Why is it called a bottom bracket?

Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
History, anyone?

It is important to understand the need in the English technical
language, especially as it relates to bicycles, to maintain confusion.
Since the bracket that supports one's bottom was already called a
saddle, it was decided to not to waste such a good description and use
it for the crank bearing support assembly.

In a similar vein headset used to describe the steerer support bearings
since bicycle head gear was already called a helmet. It's a common
misconception that this term has nautical roots.

Marcus

Sergio Servadio wrote:
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003, Dan Brussee wrote:
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 06:44:38 -0600, "Lewis Campbell"
Maybe it would be something to do with its location? :-)
Im pretty sure the questionable part is "bracket"... not "bottom". I,
too have never heard any other bearing / spindle / axle type assembly
refered to as a "bracket".
Never mind it is referred to in Italian as Movimento Centrale, I find
the 'bracket' terminology quite appropriate. It is, when referring to
the traditional design with separate spindle, balls (or cages) and cups
that close in to make the bearing. A true bracket for the balls.
Sergio Pisa



In the English language bike jargon, “bottom bracket” is retained on
recumbents with its mis-descriptive location. Singe the bottom bracket
is not central on short wheelbase recumbents, do the Italians follow
suite and retain the location mis-descriptive name of “Movimento
Centrale” on short wheelbase recumbents or have they another term?



--

When I was a kid I always called it a "crankcase", until I went to a bike
shop and asked how much it would cost to fix the crankcase on my bike.
Rod Raisanen
Chillicothe, Ohio
To reply take out trash

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" wrote in message
...
History, anyone?

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Rod Raisanen wrote:
When I was a kid I always called it a "crankcase", until I went to a bike
shop and asked how much it would cost to fix the crankcase on my bike.
Rod Raisanen
Chillicothe, Ohio

Seriously this time.

Many moons ago when I was a kid in England, I remember a fully enclosed
chain guard with just the crank arm sticking out being referred to as a
crankcase.

Marcus

"Rod Raisanen" wrote in message
...

When I was a kid I always called it a "crankcase", until I went to a bike
shop and asked how much it would cost to fix the crankcase on my bike.

I once met an old boat-tinkerer complaining of bike trouble. He said something
was wrong with his "stuffing box"...

Matt O.

Werehatrack wrote in message . ..
On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 04:56:50 GMT, "Phil, Squid-in-Training"
may have said:

History, anyone?

It's my understanding that the term "bottom bracket" originally
referred solely to the large tube into which the "bottom bracket
bearing" was installed, but that the longer term atrophied into its
present usage quite a long while ago. The bearings for a one-piece
crank were already commonly referred to as a "bottom bracket" in the
mid-60s; I don't know how far back it goes.

Dear Werehatrack,

I liked your explanation best, so I
chopped it up a few days ago and tossed
it into a nearby pool infested with savage
word freaks:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/dicti...Reading+%3E%3E

They've chewed it over a bit, but so
far no one has found any fault with
your etymology.

Samuel Johnson

On the heels of his expulsion from the Poet's League of Nantucket,
Carl Fogel wrote:

History, anyone?


I liked your explanation best, so I
chopped it up a few days ago and tossed
it into a nearby pool infested with savage
word freaks:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/dicti...Reading+%3E%3E

They've chewed it over a bit, but so
far no one has found any fault with
your etymology.

The "bottom" in bottom bracket doesn't seem to give anyone trouble.

A brief look at Webster's Online reveals that the word "bracket" comes
from the Middle French "braguette" (codpiece). Upon seeing a careless
arrangement of a crankbearing's cups and spindle and any Frenchman
might have named it thus.
http://64.70.205.200/graphics/braguette.jpg

-------------------------------
John Dacey
Business Cycles, Miami, Florida
Now in our twenty-first year.
Our catalog of track equipment: eighth year online.
http://www.businesscycles.com

John Dacey wrote in message . ..
On the heels of his expulsion from the Poet's League of Nantucket,
Carl Fogel wrote:

History, anyone?


I liked your explanation best, so I
chopped it up a few days ago and tossed
it into a nearby pool infested with savage
word freaks:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/dicti...Reading+%3E%3E

They've chewed it over a bit, but so
far no one has found any fault with
your etymology.

The "bottom" in bottom bracket doesn't seem to give anyone trouble.

A brief look at Webster's Online reveals that the word "bracket" comes
from the Middle French "braguette" (codpiece). Upon seeing a careless
arrangement of a crankbearing's cups and spindle and any Frenchman
might have named it thus.
http://64.70.205.200/graphics/braguette.jpg

-------------------------------
John Dacey

Dear John,

A bit of a back-formation, but no pun-lover
can argue with that.

Carl Fogel