Aerozine have produced one of the lightest bottom brackets we've ever had in on test and thanks to smooth-running bearings there is no bedding in period. It's available in lots of pretty colours too.
The Aerozine BB-05-RD-68, to give it its full name, uses external bearing cups which are forged from aluminium before being finished on a CNC machine to give tight tolerances for a snug fit in your frame. Using alloy also means the weight is kept down to just 81g. The overall finish is very good indeed with no burrs on the thread or machined faces. Installation is therefore easy; you only need to screw it in with your fingers before a little nip up with a spanner. The notches in the cups are the same as Shimano's and almost everyone else's so if you've already got a bottom bracket spanner it'll work fine.
The bearings are the important part though and the sealed steel units used here are beautifully smooth straight from the first pedal stroke, smoother than the Shimano 105 (200 miles) unit it replaced. The caps are plastic and upon removal of the cups they do seem to be keeping the moisture at bay working in partnership with the plastic shell and o-rings.
We've had plenty of wet weather over the test period and the unit is still creak free even though it is coated in grit and mud thanks to my lackadaisical stance on bike maintenance.
Aerozine offer it in both BSA or Italian threading with the option to go ceramic on the bearing front. The anodising looks smart and comes in a range of six colours which make the Aerozine bottom bracket look much more expensive than its actual twenty quid price tag.
Overall the Aerozine Road BB is a cracking value for money unit that looks smart and so far is offering impressive durability. The bearings may not be replaceable but for £19.99 you're not going to mind replacing the whole thing when they wear out.
Verdict
Expensive looking, cheap bottom bracket that keeps the rain out; smooth running too
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Aerozine Road Bottom Bracket
Size tested: 68mm - Steel Bearings - Blue
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
A road use external cup BB unit thats priced around Shimano's mid-range offerings though the performance feels better.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Forged & CNC'd alloy cups
Sealed steel cartridge bearings
Plastic sleeve
68mm shell width
anodised finish (silver, black, blue, red, gold, pink)
Seems impressive so far, we'll keep you posted should things change.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Easily installed and smooth from the off.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The expensive looks and smooth bearings.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The alloy can mark quite easily if you need to be a little forceful with the spanner.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
About the tester
Age: 35 Height: 180cm Weight: 76kg
I usually ride: Whatever needs testing or Genesis Flyer, fixed of course! My best bike is: Kinesis T2 with full Centaur Red
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,
Stu knocked out his first road.cc review back in 2009 and since then he's chucked the best part of seventy test bikes around the West Country, a couple of them quite literally! With three alloy and two steel bikes in his fleet he's definitely a metal man (that'll be the engineering background) but is slowly warming to that modern carbon fibre stuff along with fat tyres & disc brakes.
It's not all nostalgia though, after spending the last few years in product design Stu keeps banging on about how 3D printing is going to be the next big thing and he's a sucker for a beautiful paint job too.
7 comments
So is that something I can replace my ageing GXP unit with? Or is the chainset (Sram Rival) constrained to a GXP replacement?
you might be able to use it with a shim, if such a thing is available but GXP has 2 different internal size bearings where as shimano uses the same size both side.
Probably best to get another GXP to be on the safe side. I found the first units (all black) pretty crap but the newer grey ones seem pretty reliable. the non-drive bearing always goes first though.
Just been asking in "the other place" about a more durable GXP replacement for my SRAM Force groupset.
The option suggested there was a Hope BB with SRAM/Truvativ adapter. Pricey compared to this, but apparently durable and has replaceable sealed cartridge bearings.
See http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/replacing-sram-gxp-team-bb86-roa...
Trying to shim a tapered GXP spindle to fit in a straight 24mm Shimano BB is a horrible idea that will fail.
There are countless GXP BB options from both SRAM and aftermarket producers.
GXP is stepped which is why reducer shims like hope will always work. I have used hope bb for several years with both SRAM force and apex cranks with no creak issues except when bearings died, then changed bearings. I went to hope when got fed up changing truvativ bb every few months. I have also used reducers on Shimano bb with success as well. I can see no reason why they would not work with this bb as well, but why spend extra £8 for something that probably only lasts as long as SRAM version?
Hmmm yes sounds like a faff...think I'll just buy, fit, forget - until the next time.
Cheers all
Durability pretty poor IME.
Bearings rough after 9 months ~ 5000 km
Shoulda gone with first instinct which was Hope.