The Tester Approves thread (see first post)

once you're above the dirt-cheap level, decent cable prep (outers ground flat, decent ferrules etc.) is as important as anything else

Assuming this is for centrepulls and downtube shifters, for the gear cables any stainless and a matching outer should suffice; for my Weinmanns I've got decent service out of Wiggle's own-brand compressionless outer and stainless inners. IME once you're above the dirt-cheap level, decent cable prep (outers ground flat, decent ferrules etc.) is as important as anything else, especially for non-aero cable runs that are automatically more forgiving.

Thanks for the helpful suggestion.

out of curiosity @gbj_tester I think I saw that my BB of choice BB-UN55 (that you recommended also) has been discontinued, what would be your recommendation?

I think I saw

I think you imagined it. Still listed on shimano.com, still widely available in shops. If Shimano ever stop making them, you will need to buy new cranks in order to cycle around the post-apocalyptic wasteland🙂

FWIW, the Token ones are sound (sometimes sold as Tifosi), and TH Industries make various grades under the RPM and FSA brands to compete with UN26 and UN55 for OEM sales, and they can also be found in the retail channel.

UN55s and UN26s are no longer available from Madison, there is the new UN300 which is priced between the 2 and seems closer to the UN55 in quality with a metal NDS cup. They're now out of stock until February to April or so next year depending on length. Might be time to stock up on BBs if you need them.

Might be time to stock up on BBs if you need them.

That Shimano found it worthwhile to tool up for a new model suggests that they think there's still a good decade left in square taper for them

there is the new UN300 which is priced between the 2 and seems closer to the UN55

There is a UN100 for the kind of people who found UN26 acceptable 🙂

I've been using a Token square taper BB for a while now, model with hollow Cro-Mo axle and crabon shell.

Weighs 220g with a 113mm axle, which is substantially less than the ~300g+ of the Shimano equivalents if that matters to you. Bearings feel great still, and the cup design precludes binding them by over-tightening.

The seals seem flimsier than Shimano ones though, so I packed the inside of each cup seal with grease prior to installation to give the seal lips a chance to stay moist. This was harder on the drive-side as the seal doesn't want to pop out without damage, so I injected a load of grease under it via a syringe.

I've had a Token in the Roller Fort for about a decade with no special prep or maintenance, and it still spins freely. As long as you don't actually submerge them, the standard seals on industrial cartridge bearings seem sufficient

That Shimano found it worthwhile to tool up for a new model suggests that they think there's still a good decade left in square taper for them

Oh yeah, didn't mean they're stopping making them, but with none available from the distributor for a few months then maybe it's worth panic buying loads and loads of them.

Could use them with the 'three seashells' technique during lockdown v3.0 andrex apocalypse.

There is a UN100 for the kind of people who found UN26 acceptable 🙂

I didn't even know that was a thing, not available from Madison anyway. Looks like it's only available in 122.5 but I don't know where from.

is it really still widely available? At the moment I looked for it on the different places I bought it before (here example of Bike24) which is why I asked if there was any recommended alternative, but I noted the Token ones so thanks :)

is it really still widely available?

There was stock in most sizes on Amazon and/or SJSC when you asked 🙂

As others have pointed out, the official UN55 replacement is the new UN300.

I have a dilemma and hoping for some sage advice.

I have an IF Planet X that’s at least 15 years old. Seatpost size from that era seems to be variable but I think I’ve narrowed it down to 26.8. I used a new 26.8 post and it was a very close fit for the first couple of inches and then far too close a fit to go further. I backed off and took to the LBS to clean out properly.

They had a good look, did some cleaning and said they’d reamed out to 27.0. All good. But a 27.0 doesn’t fit at all although the 26.8 will go in nicely although with a tiny bit of play. I’ve used the 26.8 and nipped up the seat collar, it seems ok but haven’t put any weight on it.

I suspect the answer is to get the tube reamed properly to exactly 27.0 but I’m a bit wary about taking any more material off the tube (it’s 853) as well as taking it back when the LBS already says it’s 27.0 so wondering if it will all go wrong using the 26.8 (it’s 400mm long and a good 280mm or so I s in the frame)?

This is more "AQA" than "tester approves"

FWIW, if you run a 27.0 reamer into a thin walled tube, the walls will push away from the cutting edges and then spring back to an undersize when you extract the reamer.

Seat posts are not a high precision fit, and I imagine you'll be fine under the circumstances described

Good point about this probably not being in the right thread although explanation helps and reassures so many thanks

Un55 vs un300 replacement bb.

Is there any major differences?

Some places still have the 55 in stock but the 300 seems cheaper.

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/15681258/ and subsequent discussion

Thanks @fizzy.bleach
I'd read through that page, I was wondering what justified the price difference
Found this which has some info
https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/68706/information-regarding-un300-and-un100-new-shimano-bottom-brackets

I'd say both seem plenty good enough for either price, can't say the new one has been tested as much as the old but it doesn't seem worse at first glance. I'd not pay extra for it but there's only a few quid difference and the 55 has many good reviews behind it and maybe in 8 years you can boast about still running one.

couldnt see what justified the lower price on the newer 300

Seems to be down to using third party bearing cartridges rather than Shimano making the bearings. As a result, the axle doesn't need to be hardened and ground to create the inner races.

@snottyotter agreed
@gbj_tester that's the info i was after. Cheers

this is why we come here

Reading this, it looks like the shell on the new ones is three pieces instead of one piece with a separate nds cup. This might be quite handy if they’re the same diameter on both sides, because you might be able to use a pair of UN300s and make up a bb with right-hand threads on both sides (e.g. for Russian bikes, XB3 etc).

Previously I’ve done this with Neco bottom brackets because I know they come apart and the cups fit left-to-right.