven't had to touch these BBs. They aren't cheap but I think they are worth the price. Not as light as a Ti BB (and you can get a Phil in some kind of Ti/Magnesium combo for big $$$) but I favor indestructability over lightness. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
yuri
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Wolfe | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$145.00 | | Purchased At: | Phil Wood | | Strengths: | Very light and stiff considering it has a Ti spindle. The bearings are very well sealed and are really smooth. | | Weaknesses: | If you ever drop your chain from the granny you might mess up the drive side "cup". | | Similar Products Used: | FSA triple bearing cro-mo bb. | | Bike Setup: | DeKerf Team WCS with XTR, XMO. | | Bottom Line: | An excellent product - I can understand now why Phil Wood has been around for quite a while. You need to follow the installation instructions very closely (really clean the bb threads so the threadlocker/sealer can do its job) to avoid any creaking but I doubt you'll be removing this sucker for a looooong time.
I went from an FSA triple-bearing bb (hollow cro-mo shaft, bent after 3 years of riding) to the Phil Ti axle model and don't notice any loss of stiffness. The bearings in the Phil bb are amazing - they spin very smoothly and appear to be very well sealed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sven
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Downtown rushhour | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | strong&stiff->stainless cups&spindle bearing placement wide
not too expensive
good service -even in 20 years.....
very easy installation | | Weaknesses: | ...no splined version yet | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano mounty sachs | | Bike Setup: | Votec Tox with shimano cranks | | Bottom Line: | ....this is a good piece of art....it will live longer than YOU so it's the last bb you have to get....I know a friend who is running his for 40000 kilometers.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charles Coker
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | City Park, anything more technical | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | smooth bearings, no creak | | Weaknesses: | none yet | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face, Shimano | | Bike Setup: | custom Titus Racerx, race face cranks | | Bottom Line: | the best bb on the market
I am running the steel spindle one
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rockohaulic
a Cross Country Rider
from Palmdale, CA
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Sequoia | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Light weight (Ti)
Smooooooooooth
Wide bearing separation
True 73 mm shell | | Weaknesses: | Not cheap | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face Ti | | Bike Setup: | Titus Racer-X
XTR/Chris King/Easton Carbon Fiber | | Bottom Line: | This bottom bracket is perfect for "heavyweights" like me (185 lbs) who like to save weight. It's Ti so it is light. But it is engineered and manufactured to perfection. The extra wide bearing separation and the large size and alloy of the Ti spindle (solid, not hollow) make for a STRONG Ti BB. And this thing is smooooooooth. It rolls on sealed swiss made bearings. Nice!
My other Ti BB wasn't even in the same league. It was hollowed out for weight, but this weakens an already flexable material like Ti. It also rode on bearings that were only separated by a 68 mm shell. Race Face forces you to buy a one-size-fits-all BB shell! Not impressive!! I'm talking the new Phil Wood separates the bearings by about a half inch! Now in the space of a 73 mm BB shell that's impressive! It's really significant when I'm cranking all 185 lbs up these CA mountains!
A most impressive piece of engineering. A must have for gram counters that the industry considers heavy. And if you are really in the clydesdale class, Phil Wood makes a proprietary Ti spindle with a Ti/magnesium/Al shell! WOW!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Iriguchi
a cross-country rider
from Sacramento, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Nothing rides like a Phil. Nothing. Phils are in another league. I finally got my first Phil component and have been nothing but happy with it. This bottom bracket is so smooth it feels like your Crankset are riding on air. I've got a good 2500 miles on mine through rain and mud and dust and it just gets smoother. Installation took all of 15 minutes and after one tightening of my Crankset after a week or so of setting in, my bottom bracket has become maintenance free. Next on my wish list is a Phil cassette hub. True... Phil BBs are heavier than some but there truly are none like them. | | Overall Rating: |
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