Bottom bracket axle assembly

摘要

A bottom bracket axle assembly for a pedal powered vehicle provides an axle that includes a spindle at each end for engaging a pedal crank arm. Each spindle includes a bearing support for mounting the axle in a bottom bracket tube having cup-mounted bearings on each end thereof. The axle includes a hollow enlarged diameter central section that may be formed from a seamless tube. Both outer and inner diameters of the central section are greater than an outer diameter of each spindle outward of its bearing supports and the outer diameter of the central section may be sized so that it substantially equals the inner diameter of the cups and bottom bracket. In this instance, a clearance is provided between the inner diameter of the cups and outer diameter of the central section so that free rotation may occur therebetween.