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Advice please on Wheels and Bottom Bracket

Q1). Wheels

I ride a Cannondale Synapse AL 105 and earlier this year I replaced the standard stock wheels (Maddux RD3.0) with some cyclocross wheels (http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPGIROEQ/gipiemme-roccia-equipe-700c-29-inc...) as I kept breaking spokes on the rear wheel - thought the cyclocross wheels would cope better with lumps and bumps and my weight.

I am an ex rugby player so currently circa 15 Stone. 

In the past week, I now have broken a spoke on 2 occasions so am I

a). better to take the rear wheel to local bike shop to get broken spokes replaced and wheel trued
b). all spokes replaced with something more robust (if it exists)
c). just bite the bullet and go for something more robust.

Needs to be disc brake and 11 speed.

 

Q2). Bottom Bracket

After a year of riding, the BB30 bottom bracket is now starting to feel crunchy. Given the marmite reputation for press fit bottom brackets, can anyone recommend an adaptor so I can run a threaded bottom bracket and still run original FSA Gossamer chainset.

 

Thanks in advance

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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13 comments

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Anthony.C | 6 years ago
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If I understood correctly he doesn't want a bottom bracket converter he wants a threaded BB he can use with the same crankset. That isn't possible as far as I am aware.  Factory installed BB30 bearings don't seem to last long though, mine lasted 1000 miles on the non-drive side but since I replaced it it has been fine for thousands of miles. 

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andsaw | 6 years ago
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Jimthebikeguy.com | 6 years ago
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Wheels mfg bb adaptor is the answer. And speak to a decent wheelbuilder like Strada.

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GridlockedOE | 6 years ago
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Wow - lots of useful feedback.... many thanks

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srchar | 6 years ago
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BB recommendation: http://www.wishbonetw.com/product.php?fid=8&sid=19

One of these resolved all issues with my Campag Chorus cranks on a Cervelo R5 with BBRight, which is about as niche an installation as you'll find, so should be grand on a BB30/Shimano setup.

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MandaiMetric | 6 years ago
2 likes

I weigh 100kg and suffered broken (rear) spokes regularly (1 every 6 months / 2500km or so). I had a rear wheel built with 36 spokes and only had 1 since (18 months / 7500km)

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CXR94Di2 | 6 years ago
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I weigh 100kg, never broken a spoke, buy decent wheels with 28 spoke count, Hunt etc. Hope do a bottom bracket convertor PF46 adaptor, you get different bearings depending on the crankset you have. It's simple to install but expensive to buy £80+

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madcarew | 6 years ago
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Don't know if it's much help, but on my training bike I've got a BB30 with an insert which came with a DA crankset and standard DA bearings. They've lasted for 5 years (30,000 mi) with very little maintenance.

I would recommend upping your spoke count to over 30 for both wheels, because it simply limits the potential for issues and then the grief if those issues arise. A friend is a former international prop, generally 120 kg and has ridden a 40 spoke back and 32 spoke front (recently the length of NZ) for several years without any problems. Used to break spokes on a monthly basis before that.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
1 like

Buy some decent wheels, I haven't dropped below 100kg (ex league forward) for donkeys and can't remember the last time I broke a spoke. I've had over 180kg quite a few times over short journeys, this with a back wheel with a 32 hole Ultegra on open pro and a 36 hole 90s Sansin/Mavic Ma2 front, on top of the usual 100kg +loads daily for several years.

poorly built wheels is the problem not the number of spokes, I'd say forget replacing the spokes and just stump the money to get some decent factory wheels or handbuilt, my option would be the latter. You get to choose what spec you want, sure it costs more but a decent builder will have the tensions done correctly and use the right spokes for the job, you then shouldn't have spoke breakages except for extreme impacts.

As for the BB, this was one of the reasons I bought a CF frame with BSC threading, just cuts all the aggro out. There are some spendy ones out there but I don't have experience of such so can't make any recommendations.

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kil0ran replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
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BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Buy some decent wheels, I haven't dropped below 100kg (ex league forward) for donkeys and can't remember the last time I broke a spoke. I've had over 180kg quite a few times over short journeys, this with a back wheel with a 32 hole Ultegra on open pro and a 36 hole 90s Sansin/Mavic Ma2 front, on top of the usual 100kg +loads daily for several years.

poorly built wheels is the problem not the number of spokes, I'd say forget replacing the spokes and just stump the money to get some decent factory wheels or handbuilt, my option would be the latter. You get to choose what spec you want, sure it costs more but a decent builder will have the tensions done correctly and use the right spokes for the job, you then shouldn't have spoke breakages except for extreme impacts.

As for the BB, this was one of the reasons I bought a CF frame with BSC threading, just cuts all the aggro out. There are some spendy ones out there but I don't have experience of such so can't make any recommendations.

I'd tend to agree - I rode RS11s (20 rear, 16 front I think) for over a thousand miles on 25mm tyres without breaking a spoke. I'm probably north of 120kg and ride on seriously shitty rural roads.

Currently on Atomlab Suprelites and boggo OEM AlexRims Comp Pros and riding on gravel tracks/offroad a lot more, still no issues. Got me paranoid now! The only wheel I've ever had let go was a Raleigh factory built from Halfords that went within 20 miles, clearly a QC issue as several spokes went.

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Chris Hayes | 6 years ago
2 likes

I got some Mavic Open Pros made up by Harry Rowlands [google him], 36 spoke on Miche hubs - circa GBP250.  Utterly Paris-Roubaix-proof and very comfortabe.  Ideal for UK roads and probably the best GBP250 I've ever spent on anything to do with cycling...   

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Dnnnnnn | 6 years ago
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Think about a higher spoke count. Not only can it make spoke breakages less likely, it reduces the scale of the problem if it does. I'm not much lighter than you but have done plenty happy miles on 31 spokes and a couple of roadside tweaks of spokes adjacent the break!

Easily available replacement spokes might also be useful (not all modern wheels offer such a simple option).

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charliem | 6 years ago
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I'm about 15kg heavier than you but had similar issues with snapping spokes...ended up replacing my rear wheel with one of Strada's "big fella" ones. DT Swiss RR511 rim, shim 105 hub although I think you can get dt instead. Absolutely bombproof, 18mm wide internally, comfortable & looks nice too. They do a disc version which I'm sure is equally indestructible. 

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