# Specialized and the OSBB



## t_togh (Aug 9, 2008)

I've noticed some other manufacturers, most notably cannondale, offer the BB30 oversize BB in bikes at a much lower price level than Specialized. I know Cannondale developed this, but does anyone have an idea as to why this feature hasn't "drifted down" in Specialized bikes? You basically have to the get the "Pro" line in Tarmac or Roubaix to get this feature. Even if you get the frameset or the SL3 Expert frame you can't get it.

Is there any plan to let this drift down to the expert or comp for next year?


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

t_togh said:


> I've noticed some other manufacturers, most notably cannondale, offer the BB30 oversize BB in bikes at a much lower price level than Specialized. I know Cannondale developed this, but does anyone have an idea as to why this feature hasn't "drifted down" in Specialized bikes? You basically have to the get the "Pro" line in Tarmac or Roubaix to get this feature. Even if you get the frameset or the SL3 Expert frame you can't get it.


I think it largely comes down to there being no BB30 crankset from Shimano. If you look down the line-up there are plenty of bikes spec'd with DA, Ultegra and 105 cranks. Specialized of course has a volume OEM deal with Shimano. Specialized have tried their own brand cranks and other cranks in the past. They won't mix SRAM cranks with Shimano. I think many consumers like seeing the "full group-set" at the price-points that Specialized sells at (though they never seem to be truly full group sets these days, sigh), and are particularly wary of "off-brand" cranks.

The other side of it is SKU management - Specialized has clearly been trying to reduce the number of distinct frames that it has to build and stock.



> Is there any plan to let this drift down to the expert or comp for next year?


We can only speculate. My observation is that it has been trending more toward the high end of the Specialized line-up for the last couple of years.


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## jnbrown (Dec 9, 2009)

I really like the OSBB and Specialized crankset. It's one of the reasons I decided to get the S-Works frameset instead of Pro. 
The first time I saw it I was drawn to it. Although the crankset isn't that expensive, Specialized could make a lower cost alloy version of it and offer it on all Tarmacs. I think this would give them an advantage in the marketplace. The frame itself is really the same except for a permanent insert that they install for the standard crankset. One has to wonder why they just don't use BB30 to standard adapters so a customer could go either way. Maybe its just a gimmick to sell more higher end bikes, I will admit I fell for it.


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