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Benefits of BB30

Wider = stiffer

Nowhere is this more evident than where the transfer of power from crank to frame begins:  the frame's bottom bracket shell.  A BB30 bottom bracket shell has a diameter roughly 1cm greater than a standard bottom bracket shell.  BB30 significantly stiffens a metal frame.  

BB30 is used by some well-known manufacturers of carbon frames.  Companies now including BB30 models in their line include:  Cannondale (original developers of BB30), Specialized, Raleigh, Diamondback, Bianchi, Cinelli, Everti, Glacier, Jamis, Kuota, Litespeed, Lynskey, Masi, Moots, Niner, Orbea, Parlee, Quintana Roo, Redline, Seven (custom option), Van Dessel, SRAM, FSA, and Zipp.

The performance advantage in BB30 lies in the frame, not in the cranks.  As Velonews demonstrated in their November 2009 comparison of FSA and SRAM's BB30 and non-BB30 cranks, the cranks themselves do not offer any noticeable performance advantage.  BB30 does give you the option of using two of the best "weight-weenie" cranks on the market: 

The BB30 is an integral part of three Lynskey House Blend frame designs:

BB30 is a custom option for all double-and-triple butted Houseblend models, and all custom Lynskeys for an additional $500.  To date, 15 percent of the Lynskeys we sell have been BB30, and we keep one in the shop for you to try out.  Compare the ride on our BB30 R220 to our standard BB Cooper, and notice the difference. 

PressFit 30       

Lynskey uses SRAM's Truvative PressFit 30 for their BB30 frames.  PressFit 30 bearings are housed in nylon cups that are pressed into the bottom bracket shell.  To accommodate the nylon cups, the internal diameter of PressFit 30 is 46mm, instead of the 42mm of the original BB30 design.  PressFit 30 is compatible with any BB30 crankset, including Cannondale Hollowgram and Specialized S-Works.  Here's how PressFit 30 is done:

1. Build frame with an unthreaded, oversize bottom bracket shell.
2. Press oversize bearings into your bottom bracket shell, as you would press your headset races into your head tube.
3. Insert a lightweight aluminum bottom bracket axle that is 30mm in diameter, instead of the current standard, which is 24mm steel.

* Please note, Specialized and Cannondale components are only available to you if you can pick up your new Lynskey at the shop.  Our contracts with these companies do not allow direct sales over the web.