Changing my BB and Cranks

gaffmaster

Hi Boardsies! Here's a query for people with knowledge of Bottom Brackets and Crank Compatibility:

So I've decided to try some shorter cranks, and while I'm at it, upgrading the chain-set on my summer bike. I'll then put the chain-set I remove on to my winter bike: Two upgrades for the price of one.

Bike 1 - Planet X RT-58 Carbon
Currently has 11 speed Shimano Ultegra 6800, except the cranks, which are FSA Gossamer 386EVO. The BB is an "FSA BB386 EVO Bottom Bracket / Megaevo BSA Threaded / Steel".
1. Will an Ultegra BB-R60 (English Thread) Bottom Bracket fit my frame, based on the information I've provided above?
2. Is replacing the bottom bracket/cranks a difficult thing to do? For context, I've done stuff like clean my headset, and replace a rear derailleur hanger myself.

Bike 2 - Cannondale CAAD8
Has a 9 speed Shimano Sora groupset, with FSA Vero 50/34 Cranks, and an FSA 68mm BSA Bottom Bracket.
1. Will my FSA Gossamer crank set that I'm removing from the Planet X, along with Bottom Bracket fit straight on to the CAAD8 Frame?
2. Will the 11 speed cranks be compatible with 9 speed sora everything else? I heard somewhere that if I use an 11 speed chain it might all work together? (Also heard an 11 speed chain is a good upgrade to 8/9/10 speed group sets, as 11 speed chains are made to tighter tolerances.)

Getting Bike 1 up and running with the new cranks is my priority for now.

Thanks for your time! Hopefully you can help me solve this riddle.

nilhg

gaffmaster wrote: »

Hi Boardsies! Here's a query for people with knowledge of Bottom Brackets and Crank Compatibility:

So I've decided to try some shorter cranks, and while I'm at it, upgrading the chain-set on my summer bike. I'll then put the chain-set I remove on to my winter bike: Two upgrades for the price of one.

Bike 1 - Planet X RT-58 Carbon
Currently has 11 speed Shimano Ultegra 6800, except the cranks, which are FSA Gossamer 386EVO. The BB is an "FSA BB386 EVO Bottom Bracket / Megaevo BSA Threaded / Steel".
1. Will an Ultegra BB-R60 (English Thread) Bottom Bracket fit my frame, based on the information I've provided above?
2. Is replacing the bottom bracket/cranks a difficult thing to do? For context, I've done stuff like clean my headset, and replace a rear derailleur hanger myself.

Bike 2 - Cannondale CAAD8
Has a 9 speed Shimano Sora groupset, with FSA Vero 50/34 Cranks, and an FSA 68mm BSA Bottom Bracket.
1. Will my FSA Gossamer crank set that I'm removing from the Planet X, along with Bottom Bracket fit straight on to the CAAD8 Frame?
2. Will the 11 speed cranks be compatible with 9 speed sora everything else? I heard somewhere that if I use an 11 speed chain it might all work together? (Also heard an 11 speed chain is a good upgrade to 8/9/10 speed group sets, as 11 speed chains are made to tighter tolerances.)

Getting Bike 1 up and running with the new cranks is my priority for now.

Thanks for your time! Hopefully you can help me solve this riddle.

Welcome to BB hell......

Bike 1 has a pressfit BB386 which uses cranks with a 30mm diameter spindle, a threaded Ultegra BB won't fit this frame. I'm presuming you want to use a hollowtech crankset, to do that you'll need to use something like this,

http://wheelsmfg.com/bottom-brackets/bb386evo/386evo-adapters/386evo-adapter-for-shimano-cranks.html

Your old cranks from the PX wont fit the CAAD since the BB on it requires a 24mm spindle....

The most straightforward way to try shorter cranks is to buy a BB386 compatible crankset and use that in the existing BB and leave everything else as is.

Eamonnator

Bike 1
1) Yes that BB will fit.
2) Replacing BB is relatively straightforward, however you will need two BB tools,
one to remove the BB386 BB and a 2nd one to install the Shimano BB.
The two BBs are different sizes, that why you need two tools.

Bike 2
1) Yes.
2) I'm not sure. I use an 11 speed chain and chain set with 10 speed everything else. It works perfectly. I don't know about 9 speed everything else.

Eamonnator

nilhg wrote: »

Welcome to BB hell......

Bike 1 has a pressfit BB386 which uses cranks with a 30mm diameter spindle, a threaded Ultegra BB won't fit this frame. I'm presuming you want to use a hollowtech crankset, to do that you'll need to use something like this,

http://wheelsmfg.com/bottom-brackets/bb386evo/386evo-adapters/386evo-adapter-for-shimano-cranks.html

Your old cranks from the PX wont fit the CAAD since the BB on it requires a 24mm spindle....

The most straightforward way to try shorter cranks is to buy a BB386 compatible crankset and use that in the existing BB and leave everything else as is.

O.P. says his BB386 is threaded.

07Lapierre

If ever there was a reason to buy A new bike.... this is it!

nilhg

Eamonnator wrote: »

Bike 1
1) Yes that BB will fit.
2) Replacing BB is relatively straightforward, however you will need two BB tools,
one to remove the BB386 BB and a 2nd one to install the Shimano BB.
The two BBs are different sizes, that why you need two tools.

Bike 2
1) Yes.
2) I'm not sure. I use an 11 speed chain and chain set with 10 speed everything else. It works perfectly. I don't know about 9 speed everything else.

Eamonnator wrote: »

O.P. says his BB386 is threaded.

Sorry, you are correct, I missed the reference to the threaded adaptor, the frameset does indee have a BSA BB.

BB hell indeed.

gaffmaster

Brief panic averted.

Thanks for the replies. I have a tool kit which has most Shimano specific tools (Cassette thingy, pretension crank thingy), and I think it has the Shimano BB tool in there. The FSA BB Tool would have to be got, however. Something I hadn't considered.

I'll update this thread when I get around to fitting the FSA Gossamer on the CAAD8 - let you know if 11 speed cranks work with 9 speed everything elseseses.

Eamonnator

gaffmaster wrote: »

Brief panic averted.

Thanks for the replies. I have a tool kit which has most Shimano specific tools (Cassette thingy, pretension crank thingy), and I think it has the Shimano BB tool in there. The FSA BB Tool would have to be got, however. Something I hadn't considered.

I have a BB386 BB remover.
I'm in Drogheda, if that's any good to you.

I think you'll find that a 9 speed chain will work OK.
I don't think an 11 speed chain will do. The 9 speed cassette sprockets will be too wide for chain

gaffmaster

Eamonnator wrote: »

I have a BB386 BB remover.
I'm in Drogheda, if that's any good to you.

I think you'll find that a 9 speed chain will work OK.
I don't think an 11 speed chain will do. The 9 speed cassette sprockets will be too wide for chain

Thanks for your kind offer - I'm living in London at the minute, however.

With chain widths, I believe you can have a narrower chain on a wider spaced cassette, since it's the inner workings of the chain that get piloted around by the rear derailleur. So an 11 speed chain will work on a 9 speed cassette. On the other hand, a 9 speed chain would be too wide for the narrower spacing of an 11 speed cassette.