Single speed Cannondale Capo problems

Hello people,

I'm looking for a little advice. I recently bought an '07 Cannondale Capo for a very reasonable price but am pretty disappointed with the quality of the components. The frame/ forks are good but the rest has to go... top priority the noisy shimano bottom bracket. Can anyone advise on a quality silent bb replacement (not shimano)

Also the ratio of the ss sprocket is too easy... I think its 48/17... I got a fixed 15 T sprocket, but my feather weight shimano chain didn't fit on it. Basically can anyone advise a good set of fixed chain set plus ratio that will make me work but not too much... I'm talking chain ring / sprocket / crankset / chain. I've got about £120 to spend.

For any recomendations I would be most grateful & can offer any advice on life in return.

Thanks friendly people

How do you mean noisy BB? Might just need tightening or removal and re-grease?

-edit- I very much doubt anything is wrong with the BB, Shimano are generally very good quality and even a poorly-fitted BB will not make noise per-say. It is the movement of the whole against the BB shell and not the spinning action of the axle.

Looks like you have bought a 1/8 sprocket and consequently your chain, being smaller gauge wont fit.

I have a 16t 3/32 sprocket that I would be happy to swap for your 15t 1/8" if you like (I'm not in london so you would have to post.)

48x17 is actually slightly higher than average for a street gear. You calculate gear inches (roughly) by doing this: 48/17 x 27 (27 inches is approx wheel diameter). That gives 76 gear inches. Most people recommend something around 68 - 72 for the street to give good cadence at an average speed. if you are not used to spinning a gear then it will feel a bit odd, but it is the most efficient and best for your knees way to ride. 48/15 is a lowish track gear and will be pretty hard on your knees on the street. If you wanna work then learn to spin 48x17 at 25 mph for an hour :)

Everything MA3K said is spot on as well.

Thanks for your comments guys. Re. the noisy bb, I have already taken it out, regreased & tightened and it still clunks. I read on another forum that the one supplied with the Cdale Capo is notoriously poor quality so I want to replace it with a quality item... any suggestions for one that will fit this bike... I don't know what size it is cause I'm a bit rubbish:-(

All the measurements you need should be on the one in the bike (but you'll have to take it out first). Otherwise measure the BB shell. It will almost certainly be 68mm which means it's English threaded (70mm would mean it's italian). Next measure the BB spindle (with the cranks off). If the cranks are square taper then I would guess that the cranks are JIS taper (the other option is ISO for Italian cranks and that's unlikely). If they're splined then work out what standard they are. Then go buy a BB that has the same set of measurements and install it.

For square taper BBs you will probably find that you are looking at a Shimano one to be honest. The UN53 and UN52 are absolutely fine and cost about £15. The UN73 and 72 are lighter but otherwise roughly the same and very good quality.

I can't give any recommendations for specific splined BBs but again expect all Shimano ones will be fine, if that's what you need.

I do believe that it is a square taper bb. Thank you for your advice btw... I wish I could help you guys in return but my bike knowledge is limited in comparison. Maybe I will turn up at bike polo & do an entertaining jig

Do that or come on a ride and show us a jig, some of us are off to Brighton on 11th.

got the rainbow shirt ready tommy boy?! btw u doing ride 2nite. can't have a ride without ur entertaining antics

I'd actually really like to come on the ride tonite and I have my clunky bike at work and everything. It's running freewheel at the moment & sounds clunky so I'm gonna feel like a bit of a fanny next to all your refined steeds, but if I'm doing a jig anyway I don't think it'll make much difference. I know where and when it starts so I'll decide between now & then.

You guys are ok you know

Not worth a new thread so I'll ask a gear question here: I've been using 48:18 for a few months and am thinking of going 49:18. Is anyone using 49:18 and finding it comfortable? Better still. anyone made that switch?

AlexS Not worth a new thread so I'll ask a gear question here: I've been using 48:18 for a few months and am thinking of going 49:18. Is anyone using 49:18 and finding it comfortable? Better still. anyone made that switch?

alex, been riding 48x18 for ages. did ride 49x18 on a second bike last winter for a few months - not significantly different but i think it is best to be spinning more in the colder weather. easier on the knees too, especially if the leg haven't warmed up properly. still it was quite comfortable but i prefer 48 on the front. why are you considering the (small) change?

that would alter your gear inches by 1.4" (70.1" to 71.5" ) on a 23 mm tyre not much difference, plus I think a 49 tooth ring may be hard to find (not a common size) going to 48:17 would take you to 74.2" from 70.1" so a 4.2" rise, more worth it if you are going to change gearing, plus cogs are cheaper than chainrings.

me Thank you for your advice btw... I wish I could help you guys in return but my bike knowledge is limited in comparison.

I'm a geek and so therfore find great pleasure in talking about BBs.

AlexS Not worth a new thread so I'll ask a gear question here: I've been using 48:18 for a few months and am thinking of going 49:18. Is anyone using 49:18 and finding it comfortable? Better still. anyone made that switch?

Doubt you'll notice much of a difference in gearing, but you will get lots more skid spots (18 instead of 3) which is good for the life of your tyres if you skid or skip.

id recommend dropping to 17 sprocket. 17 skid patches!

I don't get the skid patches thing... does this mean your wheel skids on one of 17 patches a bit like a 17 sided wheel?

TheBrick(Tommy) that would alter your gear inches by 1.4" (70.1" to 71.5" ) on a 23 mm tyre not much difference, plus I think a 49 tooth ring may be hard to find (not a common size) going to 48:17 would take you to 74.2" from 70.1" so a 4.2" rise, more worth it if you are going to change gearing, plus cogs are cheaper than chainrings.

+1

A bigger chain ring means you have to extend your chain (hopefully you have spare links if not = new chain time).

The capo comes with RPM cranks so its almost certainly a JIS BB which means any cheapo (of the right length) Shinamo BB will work for you. Someone here should be able to advise you of what the right length BB is for these cranks, or just pop-out the one you have again and measure the spindle width.

I was pretty amazed to see that a 700 pound bike came with such cheap components. The frame is nice and all, but really for that kind of money you'd expect better quality kit. Its seems like a complete rip-off at the UK rrp.

I totally agree with you about the supplied components for the rrp, I got mine for a price that helped me to deal with that fact. Re. the bb... it's definitely a shimano, and a bad one at that... I've never had such a noisy bike before. What is the JIS bb you mention... is this a good product?

Its a long story but I can get a Miche Primato 49t chainring for the price of a rear sprocket so I thought I might; to go a bit faster on the flat for the same cadence and spin out a bit less coming down hills. I was arsing about on hybrids for some years but have spent 3 months spinning the BJ - I figured my legs might be a bit stronger so I could increase my gear by an inch or two.

Do I really need to add teeth to my chain or can I move the rear hub a bit nearer to the cranks?

AlexS Its a long story but I can get a Miche Primato 49t chainring for the price of a rear sprocket so I thought I might; to go a bit faster on the flat for the same cadence and spin out a bit less coming down hills. I was arsing about on hybrids for some years but have spent 3 months spinning the BJ - I figured my legs might be a bit stronger so I could increase my gear by an inch or two.

Do I really need to add teeth to my chain or can I move the rear hub a bit nearer to the cranks?

You tell us !

I also thought 48:17 was an easy gear.Then i cycled all day on it for a god 6 months or so, but after a while of going home to brixton...(chilling for a couple of hours) then going to see my girl in tottenham...realised that my knees were fcucked and couldn't cycle a metre for two months...spinning is for winning...i wanna be able to walk in twenny years...still get pain but is manageable...gear choice is really important...more important than i had thought...

me I totally agree with you about the supplied components for the rrp, I got mine for a price that helped me to deal with that fact. Re. the bb... it's definitely a shimano, and a bad one at that... I've never had such a noisy bike before. What is the JIS bb you mention... is this a good product?

Momentum If the cranks are square taper then I would guess that the cranks are JIS taper (the other option is ISO for Italian cranks and that's unlikely).

For square taper BBs you will probably find that you are looking at a Shimano one to be honest. The UN53 and UN52 are absolutely fine and cost about £15. The UN73 and 72 are lighter but otherwise roughly the same and very good quality.

JIS is the measurement of the square taper, not a manufacturer. Shimano will be the best value and easiest to get repacement for your BB. The one that came with your bike must be extremely crap (I'm amazed it comes with RPM cranks), but the ones I receommended above are absolutely fine and will last thousands of miles.

If you're running a freewheel its much more likely that that's where your noise is coming from.

Try it with the fixed cog and see.

The RPM BB is perfectly adequate unless its faulty.

all you need to do to run the 15t fixed cog is buy a 1/8th chain. you have all 3/32 right now.

BASICALLY, you can run a 1/8th chain on 3/32 sprockets/chainrings (because 3/32 teeth are a little smaller than 1/8), but not vice versa.

However, RPM cranks are cheap, and by the sound of things you want to upgrade. I would recommend the miche primato chainset from ribble, currently on offer for 79 squids.

Also before you go about chucking away the BB, try kowalski's suggestion.

Also Also, for the love of god don't learn how to ride fixed on 48/15.. 48/18 is a reasonable gear, if anything i'd go even higher! It will make learning how to stop the bike easier, and as everyone else has said, will also make it easier on your knees. and your knees are important.