Fitting an Ultegra bottom bracket + crankset

Hi guys,

I just bought a new cannondale road frame and asked the bike shop to fit an
Ultegra 6500 bottom bracket for me (I don't have the correct shimano BB
tool) to suit my shiny new ultegra crankset. I have just spent today
building up my new bike, pretty much from scratch and had no problems -
except the cranks - they are so damn tight fitting. It looks as if they
should slide perfectly into the grooves of the BB to a depth of about 8mm -
i would say they are on about half that distance, and that required some
considerable effort! I would say that, looking form underneath, about 4mm
of the BB is still exposed between the edge of the bottom tube and the top
of the crank arm (I hope that is easily understood, its pretty hard to
explain even after looking at the damn thing for 5 hours).

So, is it possible that the bike shop sent me the wrong BB? I don't think
so. Should it be this tight? And should I try and force it on further - if
so do you have any advice on doing this?
If it isnt on far enough what effect will it have on the shifting?

I'd really appreciate any help offered!
Thanks
JP


---------------------
Jonny Palmer

Thanks Alan - I'm glad I haven't wrecked them!

I really appreciate the advice
JP

"JP" wrote in message
...
Hi guys,

I just bought a new cannondale road frame and asked the bike shop to fit
an
Ultegra 6500 bottom bracket for me (I don't have the correct shimano BB
tool) to suit my shiny new ultegra crankset. I have just spent today
building up my new bike, pretty much from scratch and had no problems -
except the cranks - they are so damn tight fitting. It looks as if they
should slide perfectly into the grooves of the BB to a depth of about
8mm -
i would say they are on about half that distance, and that required some
considerable effort! I would say that, looking form underneath, about 4mm
of the BB is still exposed between the edge of the bottom tube and the top
of the crank arm (I hope that is easily understood, its pretty hard to
explain even after looking at the damn thing for 5 hours).

So, is it possible that the bike shop sent me the wrong BB? I don't think
so. Should it be this tight? And should I try and force it on further -
if
so do you have any advice on doing this?
If it isnt on far enough what effect will it have on the shifting?

I'd really appreciate any help offered!
Thanks
JP
I originally tightened my Octalink hollow BB by hand and it started clicking
after several months. Bought a torque wrench and tightened it to the
specified torque and the cranks went on so much further the front shifting
was way out.

KC

JP wrote:
I just bought a new cannondale road frame and asked the bike shop to
fit an Ultegra 6500 bottom bracket for me (I don't have the correct
shimano BB tool) to suit my shiny new ultegra crankset. I have just
spent today building up my new bike, pretty much from scratch and had
no problems - except the cranks - they are so damn tight fitting.

Splines should be greased and cranks should be tightened with a torque
wrench to be sure of getting them on correctly.

See: http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/...dle_type.shtml

~PB