The Token Ninja BB86/BB89.5/BB92 Bottom Bracket offers premium bearings at an attractive price while avoiding the annoying press-fit installation method. There was a bit of creaking until it bedded in, but it's been smooth running ever since.

The bottom bracket is part of Token's Ninja range and fits into frames made for press-fit BB86, BB89.5 and BB92 bottom brackets with a 41mm diameter, and is fit for Shimano 24mm diameter axles.

Installation was super simple but it helps if you have the Token tool (BB841T-5RSP / BB841T-5SPA), or the Park Tool BBT-69.2 bottom bracket tool is handy.

The cups are threaded against each other, which apparently leads to less axial force.

The construction of this bottom bracket is exceptional, especially considering its relatively low price. The aluminium outer cups look neat and sturdy in the anodised red, and prevent the teeth from being chewed up when installing the bottom bracket. A plastic and fibre composite coats the aluminium shell to allow for a precise finish so that the bottom bracket fits snuggly within the frame.

Both left and right sides of the alloy shell have been extended so that when the bottom bracket is tightened, it compresses evenly around the bottom bracket shell for 'unparalleled stiffness'. This super-snug 'locking' of the bottom bracket gets rid of the creakiness you can get from a press-fit bottom bracket.

Token uses its own X-Seal technology to protect the bearings from the dirt and grit we often get on British roads, and I have ridden in some pretty horrid conditions and not noticed any deterioration in performance.

This specific model uses TBT bearings, which are made with ceramic ballsand hard races, which provide low rolling resistance for durability and performance.

I heard some creaking in the first 500km, but since then it seems to have bedded in and there hasn't been a single noise since. It's on my training bike which gets the most use and also in the harshest conditions, and currently I estimate it's covered well over 2,500km.

Value

It's not the cheapest bottom bracket you can buy – Shimano makes a BB86 press-fit unit for £32.99, so quite a saving over the Token Ninja. However, I'm really impressed with the quality of the Token, and the bearings feel really smooth – I'd be happy spending the extra £10, especially as you also have the ease of installation.

You can spend more, too: the Easton PF86 30mm tested a while ago here on road.cc got an 8/10 rating from Stu and it is looking fairly light at 66g. However, it is £10 more at £59.99, and is installed using the classic press-fit method.

Or you can spend a lot more – premium ceramic bottom brackets can cost at least twice the price of the Token. CeramicSpeed's top of the line BB86 BB is £275 (currently £224 from Sigma Sports), and though C-Bear's BB86 bottom bracket for 24mm axles is nearly half the price of the CeramicSpeed, it's still more than double that of the Token at £119.99.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a smooth-running bottom bracket but don't want to fork out premium prices on something from the likes of Ceramic Speed or C-Bear, Token's Ninja range is well worth considering. It caters for a huge range of BB options for all shell sizes, and not having to install a press-fit unit makes home mechanics that bit easier.