Patent ID: 8453538

Claim:
A cartridge bottom bracket for a bicycle, the bicycle having a generally tubular shell and a bore extending through the shell, the bottom bracket comprising: a spindle having opposing ends; a sealed cartridge disposed within the shell bore and about a central portion of the spindle so as to define opposing free end portions of the spindle, the cartridge including a pipe having opposing ends, two rolling contact bearings each disposed within the pipe generally adjacent to a separate one of the pipe ends and rotatably coupling the spindle with the pipe, and a tubular spacer disposed about the spindle and extending between the two bearings so as to establish a spacing distance between the bearings; and two shaped caps each mounted on a separate one of the free end portions of the spindle and disposed axially against a separate one of the bearings so as to substantially enclose the free end portion of the spindle, and wherein the bicycle includes two cranks, each cap being coupled with the spindle so as be non-rotatable relative to the spindle and having at least two outer surface sections configured to non-rotatably engage with a separate one of the cranks.