In this article I will look at the C-Bear BB86/BB92 Ceramic Bottom Bracket PF41-AC for all conditions. It is a press fit BB86/BB92 bottom bracket for Shimano GRX 820 Hollowtech II cranks on a Canyon Grizl CF SL8 1by gravel bike. Unfortunately the default Token Ninja BB4124PS bottom bracket started making funny noises.
Finally I will compare this PF41-AC all condition C-Bear Ceramic Bottom Bracket with the C-Bear Ceramic Bottom Bracket for BB86/BB92 PF41 with R (road) ceramic bearings, in the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key Features C-Bear BB86/BB92 Ceramic Bottom Bracket – PF41-AC for All Conditions
On the product page of the C-Bear Ceramic Bottom Bracket PF41 you can read:
Each set of PF41 – Shimano / Race Face / Rotor 3D comes standard with:
- 2x precision CNC aluminum bottom bracket housings/cups;
- 2x dual sealed C-Bear ceramic bearings, R (road/race) or AC (all conditions) ceramic bearings;
- 2x dust covers;
- 1x sleeve to prevent internal cabling, bleeding hose…, from rubbing against the fast spinning axle;
Basically the items 1,2 and 3 are combined into one sub-assembly-product. It is the left cup, ceramic bearing and dustcover and the right cup, ceramic bearing and dustcover.
As you can see in the description there have always been 2 ceramic bearing options since C-Bear inception in 2007: PF41-R (road/race) least friction option or PF41-AC (all conditions). PF41-AC has additional protection against moisture, debris… wet weather to suite off-road cycling. So on the Canyon Grizl CF SL8 I’ve opted for the PF41-AC version.
The C-Bear Ceramic Bottom Bracket PF41-AC is paired with Shimano GRX 820 Hollowtech II cranks with a 24 mm. diameter spindle (axle). Please have a look at the C-Bear Bottom Bracket Quick Finder to get your C-Bear bottom bracket – crankset combination right.
You don’t want to think about the performance or maintenance of a bottom bracket, and that is what happened when I installed the C-Bear Ceramic Bottom Bracket for BB86/BB92 on the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8 (back in 2016), after the fact that the plastic cups of the Shimano Bottom Bracket came loose. The C-Bear bottom bracket simply worked !
INSTALLATION C-BEAR PRESS-FIT BOTTOM BRACKET BB-PF41-AC
Installation of the C-Bear bottom bracket is very easy, when you have the correct tools, no matter if it is a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8 road bike, a Scott Scale 925 mountain bike or a Canyon Grizl CF SL 8 gravel bike. Personally I used a professional bearing replacement tool – SRC-TT-B006C to drive out the old press fit bottom bracket bearings and the cups.
The default Token Ninja BB4124PS bottom bracket has an interlock or torqtite kind of mechanism where both cups are threaded together. However the Token Ninja BB4124PS cups are made from a plastic material, so care is needed with the metal CEMA Bearing SRC-TT-B019 Bottom Bracket Tool (or Park Tool equivalent). You don’t want to wreck the tooth pattern of the plastic Token Ninja BB4124PS cups. After removal of the old Token Ninja bottom bracket I cleaned the bottom bracket area.
Than I applied some Morgen Blue Aquaproof Paste, just like the Wanty-Groupe Gobert mechanic, and pressed in the new C-Bear Bottom Bracket. You only need to pay attention to correct placement of the sleeve between the two C-Bear Aluminum cups.
Also in this case with the replacement of the plastic Token Ninja BB4124PS bottom bracket felt right to do. The aluminum cups of the C-Bear BB86/BB92 Ceramic Bottom Bracket PF41-AC fit tight against the frame and look very solid. Turning the bearings with your finger gives a really smooth and low friction movement even with some additional protection.
On the C-Bear website you can read some additional Install & Maintenance Tips.
Concluding thoughts and wrap-up
The price point for a C-Bear BB86/BB92 Ceramic Bottom Bracket – PF41-AC for All Conditions is € 129,00 compared to a price point of € 85,00 back in 2016 when I purchased the PF41-R for my road bike. Back than I was surprised about the amazing price-point, but in 2024 the price-point for such a quality product is still more than fair. Please note a Ceramicspeed BB86 Bottom Bracket for Shimano will cost you € 319,00 !
For me more important than price point is the quality and durability of the C-Bear products. On the C-Bear website there is an interesting page on Why C-Bear? I’ve experienced first hand how long and without any special maintenance or regreasing the C-Bear Ceramic Bottom Bracket for BB86/BB92 has done it’s job. After almost 10 years it I wanted to replace, not because of the end of technical life cycle, but because I wanted something new and fresh for the Alpe d’Huzes 2025 participation.
For the Canyon Grizl CF SL8 project I’ve also purchased a set of C-Bear OCM Ceramic Pulley Wheels for Shimano GRX-RD-820 12-speed rear derailleur. Similar high quality and durability from the same C-Bear brand.
- What bottom bracket brand and type have you installed ?
- Do you have any C-Bear products on your bikes ?
Please let me know in the comment section. Interested in other product reviews on this website, than check out the categories below:
