Bottom Bracket Tools

Which Bottom Bracket Tool Do You Need?

Bottom bracket standards have multiplied considerably over the last two decades, and the tools are not interchangeable. Use the guide below or check out our bottom bracket buying guide.to identify the right tool for your specific standard before you buy.

Threaded (BSA / English) Bottom Bracket Tools

The threaded BSA standard (also called English threaded or ISO threaded) remains common on many road, gravel, and entry-level bikes, and uses a splined cup that requires a dedicated spanner. For budget builds using cartridge-style BBs, a simple 16-notch or 20-notch BB wrench covers most cup types.

Compatible with: BSA/English threaded frames; most Shimano square taper and Hollowtech II threaded BBs.

Shimano Hollowtech II & External Cup Tools

Shimano's Hollowtech II system uses an external cup with a notched outer face, these require a splined socket tool with a specific notch count. Ensure you're matching the notch count on the tool to the cup, Hollowtech II cups typically use a 16-notch interface.

Compatible with: Shimano Hollowtech II cranks across road (Claris through Dura-Ace) and MTB (Deore through XTR); many third-party external BBs.

SRAM DUB & GXP Tools

SRAM uses two main spindle standards across its current lineup: DUB (a 28.99mm spindle used on current Eagle, Red AXS, and Force/Rival groupsets) and GXP (a stepped 24/22mm spindle on older SRAM and RockShox cranks). Both use threaded or press-fit BB variants. The SRAM DUB BB tool interfaces with the outer face of the DUB threaded cup; GXP BBs typically use a 16-notch external cup tool compatible with standard Hollowtech II tooling.

Compatible with: SRAM Eagle AXS, Red AXS, Force AXS, Rival AXS (DUB); older SRAM Rival/Force/Red and many RockShox cranks (GXP).

Press-Fit Bottom Bracket Tools (PF30, BB86, BB92)

Press-fit standards including PF30, BB86, BB92, and various proprietary variants require dedicated installation and removal tooling. Installation uses a press tool that pushes the bearing cups squarely into the shell; removal requires a blind bearing puller or a dedicated press-fit removal tool. Using a hammer or improvised tools on press-fit BBs is the most common cause of premature bearing failure and damaged shells. 

Compatible with: PF30, BB86, BB92, BB Right, and most other press-fit variants, confirm your shell diameter (30mm for PF30, 24mm for BB86/BB92) before purchasing.

T47 Bottom Bracket Tools

T47 is a threaded standard with a larger 47mm shell diameter increasingly adopted by premium road, gravel, and endurance frames (including recent models from Specialized, Trek, and Cannondale) for its combination of threaded reliability and wider shell width. T47 uses a dedicated splined tool that is not interchangeable with BSA tooling due to the larger diameter.