diy (6)

Changing bearings on an I9 fat-bike hub.
DIY - Changing bearings on an I9 fat-bike hub.
The finished BB3106.
Patrick

The Nuts And Bolts Of BB3106

In my previous post, I introduced my BB3106 bottom bracket. The cycling world is full of different bottom bracket standards, and each time a new one is introduced, every cycling forum and every comment section of every cycling news website moans about it. So, I'm gifting the cycling world with yet another "standard." But no need to worry. Specifically designed for Rotor Kapic cranks with Boost axle mounted to a Stooge MK5, BB3106 isn't anything the bicycle industry is going to adopt. And should it ever become a thing, remember that you saw it here first!

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BB3106 Bottom Bracket.
Patrick

A New Bottom Bracket Standard

If there's one thing I would change about the Stooge MK5, it's the eccentric bottom bracket. With a 1x12 drivetrain, I simply don't need it. I acknowledge that there are benefits to having one. For one, the MK5 can be set up single-speed or geared. As such, it has a wider appeal, and should I ever part with it, the circle of potential buyers would be considerably larger. My experiences with the two EBB-equipped bikes I've owned, however, were more bad than good. My Niner One9, for instance, had a setscrew EBB. The setscrews quickly ate themselves into the EBB, and the BB shell ovalized over time, leaving a wide gap between the shell and the EBB. The gap filled with dirt, and the whole setup was creaking more often than not. My Air9 Carbon came with Niner's own Bio-Centric bottom bracket, a design that clamps to the outside faces of the EBB shell. In theory, this seemed great. Machine a precise cylindrical BB shell with parallel outside faces and clamp two eccentric cups against those faces. In practice, it was pretty shitty, to say the least. For one, machining tolerances were such that a Bio-Centric cup would more easily turn on one side of the shell than on the other. But much worse was that Niner designed large cutouts into the shell so that shifter cables could be routed internally. This dramatically weakened the shell to the point that the proper tightening torque of the Bio-Centric was enough to crush it. It was an extremely troublesome design that creaked a lot as well.

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Replay XD 1080 held with a Spiderpod.
Patrick

Portable Camera Equipment

When I started bringing a camera along, it used to be a Canon PowerShot digital camera. I had three different ones over the years. I used to set them up along the trail and have them snap a series of 10 photos, usually a second apart. A minute timer would give me just enough time to hop on the bike and ride into the picture. The cameras were small enough to fit into a jersey pocket.

My first action camera was a Replay XD 1080. The image quality wasn't all that great, but its cylindrical shape is still what I consider one of the best form factors. It was easy to attach it to basically anything. Later, I owned a GoPro Hero 3+, which I replaced with a Hero 5 Session. I picked the Session for its small cubic form, an ideal shape for POV chest mount shots. I have a Feiyu WGS 3-axis gimbal for stabilization and a self-made mounting plate that fits between the straps of my backpack.

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Carbon plate for lights and batteries.
Patrick

Custom Carbon Front Light Mount

Designed on Sunday, November 11th, 2018, ordered the same Sunday, paid and made the following Monday, mailed on Tuesday, and arrived on Wednesday. If you ever need something done out of carbon plate, contact Rolf Meichtry at CNC-Modell.ch. He's not just quick; he does some…

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Disc side bearing installation using a lathe.
Patrick

Making Tools For A Bearing Swap

When the rear HED Big Deal carbon rim on my BigBoy got damaged while riding due to the pilot not being careful, I unlaced both wheels. Those Big Deal rims are not designed for trail riding and I knew it. Since trail and off-trail riding is the future of BigBoy, the broken rim was an opportunity to build a burlier set of wheels. It was also just the right time to treat the Industry Nine Classic Torch hubs with new bearings.

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