[CR]Phil bb problems?

(Example: Framebuilders:Brian Baylis)

Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2003 18:47:29 -0400
From: "HM & SS Sachs" <sachs@erols.com>
To: steve@sburl.com, jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Phil bb problems?

jerrymoos wrote:

I've never heard of anyone having problems with a Phil Wood BB. On the contrary, what one usually hears is accounts of people riding the same Phil BB for decades. A couple of years ago I bought a Teledyne Titan from a friend of a list member. It had been set up for commuting/light touring with a TA Cyclotourist triple and Phil hubs and BB. The hubs and everything else on the bike looked to be 70's era, probably original, and I suspect the BB was also. The hubs had a bit of rust on the barrels , but worked perfectly, as did the BB. I replaced the BB with a shorter Phil and the Cyclotourist with a double Sugino, but I think the original BB would have gone another couple of decades - it may yet on another bike.

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One run of early Phil bbs had axles notched for a snap ring, just inside the bearing on each side. Sharp edges on notches = stress risers. I have not seen a failed one, but I'm told they had problems. Phil later went to an aluminum sleeve to properly separate and locate the cartridge bearings. I know no way to tell from the outside whether a given bb has the sleeve or notches, but I suspect the notched ones have largely fallen prey to Darwin...

harvey sachs
mcLean va