It started out of no where, I don't go off roading or anything like that. I use it pretty much for City riding. The biggest drops I do on this is going up and down curbs and surely that wouldn't cause this? I've tried tightening the cranks and the sprockets but it still has all that movement. Could my bottom bracket be broken?
Can someone tell what happened here?
byu/ItMeCasket inbikewrench
by ItMeCasket
9 Comments
Bottom bracket probably.
Probably dead bottom bracket bearings – take it to a shop to look at
Definitely the bottom bracket, when you move one it moves the other, they are supposed to stay in a fixed position to the bb axle, if both are moving it’s definitely the axle.
Sometimes one brakes loose ( the crank bolt loosening ) and that allows play in one side, but not both. It’s rather uncommon for both of them to brake loose
Bottom bracket is gone. Totally normal after a while, can easily be replaced
This is an adjustable cup and cone square taper bottom bracket. It is loose. It will require adjustment/greasing/possible replacement. The job requires at least one specialty tool (square taper crank puller), but ideally three.
Thank you all for the advice and the comments. I was kind of hoping it wasn’t the BB, but it’s very much looking like it is. Going to have to take it into a shop as I don’t have all the necessary tools. Bummer. But hey once it gets changed out it will feel so nice to ride!
Looks like an older cup and cone type BB , these are really crappy tbh i would ask your lbs to replace with a sealed. most good shops would recommend that anyway
Bottom bracket adjustment failure
Easiest and best fix is getting a sealed bearing shimano BB in the same spindle length.
You could also clean, degrease, and readjust the current cup and cone BB but I don’t really reccomend that
The cage holding the bearings rusted out and cased the BB to have a gap.