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Shimano LP-21

Average Rating 2.43/5
# of Reviews 14
MSRP $ 9.95
Weight
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Description:Shimano LP-21





Submitted by Scorth a Downhiller from Norwich, England
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2006
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Strengths:Built like a brick!
Weaknesses:Weighs More than a brick!
Bottom Line:This thing lasted me from 2003 to present, with constant thrashing on it, and it served me very well. But, when it came to taking it off, it turns out that the plastic locking cup isnt meant to come off, as the tool completely ripped the splined face off of it.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by faronium polonium a Cross Country Rider from Cowtown, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:bee sting
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Purchased At:Came on Bike
Strengths:Indestructo -- built like a brick
Weaknesses:Heavy -- built like a brick
Similar Products Used:factory installed BBs on 70s road bikes -- still 'live and kicking
Bike Setup:Trek 950 fully rigid with A slurry of stx-rc through deore to lx and a smattering of truvativ for good measure
Bottom Line:This bottom bracket came factory installed on my Trek 950 8 years ago and has lasted until a month ago when I decided it was time to replace the playful, gritty thing with something better. Lo and behold the years of neglect were to make me suffer and the bb was siezed in the frame. After a lot of work (torch, breaker bars, liquid wrench, etc) I got it out, and get this; the rubber seals were still in fine shape (after torching!!) and although caked with rust, it looked OK.

This bottom bracket gave me at least 7 years of worry free performance commuting year round with the occasional race mixed in with a bunch of trail riding. The last two years of commuting on salted roads in winter did the thing in along with a lot of other things on this bike. I'm now a habitual bearing checker/thread greaser.

I doubt anyone would buy this part as an aftermarket "upgrade", so am writing this as testament to shimano's quality.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by rusty a from sacramento
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:anything that points down
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Purchased At:came on bike
Strengths:absolutely none
Weaknesses:creaks from pretty much day one, very noisy!
Bike Setup:ibex alpine 350, sun rhyno lites,rock shox psylo xc and 30mm downhill stem
Bottom Line:like i said it creaks and makes a lot of noise, the bearings felt very rough after about 3 months of riding on it, then today i jump a two foot street stepdown and snapped the spindle clean off, the nub left over lacerated the insde of my left leg and put my bike out of commission

anybody looking for a bike that is inexpensive to play around on steer clear of any with shimano bb's, they are crap
Value Rating:2Overall Rating:1

Submitted by andy a Weekend Warrior from van nuys, ca, usa
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:Adds extra friction to make you a stronger rider. You will feel turbo-charged after replacing this with a better BB. If this is on your wife's bike, you will become a hero after replacing this.
Weaknesses:Another reviewer said that rocks were probably used in place of ball bearing and someone else said that shimano forgot to lube it. This had a stiff gritty feel from day 1. Most un-campy like ball-bearings ever. Replaced this with a UN series.
Similar Products Used:Syncros, Campy, UN, others
Bike Setup:fisher kai-tai
Bottom Line:Replace ASAP
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Erlend a Weekend Warrior from Norway
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2001
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:None
Weaknesses:After 8 trips it went super non-smooth. This is the worst s h i t I've ever seen
Similar Products Used:XT (super good)
Bike Setup:Gary Fisher, JudyXC XT/LX/Deore, Answer riser bar
Bottom Line:who would ever buy this s h i t ?, I don't event know if it's possible to get hold off except for on stock bikes!! It s u x the big wang.
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Rocky a Weekend Warrior from Quebec
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2001
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Purchased At:OEM
Strengths:well..cheap, but thats not a strength
Weaknesses:This is absolute crap
Bottom Line:I broke it after landing a little jump off a set of steps and it broked right out, my left crank arm flied around and the part that was still on the bike lacerated my inner left leg..outch! (yeah, I had to go to the hospital) Don't ever buy this crap, for myself I'll buy a raceface all the way
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Gary a Weekend Warrior from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2001
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:Rotates, more or less. Less maintenance than an old cup & retainer ring setup. Keeps papers from flying off your desk.
Weaknesses:Where to start...
Bottom Line:This thing (LP-26) came stock in my bike - I rode it for about 6 months in pretty crappy conditions, during which I freely admit that it rotated as I pedalled. Now that I ripped it out of there to replace it with a UN 72, I have discovered that it is: heavy, cheap, rough, big and ugly. Hey, it's your mother-in-law!

Seriously, this thing feels like it has rocks for bearings. Except that rocks would be lighter, thereby resulting in at least some improvement.

If your bike came with one, ride it until it dies (soon) -- but under NO circumstances replace an existing BB with one of these.

Yeah, it sucks with gusto - but I don't blame Shimano. The real criminals are the bike companies that spec this piece of dung on bikes marketed for serious trail use. Shame!
Value Rating:2Overall Rating:2

Submitted by brando brando a Weekend Warrior from Salt Lake, Utah USA
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2001
Favorite Trail:Mill D Forth Fork
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Purchased At:Pedersons
Strengths:It is solid. It works. No squeaks after 2 years. Still tight. I have not performed any maintenence.
Weaknesses:I guess it is heavy although I have not compared it to another because I haven't needed to remove it from the frame.
Similar Products Used:1 piece bearing cranks and whatever they put on SIS and DX equipped bikes.
Bike Setup:Iron Horse 2.0 all XT components, Mavic crossride wheels.
Bottom Line:When I switched my dodgy suntour cranks to Shimano XT I was concerned because the bike shops were trying to get me to buy the new splined products. As I see it my bottom bracket was working fine and I didn't need to replace it, nor did I wish to spend the $50.00 to buy a splined BB. I had do search a little, but eventually got the XT square peg cranks for $120.00 and I got to keep my original BB that is going just fine after 2 years of daily riding and weekend beatings.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Chris Brown a Weekend Warrior from Hove, East Sussex, England
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2000
Favorite Trail:Real muddy ones
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:Still rotates after 6 months.
Weaknesses:Makes noise like an ice grinder! Very heavy.
Similar Products Used:Too old to mention.
Bike Setup:Cindercone, STX crank etc...
Bottom Line:No value if it doesn't last. There is nothing more annoying than parts that pack up early. A head turner for all the wrong reasons!
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Robert a Cross Country Rider from Arizona
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:Estrella
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Strengths:This BB is built tough
Weaknesses:It is heavy and does not like dry, grity climate.
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:98 Trek 930
Bottom Line:This is a good BB. I am not sure exactly when it happened but the thing is grity and makes a lot of noise. It has lasted for a while but could have probably been replaced 6 months ago. Don't rush out and change it. Replace in a year with a Un model.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Jaromir a Racer from Prague, Czech Republic
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2000
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Strengths:Lasts
Weaknesses:HEAVY like hell
Similar Products Used:new XT'2000
Bike Setup:Mongoose IBOC0G with Marzocchi Z3
Bottom Line:I have used this BB for almost 4 years without any problem. Now, that I switched to Shimano hollowtech crankset, I have to use a new bb.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by John Hardiman a Weekend Warrior from Lancaster, UK
Date Reviewed: December 11, 1999
Favorite Trail:
n/a
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!
Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!
Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!
Oh and it works forever!
Weaknesses:
Weight! Weight! Weight!
Similar Products Used:
none its been in all three of my bike builds!
Bike Setup:
Merlin frame, RST Zetza TL Forks, Altus to XT Group Mix! + Magura Raceline Brakes.
Bottom Line:Brillient!!!!
This product costs your spare change and has lasted me 4 years (just this week the seal broke and the mud is geting in, so its starting to sound a bit gritty.
Four Years!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Stumphunter a Weekend Warrior from Norwich
Date Reviewed: August 31, 1999
Favorite Trail:
The Beasr
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
It lets the cranks rotate now and again
Weaknesses:
Just about eveyting you can imagine
Similar Products Used:
Un72
Un52
Bike Setup:
GT XCR 4000
Bottom Line:Shot on site, rottern from day 1, did they actually put any grease in the thing.
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Chuck Perlin a Weekend Warrior from Phila, PA
Date Reviewed: July 16, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Cheap, noise and ruff in less then 2 months.
Similar Products Used:
UN-72 XT BB, older LX level BB's.
Bike Setup:
99 Kona Cindercone stock, except for BB and tires. (I LOVE MY BIKE!)
Bottom Line:Creeeeeked from almost day 1, I was blaming all sorts of other things on the bike, seat post, frame, cranks, etc. Turns out the bearing was making all the noise (intermittently). Just had to spend extra cash to 'upgrade' the BB to a UN72, the LP-27 would probably have been under warranty.
Overall Rating:1






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