Bushnell Eccentric Bottom Bracket (EBB) for my Raleigh XXIX

   

When I learned that I couldn't get replacement bolts for my EBB I pulled the trigger on the Bushnell Eccentric Bottom Bracket

 

An added benefit was 57 gram difference!

Usual prep routine, grease the hell out of everything!

  

While installation is a snap, final adjustments are little more delicate.  First off, to get the Race Face BB installed, you need to tighten up the Bushnell.  If you have to readjust at any point, after loosening the tightening bolts, they need a little nudge to recenter so you can slide it.  I use a 6 mm p handled hex wrench and a light tap from my rubber mallet.

The really tricky adjustment is the final tightening because when you think you are in the correct spot and you tighten it down it actually tightens the chain even more so prior to doing so you have to pick a point with just enough slack that it will be taken up during the tightening phase.  It took me quite a few tries to get it right!

Raleigh XXIX: Single and Rigid

Today's RAW was focused primarily on the steep climbing aspects of the Raleigh by going up Poly Brody's Backside, too bad Strava doesn't let you differentiate between geared and singlespeeds, but then again trying to knock of 2+ minutes on this climb on a singlespeed is definitely something to shoot for.  Getting to the top and cutting back on the Mulikin and I am trying to reestablish then cut through back to the forest road.  It's almost there, just need to move some blow downs.

More blow downs?  When was it windy?

When I hit the Gussy proper and started climbing again I noticed the BB was creaking again and sure enough I lost chain tension.  This is the design flaw with Eccentric Bottom Brackets where the holding bolts screw directly into the cylinder rather than doing a split shell where it pinches the halves together.  I had this same problem with on my Soul Cycles Dillinger, that is until they redesigned the BB plug.  I tried to tightenen it down on the trail but I couldn't spin the cylinder.

The Brew Crew!

After hitting the go around and beginning my ride back up the Gussy I came across the three guys I ran into on last Thursday's ride who like to stop and relax on what I call Blue Cross Roller, because  the roll out crosses over the Blue Trail.  We chatted a little and I told them about some of the new trail tsotchkes I found on Tuesday.  I wrote about it on the Upper Paugussett Blog.  Some good things were done like improving flow and some bad things were also done like creating a new line right on a fall line.  As I rode by I noticed they had lights, something I became aware that I was lacking 15 minutes later because it started to get dark!

They also reopened the 3 Sisters Roller but did a lousy job connecting the lead in.  The above video is from 2008 and it's absolute crap but starting from 00:17 to 1:03, you can see me and some buddies riding the Three Sisters in different positions.  Rake and Ride a trail it does not make!  By the time I got back to the top of Poly Brody's Backside, it was pitch dark in the forest but I figured I know the way back on the Poly Brody well enough that I could do it in the dark and bag an extra mile.  

On the way down, near the parking lot, I came across two hunters walking out of the forest.  We chatted a bit and one of them recounted an earlier incident today with an MXer on the Poly Brody. They tried to wave him down to a stop but I bet when he saw those rifles, he turned tail and skedattled!  That must have been funny to see!  He new he was in there illegally and saw guys with guns trying to flag him down!  

 

When I got back to the garage I tightened the EBB bolts again, and torqued them in to 14 Nms,  but found one had stripped where the hex wrench goes in.  I hope it will hold, never the less I will be calling Shawn at the Brookfield Bicycle Center to order more.  I hope he can get me some other wise I will have to look into an aftermarket solution.