This article will review the service of the "Shimano Press Fit" threadless bottom bracket standard.

The Trek proprietary system is not a Shimano Press fit, but does fall within the BB90 style of bottom brackets. Trek Bikes offers the Shimano Press Fit design on some models and their own proprietary system on the models. The Trek system is reviewed at the end of this article.

The "Shimano press fit" standard is a bottom bracket system that does not use internal threading. Unfortunately there is no industry wide agreed upon name for this standard.  The Shimano Company's name for the system is "Shimano Press Fit". The colloquial titles BB86, BB90 or BB92 refer to the nominal shell width, some with and some without pressed bearings. The pressed cups have a lip of 2mm, which widens the shell from 86mm to 90mm, hence the name BB90.  The cranksets are typically the same ones used in the "external bearing systems". Cranksets the Shimano®  Hollow Tech II, FSA® Megaexo, Race Face® X-type and Truvativ® GXP are used in this design. 

In this threadless system, the cartridge bearing is housed inside a plastic (figure 1) or aluminum adapter/holder (figure 2). The outside of the adapter is nominally 41mm, slightly larger then the frame shell. The frame may be aluminum, carbon with an aluminum sleeve or just full carbon.

Figure 1. Shimano® Press Fit bearing and an unthreaded carbon fiber frame shell

Figure 2. FSA brand adapter with bearing in an aluminum frame.

This bottom bracket system is serviced similar to a threadless headset. The adapters holding the cartridge bearings are a press fit into the bike. The bearing alignment references the shell face because the adapters press until the outer lip contacts the frame. It is assumed the shell faces are adequately parallel.

The bearing unit is removed using the BBT-90.3 Bottom Bracket Tool Set.  Insert the bearing remover through the bottom bracket (figure 3).

Figure 3. Install bearing removal tool similar to removing headset cups

Pull the remover through the bottom bracket (figure 4). Listen and feel for a click as the blades engage inside the bearing unit (figure 5).

Figure 4. Pull tool carefully through bottom bracket

Figure 5. Tool will expand once past the bearing inside surface

Use a hammer to strike the tool end and drive out the bearing unit (figure 6). Reverse the remover tool and repeat by driving out remaining bearings.

Figure 6. Drive out the bearing with a hammer

The bearings are a mild press fit into the frame. In aluminum frames only, it is recommend to either grease the pressed surfaces or to use a mild thread locker. This may seem contradictory, but the idea is to prevent future creaking if the cup were to move. The cartridge bearing is intended to be a permanent part of the adapter and the unit is replaced together.

To install the bearings, use a headset press such as the HHP-2 or HHP-3 Headset Press and a pair of the #669 bushings. The #669 bushings are included with the BBT-90.3 Bottom Bracket Tool Set.

Figure 7. Bearing and #669 bushing

Engage the bushing on each side, and then slowly press both bearing adapters fully into the frame (figure 8 and 9). Remove tool and bushing from bottom bracket. Install crankset (figure 10).

Figure 8. Headset press and bushing in place ready to push bearings into frame

Figure 9. Complete press operation

Figure 10. Install crank

TREK

The Trek Bicycle Company uses a proprietary bottom bracket design on some model bikes. The crankset system is effectively the BB90 style, but it is not the Shimano Press Fit design (figure 11). The bearings have no plastic retainer or cups. These slip into the bottom bracket shell, much like an IS Headset (Integrated Headset). The overall width of the shell is 90mm. The cartridge bearing are 37mm outside diameter and 24mm inside diameter to accept the Shimano Hollowtech II cranksets.

Figure 11. Trek bottom bracket system

The cranks are removed with normal procedures. The bearings of these system slip out using only hand pressure. The bearing seat inside the shell cannot be removed. An additional seal is used outside the cartridge bearings and cranks are installed as per their normal procedures.

Figure 12. Bearing istall and remove by hand

The BBT-90.3 is not used on the Trek BB90 system.  If the system is the Shimano Press Fit, the BBT-90.3 will work.