How To Change A Shimano Bottom Bracket

Upgrade your cycling performance by changing your old bottom bracket. In this video GCN shows you how to change a threaded bottom bracket with the minimum of fuss.

There are two common types of bottom brackets on road bikes: press fit and threaded. In this video Daniel Lloyd shows you how to change a Shimano threaded bottom bracket. The bottom bracket is one of the most important areas of your bike to keep maintained and one of the key points of your bike to upgrade. If the bottom bracket becomes old or worn you'll start to hear a creaking when pedaling - sure to annoy you and your training partners. Follow GCN's How To and upgrade your bike's, and potentially your own performance.

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Music - licensed by Cue Songs

[scott]

its amazing in all these videos that every screw and bolt comes undone so easy. i need to be hercules to remove my chainset

[grhp]

Short and sweet! Thank you for not making this video any longer than it needed to be.

[MrWiggypig]

never ever run your finger round a thread, if there is any loose metal it will spear your finger and be a swine to remove. Grease should be applied on your finger by passing across the threads, ie at right angles to the thread direction.

[kitkoi]

Good video, I might add that you can remove the end cap even with a scissors or with any tool that you can spread inside the end cap. It is so loosely placed. No Shimano tool needed. :) 0:36

[edwardwilliams]

I feel like I've gone back in time, watching this video in 2020!

[steveleibovic]

THanks so much: efficient presentation without any wasted fluff time!

[gcn]

Hi John, that one's on the list - I'll make a note to see what we can do about not using a truing stand too.

[marketingsam]

Wow! I can't believe I just changed a bottom bracket! Super useful video.

[gcn]

Hi Luca, headsets are definitely on the list. As with bottom brackets there are many standards, so we'll probably have to do quite a few versions!

[gcn]

When you take the chain off and spin the cranks, they should spin relatively freely, i.e. not have any grinding noises.

Also, there should be no side to side play in the cranks, when they are fully tightened, if there is, it might be that the BB bearings are worn.

[oisiaa]

The thing I hate about bike maintenance is how many special tools are required.

[richackroyd]

Thanks for the video - had the bb off, greased and on again in under 30 mins and first time I have done it.

[Bob_Shy_]

Thanks Dan. I'd forgotten which way to turn the right side. My mtb is 20 years old and I had to replace the BB.

[gcn]

You should be ok as long as you're not overly 'percussive' in removing your crankset. You could go for a powertap hub too - but that depends on the wheels you're using.

[benstanden]

I think you mean the non drive side crank should be "parallel" with, not "perpendicular" to the drive side crank!

[hannevanderhoek]

Hi GCN, can you also do a video on how to remove/replace a press fit bottom bracket?? Thanks

[bensewell]

Brill video.  I'll give this a go when I send my frame away for a shot blast.

[MrKromy]

Thanks a lot very helpful and well made video

[nihonbunka]

The ball race on the drive train side broke out of the bb assembly and remained stuck on the inside of the chainring star/octopus. I used a monkey wrench to grip it and a tool for breaking stone to slowly prize it off on the opposite side to the crank arm mainly. It turned a ten minute job into a 30 minutes and counting.

And I bought the wrong bottom bracket. The various versions of Ultegra are different in size by about 1mm.

[SirCharlesDunhap]

could you do one for maintenance of press fit bottom bracket?
That'd help ALOT.