Cartridge bottom bracket for a bicycle

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.