Author Topic: Budget FBM complete (Read 3630 times)

mamadirt · « **on:** January 07, 2012, 04:21 PM »

Been playing away with bigger for wheels for a little while but a pic of Pickle's Knight over on stw brought me back over here for a quick peek . . . damn it feels good to be back on a 20"er

I'd intended trying to get hold of a late 90's/early2ks frame (my fave era) and building that up as and when funds allowed but impatience (and lack of spare parts under the stairs) got the better of me and I spotted this little FBM Guillotine for just £189 (20" TT, 165 cranks

- pretty damn perfect for me). Sealed BB too (Spanish with cups though, what's that all about?). Added a couple of bits with a nod towards the early 2ks (Shadow Mean post, FBM 39T sprocket, Wellgo DX copies and my old UGP TT pad - just about the only thing I hadn't managed to sell

) and I love it!!!

Always fancied an FBM but their aftermarket frames are waay too long for me . . . love the way Crandall updates virtually daily with news or just inspirational stuff

pickle · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:59 PM »

Cool

lk_97 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2012, 10:39 PM »

That's cool!

Betty · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2012, 05:16 PM »

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2012, 08:17 PM »

Spanish BB with cups? Does that mean it's open bearing? If so, get rid and treat yourself to a nice of summat sealed.

elevensies · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2012, 08:29 PM »

nice

mamadirt · « **Reply #6 on:** January 08, 2012, 09:21 PM »

Cheers folks - reckon my MTB is going to be gathering dust for a while longer

.

Quote from: TwoBobRob on January 08, 2012, 08:17 PM

Spanish BB with cups? Does that mean it's open bearing? If so, get rid and treat yourself to a nice of summat sealed.

No, it's definitely sealed but the bearings are pressed into a black steel cups (similar to USA BB fitting but a much smaller BB shell).

Apologies for the filth

and the rubbish pic. You can just see the edge of the bearing beneath the bearing cover. Could it be a mid sized shell with an adaptor to run Spanish bearings? (although I have no idea why they'd do that - listed on the FBM site as having sealed spanish BB with cups which is exactly what it is).

Betty · « **Reply #7 on:** January 08, 2012, 09:23 PM »

I'm guessing the BB shell isn't machined internally for mid bearings.... hence the cups....

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #8 on:** January 08, 2012, 09:30 PM »

Betty sounds like he's on the money.

FBM have shaved a couple of quid by not having to machine the BB shell to accept bearings. No biggie in the grand scheme of things, as long as you don't knacker those cups - I don't know how available they are...

Dark Diggler · « **Reply #9 on:** January 08, 2012, 09:37 PM »

Fookin BB variations, I got an Deity outboard euro bb for profiles (threaded but external mtb style cups) that has a spanish bearing

Also got a profile outboard Euro(same deal as above) but I think thats a Mid bearing...FFS (they do look special though

)

mamadirt · « **Reply #10 on:** January 08, 2012, 10:06 PM »

Ah cheers - cost cutting exercise then . . . still nice to have sealed at that price. Best keep them out of the mud

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2012, 12:32 AM »

Nah, keep getting 'em muddy

Munnyella · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2012, 07:33 AM »

My Buddy Jay has a similar set up on his eastern, but mid loose ball cups, and no step in the bb for sealed upgrade. any ideas on what to do when it needs replacing cos i'm at a loss, and he knows nowt!!

Sorry to hi jack your thread, bike looks good!

MM

Dannywhac · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2012, 01:14 PM »

Quote from: munnyella on January 09, 2012, 07:33 AM

My Buddy Jay has a similar set up on his eastern, but mid loose ball cups, and no step in the bb for sealed upgrade. any ideas on what to do when it needs replacing cos i'm at a loss, and he knows nowt!!

Sorry to hi jack your thread, bike looks good!

MM

You should still be ok to pop sealed mid in - get some calipers and measure the BB and bearing widths, then get (or cut down) the correct spacer for em - the bearings should still stay flush - after he's used it for a week or so check em again to see if it's still all good

mamadirt · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2012, 05:50 PM »

Quote from: munnyella on January 09, 2012, 07:33 AM

Sorry to hi jack your thread, bike looks good!

MM

Hey no worries - any info is defo worth posting. I seem to remember the Subrosa Salvador I had at the beginning of last year having a similar unsealed mid set up - never kept it long enough to upgrade though

. Fingers crossed this one will be a keeper . . . have I said that before?

Betty · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2012, 07:26 PM »

Quote from: dannywhac on January 09, 2012, 01:14 PM

Quote from: munnyella on January 09, 2012, 07:33 AM
My Buddy Jay has a similar set up on his eastern, but mid loose ball cups, and no step in the bb for sealed upgrade. any ideas on what to do when it needs replacing cos i'm at a loss, and he knows nowt!!

Sorry to hi jack your thread, bike looks good!

MM

You should still be ok to pop sealed mid in - get some calipers and measure the BB and bearing widths, then get (or cut down) the correct spacer for em - the bearings should still stay flush - after he's used it for a week or so check em again to see if it's still all good

But that wouldn't stop sideways movement?

Dannywhac · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2012, 10:38 PM »

The spacer + tightness on the BB shell should stop sideways movement (as the outside diameter of the bearings in relation to centre hole of the bearings wouldn't leave a lot of room for moving - using a steel spacer aka the ones you get with Profiles would help) - but (and it is a but) if the bearings aren't tight enough in there they could slip - which is why you need to check em after a week or so.

Other way round of doing it is make a shim for the inside of the BB that the outside of the bearings could press up against. You'd need summit thicker than a coke can for that though. Should be able to get some piping at a DIY store that's the right diameter.

Betty · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2012, 11:08 PM »

Quote from: dannywhac on January 09, 2012, 10:38 PM

The spacer + tightness on the BB shell should stop sideways movement (as the outside diameter of the bearings in relation to centre hole of the bearings wouldn't leave a lot of room for moving - using a steel spacer aka the ones you get with Profiles would help) - but (and it is a but) if the bearings aren't tight enough in there they could slip - which is why you need to check em after a week or so.

Other way round of doing it is make a shim for the inside of the BB that the outside of the bearings could press up against. You'd need summit thicker than a coke can for that though. Should be able to get some piping at a DIY store that's the right diameter.

It might work, but the bearings would have to be a very tight fit in the BB, they'd still be the only thing to prevent the whole lot shifting sideways... $:-\$

I've had some frames where they've only needed tapping in, others have had to have a few swear words as well as a big hammer to help persuade em in...

Dannywhac · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2012, 07:55 AM »

Spent a few times hammering the buggery out of bearings on bottom brackets....and a few minutes this morning swearing like fook at an Odyssey Bluebird chain that just decided to snap on me on me way to work

Dannywhac · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2012, 09:41 AM »

Update on the above (and a slight thread hijack) - just checked the spare links from my NEW Bluebird chain that snapped this a.m., and there's splits on the plates.......faulty POS!