Thread: SRAM/Shimano press in bottom bracket comatibility

My Shimano crankset on my road bike is having chain suck problems. I've never used a worn chain on it, and the teeth don't look ramped or worn, but a couple of the teeth are chipped and it does have close to 6,000 miles on it. About every third shift from big ring to small, I get chain suck. This is hell on my carbon frame, so I need to do something before major damage occurs.

Anyway, replacement time = upgrade time, so I'm thinking of going from a Shimano FC-700 to a SRAM Red crank. I have a Giant TCR advanced with pressed-in bottom bracket and am wondering if the BB will be compatible with the SRAM crank, or if I need to get a new BB pressed-in as well.

Are you sure that you have a "pressed in" BB?

I suspect that you're frame has a threaded bottom bracket shell, and therefore uses threaded external bearing cups (BB).

Did you already inspect your chain for a bad link?


Got any pictures?

Positive that I have a pressed-in bottom bracket. I've been around enough threaded shells with external cups to tell the difference. I've changed to a new chain with no change in the problem, so that's not it (I went for the cheap solution first).

I could post pictures, but really all I need to know is whether the shimano BB that's in the frame will work with a SRAM crank.

I know very little about those BB's, but it seems like you might need one of these:

http://www.bikeparts360.com/products...-adapter-cups/

I'm not sure if the Red spindle is the same as other SRAM stuff though.

YOU NEED THE SRAM SPECIFIC.

shimano and sram use differnet step downs on the non-drive side of the spindle.

Thanks, Marshall. Just called the LBS to order the crank and they confirmed the same. $36 for the new BB ain't bad, though. I'm assuming they'll press it in for me since I'm buying all the stuff there.

they better not charge you. it takes about 2 minutes total.

Originally Posted by marshalolson

they better not charge you. it takes about 2 minutes total.

Minor hijack...

Ummm, yeah they should. I don't want this to get silly but, if a customer is asking you to perform a service that they aren't capable of or willing to do themselves they should pay you for your knowledge/skill and time. Ten bucks here and ten bucks there will help add to the profitability of the shop and help you to do a better job for the customers later. Don't sell yourself short because "it only takes two minutes." You have a tremendous knowledge base and some expensive tools that you have worked hard for. Charge for it.

There has already been a significant number of shops going down this year and I suspect more will over the winter. I'd like for it not to be one of us, we have worked too hard for that to happen.

Back to your regular programming

a shop will do much better with their customers by treating them right (ie prioviding a 2 minute serivc gratis if retail is paid on the crank and BB) than by nickle and diming everyone.

i would argue that generating good will and positive customer experiance is much more valuable to the shop in terms of its sustainability that comping 1/40th of the ticket's price.

of course on the flipside if someone tried to work me for a deal, you are damn skippy i'd charge them $10 to install the bb.

but if they walk in, say i need xyz and please give me your best price... especially if they ride a bike as nice as the tcr carbon, i would gladly go a little above to help them and try to earn a long term customer.

Originally Posted by marshalolson

a shop will do much better with their customers by treating them right (ie prioviding a 2 minute serivc gratis if retail is paid on the crank and BB) than by nickle and diming everyone.

i would argue that generating good will and positive customer experiance is much more valuable to the shop in terms of its sustainability that comping 1/40th of the ticket's price.

Bingo.

You buy the parts at retail from the shop and installation should be free.

You bring in the fancy parts you bought from the Interwebz and you pay full labour rate to install.

Positive customer service will always win.

FWIW, I wear shop colors (Revolution Mtn Sports) when I race and get a discount for being part of the "team." Team discount notwithstanding, I could have got the parts cheaper on the web but didn't because it's an awesome shop, and I'm happy to help good people stay in business. If they charge me $10 or whatever for the install, I really won't care and will keep going there. Though I'm guessing they'll do it gratis.

I won my category at the MTB series event the shop sponsors and got a $25 gift card as a result. When I went in to redeem it, they applied my team discount to the total and then subtracted the $25 for the gift card. I would have expected it to be the other way around, but that's the kind of folks they are.

right on, that is why you should keep supporting them!

Originally Posted by Wasatch_Expat

FWIW, I wear shop colors (Revolution Mtn Sports) when I race and get a discount for being part of the "team." Team discount notwithstanding, I could have got the parts cheaper on the web but didn't because it's an awesome shop, and I'm happy to help good people stay in business. If they charge me $10 or whatever for the install, I really won't care and will keep going there. Though I'm guessing they'll do it gratis.

I won my category at the MTB series event the shop sponsors and got a $25 gift card as a result. When I went in to redeem it, they applied my team discount to the total and then subtracted the $25 for the gift card. I would have expected it to be the other way around, but that's the kind of folks they are.

they are good people at revolutions