ogre Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 I was wondering why isis bbs cost a lot more than square tapers, is there much of an advantage to an isis over a square taper and vice versa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houseface Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 i think its because if you look at a square taper, then an isis, the isis is alot thicker.also,the isis wont round off as easy because it has big splines steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogre Posted April 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 but how does that justify making them cost like 40quid more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 square rounds off and snap easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Smith! Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 but how does that justify making them cost like 40quid more?You pay to not kill yourself quicker?Think about it, it's like Onza cranks vs Tensiles, there like 80 quid more... There just better? .Mat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Clark Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 An ISIS bb will take a lot more complicated machining to make I imagine.Also, a lot less ISIS bb's are made and sold compared to square taper, which drives the price up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChai Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 i got an isis bb for 20 quid at the bike show last year... people are just trying to make mmoney... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 An ISIS bb will take a lot more complicated machining to make I imagine. I think this mans got it. Also, I can imagine ISIS bb's being using better materials. Whats the point in producing a bb with such tolerances, and making it out of shit material? Whereas a taper bb, aslong as its square and the right length, its fine.Are'nt the bearings in an ISIS unit alot smaller and alot smoother then square tapers?Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Clark Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Smaller yes to cope with the bigger axle, but I doubt they are smoother.No-one really makes a cheapo reliable ISIS bb like the UN53 is for square, they are all high end units.Also, think about the amount of UN53's sold, or that come stock on bikes, compared to the amount of a certain ISIS bb, this is another reason why they are more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joker Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 bearings on isis are much smaller, so last less time,taper cranks have bigger bearings, get a raceface bb and they last a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat hudson Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 square, lighter, last longer, cheap. burns rock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Geary Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 I would run any ... not fussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tipsy Jock Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Don't dismiss square taper just yet, ISIS is supposedly stiffer but i cant tell the difference. Bearings will last a lot lot longer in a square taper bb and i've seen an equal amount of both types with snapped axles etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira_Shock! Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Theoretically, the Echo Isis External BB kinda seems to solve all the problems encountered with normal Isis BBs. So I guess... Anyway, both are decent designs... I'd choose taper or Isis over shit like Profile 48 spline or the other 36 spline BMX garbage you find. If the Echo Isis External BB really is as strong as its designed to be, what with its big bearings and chunky axle... could it be a possible option for serious BMXers out there? Seeing as the Echo BBs look pimp and plus they are 10x easier to install an isis crankset than a stupid 36/48 spline 3 piece bollock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hill_393 Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 I've had Square Taper for over 8 years of Trials Riding, and have never rounded off a taper, or snapped a BB. Stock with what you know, and I know Square TaperDarren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Clark Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Theoretically, the Echo Isis External BB kinda seems to solve all the problems encountered with normal Isis BBs. So I guess... Anyway, both are decent designs... I'd choose taper or Isis over shit like Profile 48 spline or the other 36 spline BMX garbage you find. If the Echo Isis External BB really is as strong as its designed to be, what with its big bearings and chunky axle... could it be a possible option for serious BMXers out there? Seeing as the Echo BBs look pimp and plus they are 10x easier to install an isis crankset than a stupid 36/48 spline 3 piece bollock.What problems do BMXer's have with bottom brackets anyway that an Echo bb would solve?Fitting them is a lot easier than you make out, they are stronger and its much easier to replace individual parts when they break axles and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 I can see Euro 3 piece BBs being relatively easy to fit, but for stuff like Profile BBs doesn't the axle move side to side according to how many spacers on each side and how tight you do the crankbolt? If that's true then its gonna be a bit of a pain compared to how easy Isis and taper are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsking 55 Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 isis don't snap...instead your cranks do square taper...meh i'v had good and not so good experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phill_Monks Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 (edited) dosnt mater sorry Edited May 1, 2006 by GU_TYPHOON Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted October 10, 2006 Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 (sorry for bumping an old topic, but better than starting a new one )I find that Square taper is just as good as long as its all good quality stuff, as the cranks have to be made of a better alloy to cope with the stress without rounding. There fine if you tighten them every ride.Also 36/48 spline BMX BBs are awsome, they are really easy to fit if you know how. The cranks spacing can be a bit of a pain, but after fitting 2 or 3 sets you find it really easy, and the cross compatability makes eveything worth wile in the long run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmt_oli Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 The ISIS interface is inherently stiffer, and allows for the use of a larger diameter axle to increase strength. Unfortunately however, the larger axle means there is less room for bearings, so in most situations the load capacity of the BBs are reduced, or they don't last as long, or both. Various methods have been devised to prevent this, such as the external bearing BBs, although the mentioned SKFs seem the best on the market at the moment. You are right about the actual taper causing problems over time. Square taper cranks work on a fully tapered interface, you can just keep going if the crank becomes slightly loose, wheres the ISIS taper has a much shallower angle, and actually has a stop, so unlike square tapers which you can keep forcing when the taper wears a little, the isis cranks push on and stop at a set point. If any play develops, which it can after a lot of use (accelerated by multiple removal of cranks) then there is no way of getting rid of it, the taper is permanently damaged. I've seen this happen to a few cranks, including middleburns. you undo the crank bolt and you can just slide the crank off, no need for an extractor. Square has been around almost forever, and i think it will have its place for a long time to come yet, its simple, cheap, universally known and easy to maintain. ISIS is a great solution for the more extreme ends of biking nowadays, which inherently have shorter lifespans on high stress parts such as cranks any way, so you may be able to justify the reduced longevity for the extra strength.They are more expensive as the Tapers profile is harder to manufacture, it is a more complicated shape and has to be made to a higher tolerance than square taper cranks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ra964 Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 i have rounded 2 square tapper cranks, fully trashed a shimano lx bb still waiting for my isis bb and my try-all freeewheel for a month now (romanian shitty shops, i have to wait for someone to go to hungary to get a try-all fw for me and this pisses me off X( ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat hudson Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 i snapped a square bb but it was like 2 years old before i had it(and still smooth). i would be tempted by isis if i had one of those posh bb's off tarty. other than that i got like 3 weeks out of an isis bb riding xc so they can fack orf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt! Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 isis are alot stonger and less likely to round of, also the sqaure taper bottom brackets round off and snap easier than the isis bottom bracket, this is probally why the isis bottom bracket cost more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat hudson Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 beans dont taste like spaghetti, similarly spaghetti doesn't taste like beans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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