New bottom bracket solutions from Wheels Manufacturing

Fight the creak on your PF86/92 and PF30 frame

James Huang / Immediate Media

Published: September 11, 2014 at 6:45 am

Tired of the perpetual bottom bracket creak on your PF86/92 or PF30-equipped frame? Wheels Manufacturing showed off a new thread-together bottom bracket design that might finally quiet things down.

The problem with frames using either of those bottom bracket designs is that the manufacturing tolerances are too wide for the press-fit cups to fit consistently tight. And while thread-together adapters such as from Praxis Works have been great for mounting Shimano, SRAM GXP, or FSA 24mm-diameter spindles into an oversized PF/BB30 or BB386EVO shell since they can be installed so securely into the frame, other combinations typically don't leave enough room for tool access.

Wheels Manufacturing's upcoming bottom brackets feature a similar thread-together concept but with proprietary spline patterns built into the very thin flanges so that the cups can be tightened together. Naturally, the company has also designed a tool to match (and you'll need two for a proper installation).

Wheels manufacturing's new pf86/92 and pf30 bottom brackets will use a thread-together design that will fit more securely than standard press-fit cups, which should greatly decrease the chance of creaking:

Wheels Manufacturing's new thread-together PF86/92 and PF30 bottom brackets should be less prone to creaking than standard press-fit cups

Pricing and availability are still to be determined but as with other Wheels Manufacturing bottom brackets, they'll be offered with several different grades of Enduro cartridge bearings.

Also new from Wheels Manufacturing is a series of eccentric bottom bracket adapters that will allow riders to easily convert PF/BB30 frames into singlespeeds with no separate tensioners required. The eccentric bearing locations mean that those riders will have to use cranks with standard 24mm-diameter spindles such as from Shimano, SRAM, FSA, and others, but Wheels Manufacturing's use of Enduro angular contact cartridges also means that those bearings should be quite durable.

Wheels manufacturing's new eccentric bottom bracket will allow for cleaner-looking singlespeed conversions on frames with pf30 or bb30 bottom bracket shells:

Looking to convert your PF/BB30 frame into a singlespeed? Wheels Manufacturing has a new option for you that doesn't require a separate tensioner

Retail price is US$125.

www.wheelsmfg.com