SRAM Omnium crankset

To move the crankset away from the frame, you just add a spacer on the drive side to push the cup away. As you tighten the crankset only to remove play, it works great.

It works great until your NDS crank breaks because it's not far enough up the spline.

Why are people against the classic open BBs like Sugino/Hatta (out of the 'modern' ones, not to mention all the old BBs)? Worked for decades and it just works, plus easy to service/clean, so what's the deal?

P.S. While my friend was fitting me a Sugino, he made comments in the likes of 'never heard of it', and 'this is age-old stuff'. WTF.

P.P.S. Was tempted by Omniums, but now I'm glad I passed on it...

Less is More.

Why are people against the classic open BBs like Sugino/Hatta (out of the 'modern' ones, not to mention all the old BBs)? Worked for decades and it just works, plus easy to service/clean, so what's the deal?

Labour is expensive, manufactured goods are cheap. You can buy a new cartridge BB and have it fitted by any spanner monkey for far less than the cost of stripping, cleaning and reassembling a loose ball BB, which needs to be skilfully adjusted to work properly. Also, loose ball BBs seldom have seals, so they actually need maintenance, whereas cartridge units with rubber contact seals can survive bad weather.

Yeah, I get that. But I'm not talking about the cookie-cutter bikes you get in the shop where sealed BB is set it and forget it thing, and will last them as long as they are riding the bike. Talking about the crowd that knows the difference, is it so hard to check and service the BB once a year?

Talking about the crowd that knows the difference, is it so hard to check and service the BB once a year?

Which crowd? :-)

You and I can strip and rebuild a conventional BB (although I personally CBA), but we're a long way from typical, even among 'proper' cyclists. As I pointed out in an earlier comment to @umop3pisdn , a loose ball BB isn't likely to be worth more than about 50mW to a racer, so having something which requires skilful and frequent maintenance seems a bit pointless.

You and I can strip and rebuild a conventional BB (although I personally CBA), but we're a long way from typical, even among 'proper' cyclists.

Well, I've never done it, and I'm far too off to fit in your comment. I'll clean and re-grease the S75 this winter for the first time (technically second, see the next reply), by myself.

But I think it's an over-exaggerated issue. The simpler the better, less moving parts, better it is. And I convinced myself numerous times. Always doubted myself, but realized I always do a better job myself than the 'situated' mechanics. Two years ago I was completely clueless, now I acquired all the tools and doing everything myself. Was burned too many a times already.

a loose ball BB isn't likely to be worth more than about 50mW to a racer

This does not matter to me. I have 36 spokes front and back, not even double-butted spokes, just regular DT Champion, weight and micro-gains doesn't mean anything to me. Simplicity matters, and what's simpler than loose ball and two cups?

I've opened the BB a week ago, just for the piece of mind, and it's like brand new. While riding it daily for the past 8-9 months. But I'll repeat it this winter to be on the safe side.

There is a tolerance on the non drive side, that produce exactly the same as spacer on the NDS.

Come on man, be open minded as i've alway run omnium with spacers on both side and done many miles like that. You won't break a cranckset because of a 1mm spacer on the DS.

Bike engineering is really low level, not rocket science.

16 days later:

New BB, new chain (because!), no spacers and faced BB and it is a completely different story. Thank you everyone for the suggestions and advice.

Chainline looks, measures and feels fine without spacers, all that remains to be done is giving the chain a hint of slack.

Thanks everyone!

The simpler the better, less moving parts, better it is.

How can you make this statement then argue that a bottom bracket with 2 cups, a lockring, a spindle, 2 bearing cages and umpteen bearings is better that a bottom bracket that comes in 2 pieces?

Just pulled the trigger on an Omnium crankset.

If anyone's interested, they're really cheap here at the moment:
http://bike-discount.de/en/buy/truva­tiv­-omnium-crank-48-t.-incl.-gxp-bottom-­br­acket-17283

Measured my frame against the schematics on their website and it looks like they'll fit; here's hoping!

If anyone's interested, they're really cheap here at the moment:
bike-discount.de/en/buy/truva­tiv­­-omnium-crank-48-t.-incl.-gxp-bottom-­b­r­acket-17283

↑€180

↓€170

http://www.bike24.com/p219357.html

£120 with the FX helping and free delivery....still don't understand why people bother buying those second hand at £100+

These arrived yesterday. Got them fitted and they feel great!!
I think there's something odd going on with my chainline as the rear cog is a little noisy now.

The included BB feels great. Nice and smooth.
I've never really looked after my BB before and the mechanic who fitted these said my old BB was in a pretty rotten state.
What should I be doing to keep the new one nice? How long is it likely to last me?

What should I be doing to keep the new one nice?

Never ride outdoors :-)

Do I need Omnomnoms?

Current set up being DA7600 cranks, Zen ring and UN something or other bb.

Where's the best place to get a set of these? After a new set for my t1

Turns out it's tredz as they have an additional £15 off today