Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

I know. I was being funny.

Perfect timing. Get your entries in for comment of 2019 award

Re eccentric bottom brackets, I don't think you can just say "They don't work". There’s a few different ways to do them and, ime, grub screw v bushnell is like comparing apples to aardvarks. Admittedly I've no idea how the ones that go in press fit shells compare to a ’proper’ one having never used one but my experience of using a bushnell on a bike with a coaster brake (so gets pressure on the cranks in both directions) leads me to believe it's totally possibly to have one that doesn't creak or need constant adjustment.

I think they do need a bit of skill/care/understanding to set up right so they maybe suffer like GXP bbs do with the “its not me, it’s a shit component” kind of attitude.

Agreed, it’s like everything, there are good ones and less great ones. User error is very common from my experiences too, they are not the normal option and that throws a lot of people

Even so, if you are looking to run fixed or singlespeed then adjustable drop outs remain the best option.

@youramericanlover should just get a Trek Crockett with stranglehold dropouts and be done with it.

That feature isn't on the new Crockett, is it?

Even so, if you are looking to run fixed or singlespeed then adjustable drop outs remain the best option.

I don’t think I’d make a sweeping generalisation like that about it. On a bike that’s designed to take mudguards then speccing vertical dropouts and an ebb makes a lot of sense.

I built a frame designed to be used with a coaster brake,so rear wheel is in and out for repacking and servicing a lot and the ebb means I don’t have to worry about chain tension every time and meant I could do a fixed anchor point for the reaction arm rather than a slotted one or a band on one which I felt was the best design option.

There are also issues mating disc brakes to track ends which an ebb would eliminate.

No, it’s not.

Are you not bothered about changes in BB height and saddle height and fore / aft position?

Are you not worried about being able to tune these things on your non ebb frame?

I don't think its an issue really, set it all up once and then it's done. If you have to move the ebb to take up drivetrain wear I doubt it'd be by enough to notice the difference in bb height and setback.

Well on a non-ebb frame these things do not have to move, so I can fine tune the position and get used to a certain BB height (which has a massive impact on how the bike feels IMHO).

I'm just curious really, if it works for you that's cool.

Cue tester with some stats about how your height can change as much as a cm throughout the day

The whole bikefit adjustment thing with EBBs only really matters if you're swapping ratios all the time. Some designs are definitely more solid ( and less creaky ) than others though

Saying that, I'd still choose some decent sliding dropouts over track-ends, unless you're worried about a few extra grams in weight

For other skinflints like me the Pinnacle Arkose D1 2020 Gravel Bike is down 28% today to £592

I'm about to go the ebb route - any view on which BB to use? I've been recommended the Philcentric for Shimano (as BB30 had potentially too little adjustment and Beer doesn't actually support that many cranksets).

On a bike that’s designed to take mudguards then speccing vertical dropouts and an ebb makes a lot of sense.

Sliding drop outs.

Even so, if you are looking to run fixed or singlespeed then adjustable drop outs remain the best option.

You mean like this Bombtrack with adjustable drop out and thru axle?

Or the singlespeed Outlaw if you can find last year model.

True, your BB height doesn't though.

Anyway as I said up thread if you're happy with yours that's cool, don't @ me.

Here is a bike with a derailleur and sliding dropouts and an EBB.

Sliding drop outs.

In a ‘set and forget’ scenario then I can see that sliding dropouts are at least as easy/good an option as an ebb in relation to muddies but if there is to be any changing of ratios etc then sliders would mean you’d need to respace the mudguard at the chainstay bridge in order to maintain clearances whereas an ebb wouldn’t require this.

I’m not going to try and say that bb height doesn’t effect handling but the ebb frame i built has bb rise instead of drop and I notice the climb up to the saddle more than I notice any untoward handling characteristics.

I will be the first to admit that I’m an ‘unrefined’ cyclist though.

It never occurred to me till I was looking at photos of the bike the other day that my bb is in the ‘upper’ position and that there’s a matching ‘lower’ position I could have put it in.

In theory yes but if you dont run your mudguards super close to your tyre then you can get away with not moving the guards with different ratios. I moved my sliders over a cm and didnt need to change anything

I went with the theory that it's better to set the ebb in the 'upper' position, as it is less likely to rotate and slacken the chain with forward pressure from pedaling force than if it is set in the lower position.

Long shot, but does anyone (probably either Evans staff or @jameso) remember there being an issue on 2015 Arkose fork steerers/headsets.

Mine has always been virtually impossible to keep reliably tight, and I'm sure I saw something a few years ago about the issue.

All other bikes are fine so assuming no user error here. Can tighten headset, good for a few days they inevitable slop comes back. Hasn't bothered me for a few years as it was turbo bike, but back commuting on it again and it's annoying.

Not exactly looking for a refund but wondering if a new headset would do the trick, or if new fork is necessary.

You checked all the obvious things I assume?

Enough clearance above top of steerer

Headset assembly is correct

Nothing cracked

Stem torqued not hand tightened