Hey all
i'm looking to get a new frame, available with either a regular BB or BB30. I'll run this bike single speed, or use an internal gear hub on it.
Any thoughts or recommendations on using either a forward components EBB (regular) or the Beer components EBB (BB30)?
Cost looks fairly similar.
Significant weight differences might be a consideration, but I dont have those specs.
Ease of use?
Creakiness?
I'm in a similar boat Crep, though mine will be 99.9% singlespeed most likely. I was thinking paragon sliders on mine for reliability & simplicity. Have you considered sliders, and if so, why are you going with a EBB instead?
I am an EBB fan with a caveat. There are several (many?) types of EBBs on the market. The only one I've had personal experience with and therefore can recommend is the split shell aka pinch bolt EBB, and I recommend it highly. I've read thread after agonizing thread here on empty beer about virtually every other type of frame-integrated EBB and how they creak or slip or both. I have yet to see such a thread about a split shell EBB. I love mine and will have another if I ever get another custom steel SS frame.
I think EBBs look better than sliders (what doesn't?) I like the look of Black Cat-style swinging dropouts and have yet to hear a complaint about swingers. I'm not a fan of extraneous tensioners nor (personally) the ENO eccentric hub but in the case of the latter, only because it would require a certain degree of fiddling to put it back in place every time the rear wheel is dropped. Probably a minor deal, but one more minor deal that other systems don't require regardless.
I own a horizontal dropout (track end, whatever) frame and and not a fan. It's okay, but like the ENO, pulling the wheel requires a step or two that vertical dropouts don't. Imagine if you had to adjust your fork offset every time you pulled your front wheel. Even if doing so was relatively easy, wouldn't you prefer to own a fork that didn't require this? That's how I feel about my horizontal dropout frame.
Okay, confession. The time I hate my horizontal dropout frame most is when it's set up with a 1xN drivetrain, so take my comments for what they're worth with regard to singlespeeding. With gears it's a much bigger PITA than when set up SS.
In any case EBB, sliders and swinger dropouts all allow the SS frame to employ vertical dropouts. I prefer vertical dropouts, that's why I personally favor these. Sliders are the least attractive IMO, but that's a personal thing.
All this being said, I've heard good things about the FC EBB but don't have any personal experience with one. I know plenty about beer, but nothing about Beer Components.
My personal favorite is the track end. Simple, tried and true, set it and forget it, thats as long as you don't get a flat.
As for the OP, I would buy the beer components just because of the name, although a white ind. eccentric hub could be another route so you could keep your bb30 crank.
I would go the BB30/BeerComp route. Reviews are generally positive. However, it doesn't work with some BB30 frames (with a fixed cir-clip; Cannondale carbon frames are one, IIRC).
I think a better option than the BB30 would be the PF30 standard, with the Problem Solvers EBB insert. PF30 shells avoid the cir-clip issue, I believe. As well, PF30 can be made with thinner shells, allowing a significant weight savings in steel frames (from what I have heard).
Sparty: I totally get what you are saying, but having owned a set-screw EBB, trackends, forward facing dropouts, and an ENO with vertical dropouts, I can't get over how easy the ENO is to use. Assuming you can get a good tension with the ENO either forwards-and-up, or down-and-back, it is basically as easy as a normal hub in vertical dropouts. The weight of the frame easily does all the work for you. No fiddling whatsoever. Of course, this is less true on a disc frame, but only slightly less so, I would imagine.
I like the sliding drop outs in my Kona Explosif. EBB's creep me out for some reason so I've never used one and don't really have it in the plans.
Rear- facing drop outs are great for single- speeds too. I've had them and I don't think they add an extra step for SS like sParty said but he knows more about bikes than me so listen to him.
I am running a 2nd gen Beer eccentric on my cannondale caad9 cyclocross bike. Works extremely well. Using it with SRAM red cranks. I would highly recommend it.
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