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Submitted by
lauren
a Cross Country Rider
from long beach, ca
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | still working after 12 years | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Bottom Line: | lasts a really long time. came on a '95 cannondale. in '03 i moved it to a new hardtail frame. now moving it to a new fs frame. other than a bit of corrosion on the shell, still works great. maybe it's heavy compared to newer models, but i'm not a weight weenie. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marty
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada, NB
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | durable, affordable, worry free.. | | Weaknesses: | heavier then xt??? looks shiny.. too bad you hafta hide it | | Similar Products Used: | ummm.. other cheaper heavier not as good BB's | | Bike Setup: | this n that its an oldie but a goodie | | Bottom Line: | after 3 years.. still going strong.. not many other components on my bike lasted this long.. im impressed with durability.. creaks after water crossings once in a while
overall its a good product not a great one.. then again its a good price.. not a huge one! | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Connor
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO USA
Date Reviewed: October 22, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Porcupine Rim | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Reliability. | | Weaknesses: | None. ?Weight. | | Similar Products Used: | None. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 970 cromo hardtail, Z2 Atom 80, front Avid mech disk, Rolf Urracco/Mavic 717 wheels. | | Bottom Line: | This is for the stock UN-51/52 bottom bracket delivered with my bike in 1996. Not really relevant now with newer splined/ISIS cranks but instructive. Other than removing it every other year to inspect and regrease the housing threads, no maintenance at all despite daily use commuting to work in rain/snow/heat, road biking on slicks and mountain biking in Colorado and Moab innumerable times. I keep waiting to replace it after 5900 miles of use but it just keeps on smoothly trucking, like the LX 5-arm crank it's attached to. It may not be the lightest and is old square taper technology, but it is hard to imagine a better price-to-performance product out there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eyal
a Cross Country Rider
from Israel
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | at some www... | | Strengths: | It looks like a crank !! (for a reasonable price) | | Weaknesses: | But it not! | | Similar Products Used: | Deor02 Bontrager01 | | Bike Setup: | S.C heckler, manitou Sherman fork, F$@imano B.B. | | Bottom Line: | The middle chainring died after 300 miles on single tracks
So flex, the drive train would have to "choos" what chainring it wants when putting force on it.
Shifting even on normal conditions is bad and noisy.
No durabilty what so ever
I do ride aggressive but not free ride! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a
from exeter
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | pretty strong (as far as i can tell)
smooth bearings
creak free
cheap | | Weaknesses: | heavy | | Similar Products Used: | other cheaper shimano BB's | | Bike Setup: | trials | | Bottom Line: | dunno why every one has been saying how cr*p these are, i havent broken one yet and have hit it very hard and it has outlived lots of pairs of cranks.
has survived lots of messed up gaps landing on the bashring. the sorta landings that bend bashrings and spiders, yet the bearings and axle still run smooth as ever.
doesnt look pretty but you cant see it. heavyer than its hollow higher ranger counter parts but from other trials riders use of hollow BB's i'll stick with LX. untill i ride smoother that is! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Baube
a Weekend Warrior
from Baie-Comeau
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | spinsport www.spinsport.qc.ca | | Strengths: | though, easy to install | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | stock bearing and shaft | | Bottom Line: | i've made some five foot gap and nothing broke even my rims(stock rigida) and the bb is still performing like it was just came out of the shop. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eder Giovani Savio
a Downhiller
from Florianópolis - Brazil
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Três Pedras - Nova Veneza/SC - Brazil | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Just the name Shimano LX, but name don't get my money. | | Weaknesses: | Squeak, flabby. It is very weak. Deore LX is weak like Deore and Alivio. Three craps! | | Similar Products Used: | Deore, Altus, Alivio. | | Bike Setup: | Haro MX2 7" rear travel. Mozo Delta 5". Specialized Dh tires, Tektro Gemini disc-brakes, Big-Boy Sadle, XT, LX, STX. | | Bottom Line: | I don't understand. My old hard-tail specialized has a bb Altus about six year and never had troble. In others full bikes I had Alivio, Deore and Deore LX. All broke after three months. I don't know if a buy XT or Altus... I'm thinking about another brand... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fluffy
a Cross Country Rider
from Belgium
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Weight | | Similar Products Used: | XTR, On One, STX, Alivio | | Bottom Line: | I've used this BB on my XC bike for about 3 years. Never had any problems with it. There was a little play in it recently, so I replaced it with a new one.
To all the people that claim to have snapped 3 or more: stop buying them!! Get something stronger!!!
If you're a DH racer: get XTR and expect it to break!
If you're a freerider: get On One crancks + BB
If you're a XC-racer: get XTR
If you're a XC-rider: get an LX and replace it after a few years... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Downhiller
from Bay Area, CA
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Northstar @ Tahoe | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Cheap, easy to install. | | Weaknesses: | BREAKS OFF ANYTHING. BROKE OFF A 4 FOOT DROP. WORTHLESS, USELESS PIECE OF CRAP. I COULD PROBABLY MAKE A BETTER BB MYSELF WITH 2 BEARINGS AND A PAPERCLIP FOR THE AXLE. | | Similar Products Used: | XT BB, much better. | | Bike Setup: | Giant ATX, RaceFace cranks, Stratos blah blah..... | | Bottom Line: | Well, if you are an idiot and like breaking BB's then get this. I know that they are cheap, but if you keep breaking them, then htye get expensive after awhile. I've gone trhough 3 of them so far and fianlly got an XT BB and its much better. Save your money now and get an XT- It'll last longer and save you more in the long run. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gaz
a Cross Country Rider
from England
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Strengths: | cheap | | Weaknesses: | heavy, resin cup is kind of crappy | | Similar Products Used: | cheesy stock bb that came with bike | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | This thing wieghs half the wieght of my ride. Too cheap I think, this bb has only lasted 1000 miles before it packed in. makes so much noise it scares the wildlife. I am getting the xt version in the hope of a bit more quality. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Johnny C.
a Weekend Warrior
from Christchurch, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Lava Flow | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$23.00 | | Purchased At: | Penny Sport Cycles | | Strengths: | Hard to say with a bb, but it works and hasnt broken after several 5 foot drops to flat concrete | | Weaknesses: | none so far, although ive heard heaps of bad reviews for this bb, i havent had any trouble. | | Similar Products Used: | stcok wheeler | | Bike Setup: | Wheeler hardtail | | Bottom Line: | this is a good bb and has lasted much longer than the stock one, which i broke three of takes hard drops, good buy very cheap
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Submitted by
kalyn no
a Weekend Warrior
from nanaimo
Date Reviewed: November 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | big hits | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$34.00 | | Purchased At: | the realm | | Strengths: | not many, if you want a bb that likes to snap off 8 ft drops or bigger, buy this bb!!!!. broke 4 of em!!! and 1 xt bb | | Weaknesses: | everything, they bend off 5 fters and snap off 8 and cut your leg to heck!! if you want 8 stiches in you calf buy this bb!! | | Similar Products Used: | shimano!! xt broke it off a 5 ftr no better!! | | Bike Setup: | norco vps buzz (kooka cranks) | | Bottom Line: | if you like to cut your legs open and sack yourself eevery time you do a drop then buy it cause its cheep as crap!
Shimano needs to go suck themselfs!! and do everyone a favor and throw there bb away!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Philip Collins
a
from Southampton, England
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Stoke Woods | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | Peter Hansfords | | Strengths: | good design cheap price | | Weaknesses: | Some prducta have dodgy bearings than never set as a result of this i have been through about 6 in two years. | | Bike Setup: | Viper F14 frame, Deore/XT groupset | | Bottom Line: | good cheap bb, but if you do jumps or anything that involves landing hard on them then buy a different one, i only had to go a few foot high out of a bombhole in my local jumps and much to my surprise the axel snapped, much to my local bike shops disbelief as he thought you caouldent snap them, so if you are a town rider looking for a smooth bb then this one will do but if you intend doing some big jumps with big hits the get a much stroger one maybe try hope, or raceface | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek
a Cross Country Rider
from Springfield, SC
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | It goes around when you Pedal | | Weaknesses: | Heavy
Has a plastic holder | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8000 with XT components | | Bottom Line: | I pulled the BB to clean the bike and when I went to put it back in I was screwing in the support ring on left side and the thing came apart. I was using a torque wrench. I had no other problems with it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a monty
a Weekend Warrior
from yorkshire England
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | owt | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | scott F.O.C. | | Strengths: | Costed me s0d all. replacement for the rubbish fitted on my scott timber under 1 year old warrenty | | Weaknesses: | time taken to fit by shop | | Similar Products Used: | sh1t fitted orriginally | | Bike Setup: | scott timber custom | | Bottom Line: | At £0.00 i cant complain | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob aka Wheezer
a Cross Country Rider
from Van.
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any N.S. Double/Single D.trail | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$26.00 | | Purchased At: | a shop on n. shore | | Strengths: | Absolutely nothing | | Weaknesses: | squeeks, creeks,and is very week | | Similar Products Used: | lots o crap out there | | Bike Setup: | Brodie Devo w/JR T. ,Blackspire cranks,Hayes brakes,Sun Double Wides and Gozzi. tires | | Bottom Line: | I had this bottom bracket for less than a month and already its creeking and bent.This is my second one "Silly Me" in 6 months.My last one snapped doing a teeny little 3ft drop.Yes I know its horrible.I haven't a clue what i'm going to try next I geuss I'll try raceface I suppose.Anyways bottom line is that this BB may be okay for "Urban Riders"but when it comes down to the shore....shop around trust me! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick Fenton
a Racer
from Clinton Connecticut
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any one with rocks | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | good paper weight, if u take the broken spindle out of it it makes a nice pencil holder | | Weaknesses: | it is weak, and noisy, and bad, and i dont like you (UN52 that is) | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face, truvativ, XTR | | Bike Setup: | Trek, K2, Specialized P3 | | Bottom Line: | Broke, dont buy, go with a spined system by shimano, or by ISIS, if you buy it careful not to breath on the box, it may break.
If you want a nice hood ornament i guyess you could polish it up and use it for that. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
poida
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 9, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | one with big obstacles | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | It is cheap and runs smooth | | Bike Setup: | DMR Sidekick trials | | Bottom Line: | I've had this bb for about 1 and a half years and had it in two bikes. It doesn't have any play and it still runs well. I'm surprised how long it's lasted, buy it if you want a reliable bb but it seems there are good ones and bad ones so take your chances if you're game | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tony
a
from kingston - ENGLAND
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | mail order | | Strengths: | reasonbly cheap
readily available | | Weaknesses: | it snapped
i was not happy , in doing so it messed up the taper on my RS7 which i cannot replace under warrenty
I know that i wont get a replacement which is annoying and this being my second shimano BB snapped I will now look at alternatives, those being raceface for trials and 3 piece for jumping | | Similar Products Used: | UN72 | | Bike Setup: | Ms Ilse , sidekicks middleburns, azonic , roox DMR , Spesh and other stuff | | Bottom Line: | if your a dedicated rider look at alternatives especialy if you ride hard | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bobby Brawnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Burlington
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Kelso | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Poor reliability | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | hardtail with a big fork and wheels | | Bottom Line: | This is my third season with the same bottom bracket and i have had no problems with it at all. I ride hard, but i don't weight anything. My brother on the other hand, is on his third in two years. I think the quality of some is better than others. So take your chances if your cheap otherwise, go RACE FACE | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan Lorencz
a Weekend Warrior
from Hinton
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Cheap to purchase | | Weaknesses: | Weak | | Similar Products Used: | None yet, but going to try Race Face | | Bike Setup: | KONA Stinky Five | | Bottom Line: | I have broke 3 of these pieces of s&*t (always seems to happen at the top of the trail). Granted, they have broke from pilot error, but what the hell, f$%&ing up is part of the learning curve. A BB should be able to take a mega beating without breaking, bending or creaking. Spend the extra money and try something other than the UN52. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
PAUL
a Weekend Warrior
from ENGLAND
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | BRILLIANT BICYCLES | | Bottom Line: | TOTAL CRAP IVE BEEN THROUGH 4 NOW AND ALL THE TIME I ONLY GET AROUND 3 HOURS LIFE BEFORE THEY START TO CREAK AND GROAN AT ME, I RIDE TRIALS SO THE BOTTOM BRAKET DOES NOT LAST LONG ANYWAY BUT I WOULD EXSPECT THEM TO LAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS , I LIKE OPEN BOTTOM BRAKETS , AT LEAST YOU CAN FIX THEM
UN52 RESEMBLES A CHEEP PEN THAT YOU TRUGH AWAY WHEN THE INK RUNS OUT , PLEASE TRY AND STAY CLEAR OR THEM | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joe
a Downhiller
from hull
Date Reviewed: March 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | spook wood | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | ken ellerker cycles | | Strengths: | smooth, cheap, fairly strong | | Weaknesses: | bends if abused, also creaks after bending | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | saracen n-zyme, magura's full LX setup | | Bottom Line: | this BB is ok for xc, but anything more i reckon it is to weak. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from T.O. Canada
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Hardwood Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | costs near 75¢ | | Weaknesses: | Cheap (hey, it's Shimano...)
Heavy
Flimsy | | Similar Products Used: | Race Face
Shimano | | Bike Setup: | '99 Trek 8000, Race Face ISIS BB, Race Face Turbine LP, XTR | | Bottom Line: | This product was unbelieveably cheap from day one! It's heavy, makes odd noises, and only lasts around a year IF you're lucky! HA! So now I have a Race Face BB that is ISIS drive. WAY better, GO RACE FACE! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Downhiller
from South Wales, UK
Date Reviewed: December 7, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | Various Stores | | Strengths: | Price | | Weaknesses: | Weak, heavy, plastic, | | Similar Products Used: | XT BB | | Bike Setup: | Check. | | Bottom Line: | I made the wrong decision of trading off quality for price. Never again. I snapped the first BB after a week, attempting a 5 foot drop. The second one bent after a DH race. Spend a bit more and get an XT, they seem far stronger for DH / freeriding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Petrol
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond, VA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | any dirt trail | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$16.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop LBS | | Strengths: | cheap, reasonable quality | | Weaknesses: | ounces/grams what ever you weight winnies are counting | | Similar Products Used: | XT | | Bike Setup: | hardtail | | Bottom Line: | lasted over two years with 2-3 weekly rides of 1-3 hrs, i am over 200 lbs. just wore out, good enough.
I spend the extra $5 and upgraded to an XT (UB-72 or what ever) no problems with that so far, none expected | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Little Rhody
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Arcadia- Mt Tom | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Quiet
Smooth
I pretty much beat on it and it still works....
Cheap as all hell. | | Weaknesses: | Not going to bother with the weight "issue"
Will get to below.... | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing worth mentioning! | | Bike Setup: | GT Xizang Ti, Marzocchi 3.5, Magura Hydraulic, Thompson Elite, Bontrager, Middleburn rings, WI cranks, old-bombproof-heavy wheelset | | Bottom Line: | Bought this as an inexpensive upgrade when I purchased my new cranks and forgot about them. Certainly not top of the line on a part which for some reason is only now getting attention it deserves as one of the most important parts of your rig.
I really couldn't not complain about it's performance on the trail, as it IS quiet, and it does turn fine. Just switched my parts over to my "new" Xizang frame and made an interesting discovery: Half of the threads on the drive side stripped out in the threads of my old bike's BB. The metal that composes the theads (what is it, lead??) are GLUED to the cylinder housing the bearings, which promply fell off when I took the BB out. Now- the BB tube of my old bike is not a problem- just needs to be retapped, so I am not worried about that. And I am figuring that this is just another instance of Shimano using the consumers as guinea pigs and is fully aware of the problem and I can get a replacement part to GLUE back on.... Apparently, Shimano is aware of this, but will ONLY sell you the piece on the non-drive side, meaning that I am SOL.
My LBS hooked me up with the part off of one of his BB that he had in stock, hoping that he can get one of those pieces off of his distributors, if not- maybe he just ate a BB. Yes, the BB is cheap, and yes, it is still working on another bike, but I think that the wise choice would have been for me to fork over the coin for a BB that will last a lifetime, at a price that I'll be paying off for a lifetime. That way- I won't have to worry about dodging bullets on a cheap part. For now, though- I am in this battle and want to see how far I can last before having to switch to something else.
3 value chilis because it IS inexpensive, but you get what you pay for, and 3 overall chilis because it is made pretty cheaply, but it is still working and quiet- until I decide to switch it to another bike..... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shawn Austin
a Weekend Warrior
from Milford, MA
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Vietnam | | Duration Product Used: | |
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$
