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review
Bottom brackets
Aerozine Road Bottom BracketAerozine Road Bottom Bracket

Aerozine Road Bottom Bracket

8
by Stu Kerton
UPDATED Fri, Mar 04, 2016 16:29

First Published Jun 30, 2014

7
£19.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Expensive looking, value for money bottom bracket that keeps the rain out; smooth running too
Weight: 
81g
Contact: 
nrg4.co.uk
How we test

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Aerozine have produced one of the lightest bottom brackets we've ever had in on test and thanks to smooth-running bearings there is no bedding in period. It's available in lots of pretty colours too.

The Aerozine BB-05-RD-68, to give it its full name, uses external bearing cups which are forged from aluminium before being finished on a CNC machine to give tight tolerances for a snug fit in your frame. Using alloy also means the weight is kept down to just 81g. The overall finish is very good indeed with no burrs on the thread or machined faces. Installation is therefore easy; you only need to screw it in with your fingers before a little nip up with a spanner. The notches in the cups are the same as Shimano's and almost everyone else's so if you've already got a bottom bracket spanner it'll work fine.

The bearings are the important part though and the sealed steel units used here are beautifully smooth straight from the first pedal stroke, smoother than the Shimano 105 (200 miles) unit it replaced. The caps are plastic and upon removal of the cups they do seem to be keeping the moisture at bay working in partnership with the plastic shell and o-rings.

We've had plenty of wet weather over the test period and the unit is still creak free even though it is coated in grit and mud thanks to my lackadaisical stance on bike maintenance.

Aerozine offer it in both BSA or Italian threading with the option to go ceramic on the bearing front. The anodising looks smart and comes in a range of six colours which make the Aerozine bottom bracket look much more expensive than its actual twenty quid price tag.

Overall the Aerozine Road BB is a cracking value for money unit that looks smart and so far is offering impressive durability. The bearings may not be replaceable but for £19.99 you're not going to mind replacing the whole thing when they wear out.

Verdict

Expensive looking, cheap bottom bracket that keeps the rain out; smooth running too

road.cc test report

Make and model: Aerozine Road Bottom Bracket

Size tested: 68mm - Steel Bearings - Blue

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

A road use external cup BB unit thats priced around Shimano's mid-range offerings though the performance feels better.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Forged & CNC'd alloy cups

Sealed steel cartridge bearings

Plastic sleeve

68mm shell width

anodised finish (silver, black, blue, red, gold, pink)

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Seems impressive so far, we'll keep you posted should things change.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Easily installed and smooth from the off.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The expensive looks and smooth bearings.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The alloy can mark quite easily if you need to be a little forceful with the spanner.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Whatever needs testing or Genesis Flyer, fixed of course!  My best bike is: Kinesis T2 with full Centaur Red

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

Aerozine Road Bottom Bracket
Aerozine
Stu Kerton

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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