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Token launches threaded press-fit bottom bracket and rapid turn thru-axle

New threaded press-fit bottom bracket and two-turn thru-axle at Eurobike

Bored of the creaking press-fit bottom bracket on your bike? Token might have solved this problem with its brand new Thread Fit, an aluminium threaded press-fit bottom bracket. The company has also developed a clever thru-axle with a unique design that requires just two rotations to secure the wheel into place. 

Thread Fit

The Thread Fit bottom bracket comprises a pair of aluminium cups with two injection moulded surfaces made from plastic and fibreglass surfaces (a process it calls Fusion) that press against the inner surface of the bottom bracket shell that ensures a snug fit inside the frame, and eliminates play and therefore any creaking noises. 

token 2017 8.jpg

The bearings sit inside this aluminium barrel, wrapped in plastic and fibreglass, providing a secure and solid platform for the bearings to spin freely, extending their life. The replaceable bearings feature titanium coated races and ceramic balls, which it calls‘TiCeramic’. 

The two halves of the bottom bracket are simply threaded into the bottom bracket, either using a special tool it has developed or a standard tool, similar to that used to fit externally threaded bottom brackets. Token says it eliminates any issues with frames with poor tolerances, but that’s not all, it also reckons the Tread Fit extends the life of the bearings and makes the bike stiffer.

token 2017 6.jpg

“We don’t want to start a fight but we think it’s fair to claim that there are some problems with press fit bottom brackets. They creak, don’t last all that long and are installed and removed with tools that cavemen would recognise. TOKEN’s Thread Fit bottom bracket solves the creaking issues, improves bearing life and adds stiffness to the bottom bracket,” says Token.

token 2017 11.jpg

The entire bottom bracket weighs a claimed 115g and with seven combinations of bearings it is compatible with most current press-fit standards. 

token 2017 10.jpg

We don’t have a UK price for the new Thread Fit bottom bracket just yet, but it is available now, and we’ll be getting one in for review.

Axle 2 Turn thru-axle

If that wasn’t enough innovation, Token has also reinvented the thru-axle with the launch of the A2T (Axle 2 Turn) thru-axle. Okay, that’s not quite accurate, but it has developed a thru-axle that requires just two rotations to tighten, which means “extremely fast wheel removal.”

token 2017 2.jpg

On the end of the thru-axle shaft is a unique thread pitch which has been one year in development and been through five revisions, and is now patented. Compared to regular thru-axles, it requires just two full rotations to open or close. The bolt on the end allows adjustment of the final closing position of the lever.

It’ll be available in 12 and 15mm versions and Token is in talks with some manufacturers about adopting it because obviously, you can’t just use it with any current thru-axle bike.  

token 2017 4.jpg

Be interesting if any manufacturers do adopt it. Anything that makes it easier and quicker to operate a thru-axle is a good thing in our books, so here’s to see some bike brands showing an interest in it. Given the long lead times of many of the bigger bike companies, it could be a few years before that happens.

More info soon, and hopefully a review of the new bottom bracket, very interested in trying that out.

www.tokenproducts.com

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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39 comments

Avatar
turnerjohn replied to srchar | 7 years ago
0 likes

srchar wrote:

AWP wrote:

Had endless issues with press fit on my Cervelo. The only solution has been to fit a one-piece BBInfinate unit. It's not neccessarily the fitment of the cups in the frame that cause the issue it's the alignment (or lack of it) that causes the problems as there are stresses in the assembly and these stresses cause movement as the cranks turn. The BBInfinate deals with both alignment and fit issues in one hit. It's an obvious solution to the whole PF standard. I'm a convert.

Same here with my R5. One look at Campagnolo's BBRight cups is enough to see that there's simply not enough material interfacing with the frame, and no amount of Loctite would stop the cups walking out. BBInfinite is a good solution, but I didn't like the look of the uninstallation process and went with a threaded Wishbone unit instead, which works a treat. The Token design is a direct copy of this.

To all those saying that PF is fine and the creaks are loose QRs, pedals and saddles and/or that those of us with issues are hamfisted imbeciles, you've been lucky!

 

I've had an FSA BBright adapter (for shimano cranks) fitting to my R5 from the start and its been (touch wood!) silent....bearings still running smooth after 2years of use. The FSA unit is alloy and loads of contact area for the frame to seat in.....looks like a recuring theme with units which have solved creaking.

BBInfinate does look good but I guess that would ruin the life time guarenty ?.....mind you the FSA unit may have done the same !

 

Avatar
700c replied to srchar | 7 years ago
1 like

srchar wrote:

 

Same here with my R5. One look at Campagnolo's BBRight cups is enough to see that there's simply not enough material interfacing with the frame, and no amount of Loctite would stop the cups walking out.

[/quote]

I don't think that necessarily follows

Although I can only speak for BB86 not BBRight, using campag's cups with the same reatively shallow fitting into the frame shell. They are properly snug,  the bearing races are firmly seated on the cranks, in the same position that campag  originally intended for U/T, with a highly torqued central bolt to join both pieces of the axle in the middle and pull both halves together.

No extra adapters, shims or any other point of contact with the shell. It just works. 

This could be a reflection of the quality of Campag's system, or the close tolerances of the frame itself, or more likely both!

Avatar
danthomascyclist | 7 years ago
8 likes

Brilliant - another bottom bracket standard to confuse the hell out of me for when I want to change the spinny bits on my bike

 

It's a hole in a fucking frame - why is it so bloody complicated?

Avatar
Canyon48 replied to danthomascyclist | 7 years ago
2 likes

danthomascyclist wrote:

Brilliant - another bottom bracket standard to confuse the hell out of me for when I want to change the spinny bits on my bike

 

It's a hole in a fucking frame - why is it so bloody complicated?

Haha!

Seems there are so many 'standards' now that there is no standard *facepalm*

Avatar
David Arthur @d... replied to danthomascyclist | 7 years ago
2 likes

danthomascyclist wrote:

Brilliant - another bottom bracket standard to confuse the hell out of me for when I want to change the spinny bits on my bike

 

It's a hole in a fucking frame - why is it so bloody complicated?

 

It's not another standard. If you have a frame with a press-fit bottom bracket, you can install this instead of the plastic press-fit cups that are usually found in press-fit bottom brackets. It's designed to cure the problem that many people have previously highlighted with press-fit bottom brackets. 

Me? I've never had a problem with press-fit on a SuperSix Evo I've been riding for the last 4-5 years, but maybe I've just been lucky. I'm not a fan of the removal process of the standard press-fit bottom bracket, so this new Token system interests me because once it's fitted, just the bearings need to be removed when they're worn

Avatar
pablo | 7 years ago
0 likes

I thought i was going to have to go the wheels manufacturing route. But my creaks turned out not to be the pf30 i run quarq crank (basically sram) which require spacers on a 68mm shell. Even though their wasnt any side play i made up another thin spacer out of some packaging (the stuff you need a knife open) and inserted it. I'm going on 250 miles and not a single creak Previously i was regreasing every 100 miles and it would creak in less than 20 so doing well. Well see where i am in a 750 miles to confirm solved. Pf30 while not ideal is not always the issue i have to agree thought that a machined aluminimum shell would be better. I think cannondale swapping from pf30 to bb30 on the new evo is an admission it has caused lots of problems even though they say its to increase stifness.
I recently swapped a friends press fit shimano bb who insisted it was creaking guess what changed it and the creak was still their. Turns out it was the rear cassette noises on bikes are often really difficult to diagnose.

Avatar
Stef Marazzi | 7 years ago
7 likes

Doesn't the fact that Token, plus various other companies like wheels manufacturing, and Praxis works, have had to come up with solutions to press-fit creaking, show that Press fit is a load of rubbish? Less about "stiffness" and more about enabling bike manufacturers to reduce manufacturing costs and knocking out cheaper frames? Press fit sucks.

Avatar
joules1975 replied to Stef Marazzi | 7 years ago
2 likes

cyclesteffer wrote:

Doesn't the fact that Token, plus various other companies like wheels manufacturing, and Praxis works, have had to come up with solutions to press-fit creaking, show that Press fit is a load of rubbish? Less about "stiffness" and more about enabling bike manufacturers to reduce manufacturing costs and knocking out cheaper frames? Press fit sucks.

Actually, press fit as a concept is good, the problem is in the implementation. It only takes a small difference in diameter in frame or cup size for there to be an issue, so if the manufacturers take take care, there's no problem. The issue is that a large number of frame manufacturers do not take enough care with their build tollerances.

All sealed bearing bottom brackets are in effect press fit, even the ones you thread into the frame, it's just in that in those cases the bearings are press fitted into the cups in the factory by the BB manufacturer who ensures good tollerances between bearing and cup.

I have a couple of bikes with Press Fit BBs, and have serviced many from the like sof Merida and Giant, none of which have any issues, however I've also seen a number of 'value' brands that have had endless issues.

 

Avatar
usedtobefaster replied to Stef Marazzi | 7 years ago
0 likes

cyclesteffer wrote:

Doesn't the fact that Token, plus various other companies like wheels manufacturing, and Praxis works, have had to come up with solutions to press-fit creaking, show that Press fit is a load of rubbish? Less about "stiffness" and more about enabling bike manufacturers to reduce manufacturing costs and knocking out cheaper frames? Press fit sucks.

 

I've got PF on my 2008 Scott Addict and never had a problem with it, infact I'm still using the original bb (Shimano Dura-ace) and I've done many thousands ok km on it including 2 Etapes and in all weathers,  so not all PF suck.

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