Hi Ray. Think about the load and where it goes. That point should not be a problem. At least not with me riding it. And, most better bikes use big heavy shells. Most failures I have seen was the tube as it went in to the shell or the tube pulled out of the shell.
Steven Willis
The Bike Stand
1778 East Second Street
Scotch Plains NJ 07076
908-332-3330
http://www.thebikestand.com
> I have somewhat of a mechanical background, above average I like to think.
> I know you have all seen these photos before of the track Confente bike. I
> just got fixated on the BB photo. Particularly on the spade cut out on the
> bottom of the BB. Looks like a lot of material removed to me. The BB takes
> quite a bit of the load when riding a bike. Each pedal stroke does flex
> the frame at the BB back and forth. I can only think that the BB itself is
> under a lot of stress. Now this cut out of a spade comes to a nice point
> in the center of the BB and to me makes it a natural stress point in that
> metal shell. I understand that the other tubes are supporting it. I also
> have seen BBs separate from the tubes like most of you have. Has anyone
> seen a BB fail at a cutout point. If you put this BB in a
> tensile/compression machine and applied pressure slowly, I guarantee it
> would fail at the point of that cut out. Not that I am worried about that,
> just something to open discussion on.
>
> http://www.serotta.com/
>
> Ray Homiski
> Elizabeth, NJ