Guide to ZPIDER Accessories
To use the ZPIDER, it must fit in the bottom bracket (BB) of your bike. If your BB doesn’t have the measurements required for the ZPIDER, you may need spacers, bottom bracket (BB) or both.
This short and quick guide to BB386EVO compatibility may help you if you are familiar with these things – else read on.
Background for understanding
The ZPIDER’s spindle goes inside your bike’s BB as shown.
The ZPIDER’s spindle is 30 mm in diameter. If your BB has another diameter, you will have to change the BB.
The width (or length if you want) of the spindle can be adapted to a shorter BB using spacers.
Further reading:
Watch a YouTube video about BB’s
Read the complete guide to BB’s
Measure up the BB
Start by removing the crankset and any adapters/spacers you have installed – but leave the BB/bearings installed.
The most obvious difference between BB types is the location of the bearings – they can be outside or inside like in the pictures below.
Helpful video:
Watch this YouTube video to help identify your crankset and how to remove it.
BB with outside bearings
BB with inside bearings (press fit)
Measure width & diameter
Diameter = 30mm & Width = 86.5mm or more?
If the width is more than 86.5mm you are out of luck (and you are most likely on a Trek bike). The ZPIDER (and any other BB386EVO) crank will unfortunately not fit your bike.
If the width is around 86.5mm, you need to check the clearance at the bottom bracket. A few frames are too beefy in the bearing area to fit the ZPIDER. This seems to only be an issue with BB386EVO or BB86 frames. The ZPIDER has an opening of 49.5 mm in diameter as illustrated by the cross-section view below. Please note that the bottom bracket will be seated 7 mm into the ZPIDER:
Therefore the frame should not exceed 49 mm:
In the special case of the BB386EVO or BB86, sometimes the Zpider will fit and sometimes it won’t. The fit depends on the shape of the frame at the BB area. Luckily there’s a way to make absolutely sure whether the Zpider will fit your BB386EVO/BB86 frame. It goes like this:
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Cut a strip of paper of length 154 mm and width 7 mm. Tape the ends together such that it forms a small cylinder. Now you made your very own fitting-device. Slide the cylinder over the BB area of your frame (the crankset should be removed for this part).
Does the frame/BB stick further out than the paper cylinder?
NO: The Zpider won’t fit your BB386EVO/BB86 frame.
YES: the Zpider will fit your BB386EVO/BB86 frame.
Check the following video out for further information:
Continue with spacer selection.
Other situations?
OK, you need a new BB. It was getting pretty worn anyways, right? 🙂
Continue with BB (and spacer) selection.
Note: Always check with a skilled bike mechanic if in doubt. We can not be responsible for damages caused by bad fit or wrong installation. There are more shapes of frames and other bike parts than we can possibly know about and it is a moving target with constant changes.