Specialites TA Axix Square Taper Bottom Bracket & Lock Ring Tool

Rare is the ISO taper bottom bracket. Just a handful of ISO taper bottom brackets remain.  Campy still makes one I think, and Phil Wood, but this TA unit is the best.  It’s rebuildable by the end user, which those other two are not.  It’s made in France, it’s decently light.  With a modicum of maintenance, this is a lifetime bottom bracket.  

Best paired with a TA Carmina or Vega crankset, which have an ISO taper, or old square taper Campagnolo cranks, or TA Cyclotouriste cranks.  You can also use it with a JIS crank, but get a 9mm longer spindle than you normally would, as the cranks will sit 4.5mm per side closer into the frame.  

Chromo Axle, so it won’t snap off road like a stainless axle will (and they do, woo wee, have we seen some nasty failures from BB makers you think would know better).  Standard sealed bearings, so you can easily replace them.  Two things of note:  You want to have your frame faced and chased at the bottom bracket so the bearings don’t bind.  This isn't just a TA thing, you wanna do that with any high quality bottom bracket for max bearing life.  You also NEED the TA lockring tool, in addition to a standard shimano style BB tool to install this. So we just include this with the BB cause who has one just laying around?   

Compatible with 73mm wide BB shells with use of 2.5mm spacer on each side between the bearing and the cup.

How to pick the right width spindle if using a TA Carmina crankset.  If you have a different crankset, you are on your own!  

Using 130mm hub and a double crankset:  107mm / 43.5 mm chainline 

Using 130mm hub and a triple crankset: 116mm / 45mm chainline

135mm hubs and double crankset:  116mm / 48mm chainline

135mm QR hub or 142mm thru axle hub and a triple crankset:  122mm / 48mm chainline.  

If your ideal chainline is 47.5 or 49mm, 48mm is gunna be fine.  If you are chainline obsessed, get a 1mm BB spacer to space the driveside out to 49mm.  Not needed, but you can do it.  

 NOTE: you don't get to pick which color lock rings the BB comes with, that's up to stock availability.