# Installing a new modern up to date bottom bracket on a Klein Quantum Race frame



## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

I've learned that the Klein Quantum frames have a certain pressed in bottom bracket. That was an ingenious idea for the time being when you think about it.

Considering that in today's world that SRAM, Shimano, Campagnolo and the sorts all want to have their own individual BB unit. Can you argue that once again Klein was ahead in the game?

My question is. If one were to take ownership of a Klein Quantum frame with its original bottom bracket unit uninstalled. What are the procedures needed to install a more up to date unit?

I understand that I am limited to an English Threaded unit. And that I must adapt by finding English BB's that will allow the installation of a fresh off the floor unit.

Is it as simple as it looks? just thread in the Bottom bracket? Or because the Kleins were different with their pressed in bottom brackets. Is there a certain procedure needed?

Thank you to all that have the time to answer this question!


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

A) Yes some of them did. Depends on the exact year and model.

2) No they aren't ingenious. And no they weren't ahead of their time. Pressfit is a generally idiotic idea today and was back then, that IRL works badly where things don't magically fit 100.00000% perfect

III) The procedure to install a newer up-to-date BB is that you do not. You're stuck with what you have. I don't even remember the dimensions of the hole OTTOMH if you can put a tap it or not.



Regrease and repack....of course that requires you to get it out in the first place. Which requires a large hammer and some wooden blocks, I kid you not.

Jim Langley's Bicycle Beat: Q&A: Klein pressed-in bottom bracket

Pictorial guide on MTBR for Klein pressfit BB removal and overhaul:
Replacing/servicing A Klein Bottom Bracket Unit (massive pics)- Mtbr.com

From the Great Sheldon Brown:
Sheldon Brown's Unthreaded Bicycle Bottom Bracket Crib Sheet

Pressfit BBs are stupid ideas and the Klein one was no exception IMHO.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Your question contains a conundrum

What is both pressed-in and English threaded?

I googled Klein BB and came away no further educated.



> I understand that I am limited to an English Threaded unit.


Has it been converted to a threaded BB? Or was it English to start with? If so your problems are at an end, just buy an English threaded BB.

A look at it would confirm.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

You can get good replacement bearings for the press fit bb. 

https://www.philwood.com/products/bearinghome.php


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## crit_boy (Aug 6, 2013)

You need a spindle too. 
- And, it will be square taper. 
- And, the spindles came in several different lengths. So, choose wisely.
- And you are probably not going to find a klein bb press kit. We had one at one of the shops I worked at (almost 20 years ago). We only had it because the klein rep accidentally left it behind. From the couple times I remember messing with a spindle swap, it was a fiddly task. You are going to have to come up with your own combination of tools to insert new bearings and a new spindle. 

I had a pre-trek Klein attitude MTB. Press fit BB, press fit headset, single piece bar and stem. Loved the bike. But, I am hesitant to buy another bike with a proprietary bar/stem combo. 

I also have a 1991 gary fisher with a press fit bb (well, pushed in and C-ringed into place). 

Klein didn't invent it. But, I have noticed that many the new "innovations" were present on my '95 or '96 klein.

Good luck. I loved my klein. I always liked the real quantum pros.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

In other words if it's not threaded, don't buy it.


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## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

It seems that you can get Pressfit Bottom Brackets that have the outfitting to install a BB30 for either SRAM/Shimano? Some of them seem to have an interface for Campagnolo's Power Torque as well? 

This is just from a vague search online. 

I had no clue that Pressfit was another bottom bracket option for road bikes.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

beboptank said:


> It seems that you can get Pressfit Bottom Brackets that have the outfitting to install a BB30 for either SRAM/Shimano? Some of them seem to have an interface for Campagnolo's Power Torque as well?
> 
> This is just from a vague search online.
> 
> I had no clue that Pressfit was another bottom bracket option for road bikes.


Everyone is hawking pressfit these days like it is the second coming. Doesn't mean it is a good idea. In fact the reason they love pressfit these days is because it saves manufacturing time and money, not because it is good for the consumer...most pressfit systems need used with "adapters" (kludges), because the stock designed pressfit solution sucks IRL where unlike CAD mparts actually wear and aren't machined with 100.0000% accuracy.

The problem you have in this frameset case is the BB tube bore of Klein pressfit is _*wrong *_for every single other more common kind of BB out there be it pressfit or not (see my last post, specifically cycling god Sheldon Brown's link). No one else ever used a 35mm bore whether it was 68mm shell width or not.


The solution is to either:

A) not buy this Klein frameset (as cxwrench says).

2) Buy it and be stuck with the stock BB and crankset and overhaul it if needed.

III) Find a framebuilder and have a new more modern BB shell welded on...which will be $$$ in labor and materials.


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## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

Suppose the Klein frameset does not come with a bottom bracket unit.
This is interesting. So not only is it a pressfit Bottom bracket, but it was calibrated to a certain size that only Klein used for their bikes?

don't like the fact that I'll be stuck with a square taper bottom bracket. Understand that there are some real nice Titanium square tapers; This explains why some framesets never sell.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

beboptank said:


> Suppose the Klein frameset does not come with a bottom bracket unit.
> This is interesting. So not only is it a pressfit Bottom bracket, but it was calibrated to a certain size that only Klein used for their bikes?
> 
> don't like the fact that I'll be stuck with a square taper bottom bracket. Understand that there are some real nice Titanium square tapers; This explains why some framesets never sell.


No you won't be stuck with a square taper. Square taper are threaded BBs either 68MM English threaded or 70mm Italian these days. Pressfit is just that, the bearings (and in Klein's case the cranks spindle) are pressed in. The two are entirely deifferent non-interchangeable mutually incompatible things. Being stucj with a threaded BB is great-the stuff is common, if yonly you were stuck with a threaded BB you'd be fine


Klein's pressfit BB is a bizzarro non-standard oddity that nothing can really take the place of. Like all manufacturer proprietary one-offs, you're screwed.


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## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

I'm reading the suggested material at the moment. 

It seems that its literally two bearings with a spindle running through it. I'm baffled at how you could manage to fit a power torque or bb30 on them.

Unless that. What your referring to just means that one needs to find a pressfit that is saved for 35mm. Then that just means that one has to do is buy a bottom bracket of 35mm that is interfaced for bb30 or power torque?

Still reading into it.
Thanks for the links


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

beboptank said:


> I'm reading the suggested material at the moment.
> 
> It seems that its literally two bearings with a spindle running through it. I'm baffled at how you could manage to fit a power torque or bb30 on them.
> 
> ...


A) You don't fit powertorque or BB30 on a Klein with a Klein pressfit BB. You just don't. It will never on god's green Earth work. You have to match the BB to the crankset. You have much remedial reading on the topic, as you don't seem to grasp the basic difference in design and imcompatibility.

2) That is "all you have to do". Indeed. Minor problem. Such things do not exist and have never been made.


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## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

Then what I am lost to is how your not stuck with a square taper. 
You find the right bottom bracket which is a 35mm Bottom bracket. Great. Now how do you fit any crankset on that then.

If one is planning on getting a HollowTech II crankset and needs a BB to match. the basic knowledge I do possess tells me that.

1.) Find someone who has made a 35mm adapter
2.) install the adapter
3.) continue with a crankarm installation as usual. 

I've gotten a hollowtech II bottom bracket for an english threaded at 68mm. It "threads" right in and leaves you with an opening to fit the spindle of a hollowtech spindle. 

Your right. I am still missing the main piece of information here.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Did I read somewhere that the Klein 35 mm shell can just be threaded, as it's the same diameter as a regular English BB shell?


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## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

bikerjulio said:


> Did I read somewhere that the Klein 35 mm shell can just be threaded, as it's the same diameter as a regular English BB shell?



If it was from the OP. Disregard it. If another more experienced member said this then lemme go back and read.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

beboptank said:


> Then what I am lost to is how your not stuck with a square taper.
> You find the right bottom bracket which is a 35mm Bottom bracket. Great. Now how do you fit any crankset on that then.
> 
> If one is planning on getting a HollowTech II crankset and needs a BB to match. the basic knowledge I do possess tells me that.
> ...


_No one makes 35mm adapters_. Anywhere. Klein's pressfit was a one off bizarro fashion movement that _no one else supported_ then or supports now.


Square taper you're not stuck with. Most square taper everywhere uses a 68mm wide BB shell that has English pitch threads on it. English threaded BBs are the most common thing in cycling history of the last 1/2 century. Almost ALL cranksets ever made have either BB cartridge (old style), or threaded BB cups that will thread into those BB shells. If you use a square taper BB in your framset you can get Hollowtech II cups for your frame to make a Hollowtech crankset work. Same for Campag Ultra-Torque. Same for FSA MegaExo IIRC. Some of the newer pressfit-based standards use a larger bore BB shell to accommodate larger lighter alloy crank spindles that won't physically fit inside an English BB frame.

What you're missing is a knowledge of BB and crankset design mi amigo. This stuff while not rocket-surgery does involve a bit of arcane detail knowledge, which based on your posts you lack the entry level rudimentary understanding of. see: Bottom Bracket Standards - Park Tool



bikerjulio said:


> Did I read somewhere that the Klein 35 mm shell can just be threaded, as it's the same diameter as a regular English BB shell?


I'm guessing maybe it could, but that is me hypothesizing out loud. I haven't read reports of anyone experienced in tapping threads in Klein pressfit BBs that such a thing could be done and work well. But we're talking 30 year old bikes with standards no one has used in 20 years. The question then becomes is it worth it to buy the frame to try...which usually if you have to ask the answer is no.


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## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

The frame in question is an English threaded. I asked the Craigslist seller. It is in prime condition and seems to be worth building up for a road machine. 

Marc. I will read the parktool guide and re-read all of what you said again. Even though I found the solution I'll further educate myself on Bottom Brackets. 

Tanks for the help


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

If the frame is English threaded then a wide variety of modern cranks from Shimano, Sram, Campagnolo and more, can be fitted using the appropriate matching BB cups.

Or a threaded cartridge square taper BB if you want to stay old school.

Lots of choices.


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## beboptank (Nov 23, 2015)

I'd take advantage of the fact that one could fit a modern day group on the frame. This is going to be a winter project in hopes for it to be pieced together by Spring 2016.


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