Hello. My bike is 5 years old and still has the original bottom bracket. Its an ultegra 9 speed BB model #6500. I beleive it is a sealed unit, but was wondering if I should be replacing it considering its age. I am having some problems finding it in stock locally. Are their other BB’s that could fit the matching 6500 octalink 9 speed cranks?
Is this something that would be too difficult to do myself? I read the park tools web page it does not look too complicated but it never does until I start taking stuff apart.
**Hello. My bike is 5 years old and still has the original bottom bracket. Its an ultegra 9 speed BB model #6500. I beleive it is a sealed unit, but was wondering if I should be replacing it considering its age. **
Remove the crankarm and spin the BB. If it still turns smoothly, don’t worry about it. If it feels like the bearings are made of sand, it is time to replace it. If you haven’t extracted the BB in 5 years, it would probably be a good idea to do so just to regrease the threads and prevent it from becoming a permanent frame fixture.
I am having some problems finding it in stock locally. Are their other BB’s that could fit the matching 6500 octalink 9 speed cranks?
Only shimano made the Octalink BB’s, but you can interchange the ultegra version with 105 or Dura Ace.
Is this something that would be too difficult to do myself? I read the park tools web page it does not look too complicated but it never does until I start taking stuff apart.
It is a really easy job. The sealed cartridge style BB’s are pretty much idiot-proof, as there is no fine tuning / adjustment required.
The 9 speed BBs are still available. I was just looking for one yesterday and found several on the web although not every major retailer had them listed on their website. I haven’t checked my LBS but I’d be shocked if they did not have one in stock.
Its an easy job. It does take a little muscle but unlike adjusting gears or trying to true a wheel its basically either in or out, no fiddling with adjustments. You have to take the cranks off with an allen wrench then use a special BB tool and a large wrench to get it out. A key trick is to put a quick release skewer through the BB tool to hold it in place (the spindle of the BB is hollow) so you don’t end wrecking your hand, your frame or your BB if it flies out of the socket when you are trying to loosen it.
If you are starting totally from scratch, it will cost you about $3 for the allen wrench, about $10 for a 10" adjustable wrench and about $10 or so for the BB tool. (The allen wrench and adjustable wrench can be used for other things so they don’t count as bike related expenses
Regarding is there anything wrong with it? I took the crank arms off and it does not feel smooth, I would not go as far as to say it feels like there is sand in it and its grinding, but it definitely does not feel smooth.
I do not have a torque wrench, is that absolutely necessary to have? FWIW - Park Tools listed it as optional
I have called two LBS’s and neither have the size I need in stock. But I will keep checking or get it on line.
I am currently in the same position. I bought a new crankset (cheap) last fall and was going to change it. My thought is to replace the bottom bracket (BB6500) with it. I cannot find the right size. E-bay has had very few and a new one went for over $75 yesterday. I also am not sure if I need English or Italian threads. I ride about a 5 y/o QR with all Ultegra components. Good luck. I may just pull the trigger and get a new bike?
I have a cervelo p2k, 650 wheels and that is the same size I need. Called three LBS’s none of them have it or offered to order it. I like to by these parts local since if I have a question when I install I can ask someone.
At 5 years old, chances are your BB is robbing you of power even if it doesn’t feel rough. Here are my thoughts:
yes, replacing BB’s is definitely a DIY job with the right tools
as others mentioned, use a skewer to hold the BB tool on. Also MAKE SURE to clean the splines of the old BB cups out before inserting the tool. If you don’t clean the splines out the tool will not seat properly and when you apply torque to unscrew it you will round off the splines and be hosed. This comes from personal experience. Removing a BB with a chisel is not for the faint of heart. Repeat, clean splines of BB out REALLY WELL.
I don’t think a torque wrench is optional for this job. Remember that it takes a fair bit of torque to seat it properly, and I don’t think it takes that much more torque to overtighten it and damage the threads in the frame. Spend the $$ and buy a torque wrench. It’s not like it’ll be the last time you need one.
other than that, the Park Tools website does a great job of walking you through the job. Good luck.
Appreciate your tip on cleaning the splines. When you hear tips like that it is very logical, but I am sure I would not have done it unless you mentioned it.
I could not imagine trying to your a Chissel to remove the BB!
Shimano stopped making the 6500 Ultegra Octalink BB several months ago and they aren’t available to distributors or retailers any longer. From my experience there is absolutely no difference that I can tell between a 5500 (105) Octalink BB and the 6500 version. That comes from taking them apart, looking at the seals, construction, etc. so there must be an extremely minimal difference between the two.
The big difference is that the 5500 is still being produced and readily available. The Dura Ace(7500) one doesn’t have sealed bearings like the Ultegra and 105 versions do. As a result you’ll need to be a little more careful with the installation and probably have to check it more frequently than every 5 years. Go with the 5500 if you can’t get the Ultegra version.
I spent ten years as a bike mechanic, and here is the advice I gave all of our customers about doing repairs themselves.
With any bike mechanics related job, I would ask myself the same questions.
1.Do I have the knowledge to perform the repair?
2.Do I have the necessary tools?
3.What are the consequences for doing it wrong, and am I willing to live with those if I mess up?
4.How much time will it take, vs. how will it cost to have someone else do it?
Sounds like you are ok on 1 and 2.
Number 3 is the one I would be a little concerned with. As long as it is a routine change, it is sort of difficult to mess this repair up too bad. The removing with a chisel thing happens after several slips of the removal tool. Basically, as long as it turns out with moderate effort, you will be fine. If it is really hard to get out, take it to the pros. Worst case scenario, you destroy your frame. Your would have to get in way over your head to have this happen. Just make sure you have it threaded in straight, tighten it up, and torque it with the wrench. Remember the left side is reverse thread.
As far as 4 goes, as long as it is routine, it is probably a fairly quick job.
On the torque wrench, you are always better off using it, but good ones aren’t cheap. If you think you might need one, you probably do. I quit using one on cheap repairs after a doing a few, you kind of get the feel of how tight it should be. I rarely if ever use one on my own bike, but usually did on customers bikes. As more and more lightweight carbon parts came out, I found myself getting out the torque wrench more and more.
The advice about the 6500 no longer being made is correct. Go with the 5500. Same thing with a slightly cheaper bearing if I remember correctly, but still better than the 7500 if you don’t have a pro mechanic taking care of your bike every night.
I guess I’ll offer the differing opinion on the torque wrench. This comes from the perspective of a DIYer and someone who works in structural engineering. The BB is not a safety critical tension fitting. YOU DON’T NEED A TORQUE WRENCH. Hand tight plus an extra snug is all it takes. I’ve done plenty of BBs, from Shimano, to Campy, to Ergomo, to Sugino. Never used a torque wrench and never had an issue in some 80,000+ miles of riding.
The only place on a bike where I would say a torque wrench is beneficial is for spoke tension (need proper preload to avoid fatigue issues). Ironic that where you need it the most you actually don’t use one. Instead you have a goofy spoke tension gauge. All other locations on the bike a pretty much shear loaded, with the exception of the stem/handlebar connection.
I agree with you in a lot of ways, but you would be surprised how far off some people’s perception of how tight things should be is. This comes from 10 years of having people bring in broken bolts, stripped threads (both from overtightening and undertigtening and then riding).
I know that most good mechanics only use them on the really small parts, and critical connections like a carbon stem to carbon steerer to carbon bar.
Once you have an idea of how tight something should be, I agree, you don’t need it. The rule that seems to work well on the bike is “little bolt, little torque, big bolt, big torque”.
We used to joke in the shop that if you followed a lot of manufacturer’s torque specs everything would fall off your bike.
Thank you! I just took a chance and stopped at a LSB. The mechanic chuckled when I asked for the BB 6500. He opened a drawer marked Bottom brackets and had one shimano box. To my unbelievable luck it had a Ultegra 68x109.5 English thread bb. I might go buy a lottery ticket. I have bike mechanic buddy who does my work and my old bike will be like new before IMWI.
That was good luck! I have the same BB, about a year older. Mine was a rusty mess and my boyfriend replaced it for me in about 15 minutes this weekend. I, however, tried every LBS near me and none had it in stock. I luckily found a friend with a gently used one that worked perfectly. I am back in business. It looked do-able for the DYIer, as he knocked it out like nothing.
