My Cyclus facing tool just arrived and I plan to use it this weekend. I am so glad I checked for a video... the one you did is outstanding. Excellent job!
I can't believe how clear and easy you made that look I faced many bottom brackets in my day and I don't think I could have done a better video. As you know the Park Tool version is far more expensive, can you give me an insight into the cyclus tool quality? Also what prompted you to purchase of facing tool and do the job yourself when its a fraction at your local bike shop? When I was a kid I had a neighbor just like you who had all fancy bicycle tools expensive Japanese truing stand , I fancy headset form from Park Tool I always looked up to that neighbor and now I do my own repairs and builds just like you:-)
Thank you for your kind comments. My reasons are about 50% wanting to learn and 50% convenience. It is hard to cycle in to your local bike shop when you're carrying another bike frame. I'm not a complete purest, my local town is full of great mechanics and I rely on them heavily for things like wheel building! I'd love to learn that too, of course, but there are only so many hours in the day.
Yes, good point. The other guiding bush that comes with the tool appears to have Italian thread on one end and French thread on the other, there being no need to provide a reverse thread with those configurations as you say!
The tool has a spring which helps keep the pressure even, you aren't supposed to push. This isn't like a tap seating tool where you have to apply the force yourself!
To be clear, I don't own a bike with a French bottom bracket so I cannot be *sure*. There are two double-ended threaded parts of the tool making for 4 possible thread types. One covers the right and left-hand threads on BSA type bottom brackets and the other is labelled "ITAL" on one side and "F" on the other with the "F" side fractionally but visibly smaller in diameter. So I'm pretty confident short of finding a French frame to try it in based on the information here www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html -- obviously if you are in any doubt please check with your dealer! To be clear, the Italian and French threads are right-hand only.
Thanks! The tool does indeed face the French standard.Cyclus even offer an inexpensive piloted French chasing tool;based upon your first-hand experience,I am purchasing the Cyclus Bottom Bracket Facer. Best Wishes!
+Flatzout the instructions on your bottom bracket cups & crank should tell you if you need to ensure it has been done, this seems to have become more critical with the introduction of external bearings. For one frame (carbon) I spoke to the distributor I bought from and he said it didn't need doing so I just installed the BB direct. For my older alloy frame manufactured before external bearings were common it made sense to clean it up before upgrading. The bearings run more freely on the latter. If there is visibly some of the frame's coating covering the faces of the BB shell then it would make sense to get it done in my opinion, even with a new frame. Let's face it, if it creaks after you've installed it it is going to drive you mad.
+Steve Lay very true...I hate creaking..I ran my bike with the stock gxp external bb /sram cranks for a long time and it never creaked...switched over to xt cranks a while back..going to install a wheels manufacturing angular contact bb tomorrow when it gets here..as I've blown through two shimano xt bb's. they are not strong enough for my weight..#260 on a hardtail 29er. thx for the reply. i may just run my frame down to the lbs and have it faced.
