The day I figured out I'd been installing bottom brackets backwards for 2 years

I was at a co-op in Richmond last Saturday helping a kid rebuild his old Schwinn when the shop manager walked over and said "you know the cup goes the other way, right?" I had been threading the non-drive side cup into the drive side all along because I thought the arrow was just decorative. Has anyone else had that moment where a simple arrow or marking threw you off for way too long?

2 comments

2 Comments

wren3013d ago

Did you figure it out by the chain rubbing or just a lot of creaking noises...

nathanking3d ago

A buddy of mine had a similar issue with his 105 groupset and it turned out to be the chain rubbing on the front derailleur cage. He didn't hear creaking so much as a constant scraping sound that got worse under load. I think people jump to the chain being too tight or worn first, but sometimes it's just a simple alignment problem. The front derailleur can get bumped out of position easily, especially on a new build or after a crash. Before you replace parts, I'd check that the derailleur height and angle are spot on. It's a quick fix and saves you money if that's the real issue.