Bottom brackets aren't that exciting. The ONE23 external ceramic bottom bracket is a good one though. It's lasted very well, it's buttery smooth and not too pricey.
We've tested the more expensive version of this bottom bracket in the past, which has a carbon internal sleeve. Personally, I think if you think you need a carbon sleeve for your bottom bracket then you're beyond help. This one has a plastic sleeve, which does the same job at the same weight for a fraction of the cost. The bearing cups aren't machined to the same extent so they're a bit heavier, but the important bit – the bearings – are the same as the top end one.
And they're very good bearings. There's no play and much less friction than you'll find in a standard Shimano Hollowtech 2 bottom bracket. Stick the cranks on and give them a shove and they spin for ages. More importantly that's still true nine months and several thousand kilometres, in all weathers, later. My main bugbear with external bottom brackets is that they don't last as well as cartridge ones did (and still do). This one is lasting pretty well.
Does that ceramicy goodness actually make any difference to your performance? I'm guessing not. The tiny amount of drag from a bottom bracket isn't going to register in the big going-forward equation. But it's well-made and built to last, so hurrah for that.
Verdict
High quality bearings and good longevity make this one to consider next time your external bottom bracket packs up.
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road.cc test report
Make and model: One23 B/B EXTERNAL CERAMIC BEARING 68MM ROAD - Alloy
Size tested: n/a
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Ceramic Bearing Bottom Bracket
68mm Road specific
Alloy Centre/Red anodised cup
Shimano Compatible
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Super smooth and druable
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
I wish it had a carbon inner sleeve. I'm joking.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, inasmuch as you can enjoy using a bottom bracket.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
About the tester
Age: 40 Height: 190cm Weight: 102kg
I usually ride: whatever I'm testing... My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.
6 comments
Does it come in gold?
it shows it in gold on the today's cyclist website but then says it's only available in red. make of that what you will
i reckon you can get a gold one, i'll ask
There's a gold one via a seller on Amazon... and at Tredz
Reducing drag is hard to quantify but those ceramic ball bearings should last a great deal longer than steel ones as well as reducing drag. Plus they can't rust and seize if any water does get past the seals.
'Bottom brackets aren't that exciting'.
I think they are.
Nice to see a reasonably priced ceramic BB out there now