Has Bridge Bike Works reinvented the bottom bracket? New tech sees BB threaded directly into carbon frames

Toronto-based bicycle component manufacturer Bridge Bike Works has unveiled some intriguing new bottom bracket technology for carbon fibre frames that means the threads are moulded directly into the frame, promising no more creaks. Is this the future of bottom brackets? 

There are two main types of bottom brackets, threaded or press-fit, which (and this is an understatement if there ever was one) sparks controversy about which is best. This new 'Integrally Threaded Carbon Bottom Bracket' from Bridge opens a whole new can of worms, with the first production version of this new technology being seen at this year's Sea Otter Classic in California. 

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Threaded bottom brackets are the most common, and are often preferred for their ease of installation and maintenance. Bridge says, "threaded bottom brackets are the best option" as they are considered less likely to develop creaks than press-fit bottom brackets. 

Bridge claims it has found a lighter, more simple and corrosion-resistant solution to bottom bracket sleeves used in threaded bottom brackets, by producing moulded threads directly into carbon fibre bottom brackets. This is said to be more reliable and robust than threaded metal interfaces. 

Threaded bottom brackets often feature an aluminium shell which is bonded into the carbon, but this integrally threaded carbon bottom bracket is "fundamentally part of the frame", claiming to save in the region of 100g on materials. 

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Moving on to alignment, Bridge says that the bottom bracket can be perfectly aligned due to the threads being moulded into shape, promising that it won't creak or seize.

As we know, carbon can be soft or brittle and reacts with alloys and other materials to create corrosion. By eliminating the metal shell of a threaded bottom bracket, Bridge claims its carbon bottom bracket is corrosion-resistant. The threads also have a Cerakote ceramic coating aimed at creating a more robust barrier between the carbon frame and bearing cups, and this is said to make the carbon fibre stronger. 

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Bridge says it has enhanced longevity by eliminating parts of the processes, meaning less can go wrong and having threads with dirt collecting properties. 

This new technology is said to be compatible with many standard bottom brackets, with Bridge opting for the standard T47-86 bottom bracket on its Surveyor bikes. 

Would you trust an 'integrally threaded' carbon bottom bracket? Let us know in the comments section below...