I have a new Cervelo frame and I am installing the BB. But I don’t have the tools to chase and face the frame before installing the BB. Is this really important?
Using a SRAM Red GXP BB.
I have never had it done, but can’t say if you need it or not. If there is damage then sure get it done b/c it won’t get better. I have either been lucky for 20+ years of putting them in properly…or a mix of both.
If it was put in properly then you shouldn’t have any damage. If you have never put in a bb just remember, take your time! There shouldn’t be any force like you are twisting a pickle jar kind of torque. Use plenty of good quality grease, torque it to spec and go slowly. It’s not hard to see damaged threads and you can feel burs and nicks. Clean the stuffins out of the bb shell like a baby’s bottom.
Personally, I love the GXP cups and have had great success with them. GXP is a darn good design for my taste prefs.
I have a new Cervelo frame and I am installing the BB. But I don’t have the tools to chase and face the frame before installing the BB. Is this really important?
Using a SRAM Red GXP BB.
As a matter of course, for any semi-permanent installation which requires alignment in close tolerance, I would.
This would be true for BBs, headsets, the gearbox on my tiller and all critical interfaces. ymmv
Some frames come prepped from the factory. If its not its something that I always have done although if I know 100% a frame hasn’t been prepped I will get it faced and chased. This way you avoid any potential creaking or alignment issues which can cause early bearing failure if the cups are not aligned correctly.
Some frames come prepped from the factory. If its not its something that I always have done. This way you avoid any potential creaking or alignment issues which can cause early bearing failure if the cups are not aligned correctly.
Yea that is a good point. If it’s a brand new frame you cannot assume is has been set up ready to receive a bottom bracket…good one.
To that end all my new frames were complete bikes built up so when I swapped a crank I knew it had been chased and faced.
Generally not needed on the C.F. Cervelo framesets.
Depends if you cross thread your first Ultegra BB while trying to install it with a shitty Nashbar wrench, skin all your knuckles trying to get it out again and then cry yourself to sleep believeing you’ve ruined your newly painted P2K frame by being a tool.
THis has never happened to anyone I know but in those circumatnces I would suggest meekly going to a decent LBS and having them chase and face it for you.
Park BBT-19:) Thread it in by hand as gently as you can, finger tight, then torque to spec:)
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I purchased a BBT-19 today.
I looked at and the alignment looks perfect to the naked eye. Plus the threads look clean.
I did notice that in some cases people use spacers. I assume that is not normally necessary. My P2C does not look to have spacers.
Sorry about so many questions. But I am really enjoying finally actually learning how to build a bike. I am sure I will screw a few things up but eventually through trial and error I will get it right 
I purchased a BBT-19 today.
I looked at and the alignment looks perfect to the naked eye. Plus the threads look clean.
I did notice that in some cases people use spacers. I assume that is not normally necessary. My P2C does not look to have spacers.
Sorry about so many questions. But I am really enjoying finally actually learning how to build a bike. I am sure I will screw a few things up but eventually through trial and error I will get it right
Dude wrenching is FUN! Heck I work on friends bikes for free…or a donated Corona Light;) The old school LBS’s I grew up with encouraged us to learn, but most of them today are revenue centers only and wouldn’t think twice about teaching a skill. I bought an old Cannondale about 3 years go and since I don’t do headset race setting or own a press I do let LBS’s do that…the wrench there was flabbergasted I knew how to build a bike otherwise and couldn’t understand why I didn’t want to pay him $200 + for a build up. He said 1/200 of his customers know basic wrench skills. It’s not rocket science, you can even use youtube vids to learn.
I would offer one piece of advice: GET THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB>>>>on this there can be no fudging. Tolerances are minute and mm’s count.
I was at Sears last weekend looking at chain saws and saw they have beam style 3/8 drive torque wrenches for $25. This is the exact same design as the Park TW-1 which sells for 2x, except the Sears comes with a lifetime warranty. I owned a TW-2 at one time and it’s nice, also owned a ratcheted torque which sucked b/c the calibration went out quickly and it came with a 1 year warranty. Look at any digital or ratchet torque…1 year…that’s all you need to know. The garden variety tri-geek will tell you ‘gotta have digital/torque’, but simplicity is king here. A beam will last thousands of torques before you need a new one and guess what…if you buy it as Sears the replacement is FREE>
Also, Sears has metric bit sets for $10!!! I did pick one of those up on principle b/c they are usually $40+.
Remember, Park has ‘limited lifetime’ where Sears is ‘lifetime’. Difference. If you wear out a Park tool from normal use, it’s dead. If it breaks due to a manufacturing defect, they will repair or replace it at THEIR discretion. I have used and purchased Craftsman tools for decades at Sears and their replacement experience is like dealing with Saris…painless and quick. Pedros makes great tool fittings as well, I just happened to find a BBT-19 for stupid cheap…less than a Pedro’s so I snagged it.
Just FYI… I fashioned myself a HS press out of a 12" length of 3/8" threaded stock, a couple of big-ass nuts (insert joke here), and a stack of heavy washers to create a “stepped” O.D. from the nut to about 2" on both ends. I then rolled a bunch of duct tape on the center threads to hold the nut/washer assembly in place on the fixed end (used a sleeved locknut) and shim the I.D. so that it self-centers in the head tube w/o scratching. To use, just hold the locknut and turn the pressing nut using a couple of 10-12" crescent wrenches. Whole contraption cost maybe $4 at the hardware store, and I’ve used it successfully on several frames now.
Just the ticket for us multiple-bike-owning “serial upgraders” who’d rather DIY and can’t justify >$120 for a shop-grade press to use only once or twice a year.
I would check with Cervelo before having someone C&F your bottom bracket as I am pretty sure that some of the framesets (like my P3) don’t need to be faced and the threads are usually very clean/well formed (need no chasing).
How-To by Park Tools:
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=95
I would recommend using a torque wrench and not going on feel alone to secure the cups into the BB.
**Just for reference, you probably already know this.
Chasing is the cleaning and reforming of the BB threads to make sure the new cups will screw in with no problems.
Facing is making sure the outside edges of the bottom bracket are flat/smooth and that both sides are square to each other.
Good luck!
I have torque wrenches. I did not do any prep. Looks good.
Now I am figuring out installing the headset. This one looks like I might have to go to the LBS and have them press on the crown race.
My LBS are very nice but I wanted to see if I could build this bike myself.
Hey can you post some pics of that maybe? It’s the one piece of equipment I don’t own and the one piece of work I farm out to the infernal LBS on occasion when I need a new HS.
Sounds like a winner.
This one looks like I might have to go to the LBS and have them press on the crown race.
You can make your own crown race install tool from a section of PVC and an end cap. If you have a pure carbon fork, I recommend putting the fork onto a wheel (with a tire) before banging the crown race down. Sometimes you have to hit these things pretty hard. I also use a 2lb deadblow hammer.
I got the idea from this post and added some hose clamps to prevent possible cracking/spliting:
http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/09/29/homemade-headset-installation-tools/
My tool, inner diameter on my pipe is ~1-5/16". Please, no sex toy jokes.
http://i41.tinypic.com/14axu1x.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/14axu1x.jpg
Do you insert this all the way without lube?
Sorry…couldn’t resist.
To all using torque wrenches don’t forget to lube the fastener otherwise proper torque cannot be achieved.
You put lube on pinch bolts?
I use Locktite…works betr;)
I’ll try to remember to get a pic of my ghetto HS press tonight.
As for the crown race setter, I bought one cheap back in the 1" steerer days like a chump, but seriously all it is is a brass tube about 8" long with some spiffy knurling on the outside for grip. When it came time to go 1-1/8" I just bought a short seciton of steel plumbing pipe, another $2 solution at the hardware store… I think the extra heft does the job better than PVC and no issue w/ cracking, etc. Seriously, I’ve seen them do it in a shop before… it’s strictly a low-tech operation, probably the most “caveman” of any bike install/repair I can think of. The only catch is the lip on the end of the pipe isn’t finished quite as smooth as on the shop tool, so I use a regular ol’ alu headset spacer above the race to act as a buffer. That, and wrap the steerer with a layer of tape to keep from getting scratched as the setter slides up & down; easy to just peel off when done.
Back to the original topic… unless your BB shell is really askew, it’s not super critical with most modern-style cartridge or external BBs since they have enough variation in the install adjustment to properly side load the bearings. One issue on a new frame is sometimes a paint glob that goes over the lip of the shell that may cause the BB cup to seat poorly, but that’s usually pretty obvious. It used to be more important with traditional BBs when you had to dial in (non-cartridge) bearing tension with spanners & lockrings on a “floating” spindle. I think one modern exception is the Campy Ultra-torque design since the BB width needs to be more precise as the 2-halves of the spindle mate together so you can’t adjust the non-drive arm on the spindle like w/ Shimano’s current design.