[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

602.0. "looking for an old chainring" by VISUAL::MILLING (Bob Milling, MKO2-2/K03, 264-2068) Mon Apr 04 1988 21:18

    I have an 18-year-old C.Itoh which is in desperate need of a
    replacement inner chain ring.
    
    The original cottered chainset is made of steel.  It's strong but
    very heavy.  The inner ring is attached to the outer with three
    mounting bolts (yes, that's 2 less than today's "standard" 5 bolts).
    I haven't measured the spacing of the three holes, yet.  I'm looking
    for a ring with less than 48 teeth - preferably 40.  I even checked
    with the guys handling the parts at the Bicycle Exchange in Cambridge
    and they just chuckled.
    
    I would really rather replace the whole thing with a new cotterless 
    chainset, but the bottom bracket shell is too wide (it's 73mm instead 
    of the current standard 68-70mm) and too expensive to cut down
    ($40-50).  Since this complete change seems to be out of the picture, 
    I'll settle with fixing the one bad part of the existing setup so I 
    can at least use the bike while I'm waiting for some framework to be 
    complete on my much newer racing bike.
    
    If you've got a box of old parts lying around, please have a look.
    
    Bob
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
602.1Try replacing just the cranks ?MENTOR::REGKeep left, except when not passingMon Apr 04 1988 21:2510
    
    	I was going to suggest Bicycle exchange when I saw the title
    and it said 602.0 was being written, they'd have it if anyone would.
    I was able to get rings for a ~30 year old Stronglight set there
    a few years ago, the 5 pin one on about a 3 inch diameter circle.
    If you can't replace the whole bottom end it might be worth putting
    a Stronglight cottered crank on it, should be cheap.
    
    	Reg	{who still likes steel cranks}
    
602.2Hello, Mike? Now don't laugh, but...DARTS::MHARRISTes ronflements m'eveillent!Wed Apr 06 1988 16:345
    You might give Lincoln Guide Service a call -- or some other *old*
    bicycle shop, like Little's in Lowell, whose owner *never* throws
    away old parts...
    
    Mac.
602.3try Gamache'sTALLIS::WADEWed Apr 06 1988 16:515
    I've had George Gamache lead me over to a shelf full of boxes of
    dusty old parts to look for something obscure.  Talk to George himself,
    I doubt if anyone else would know what he has there.
    
    paul
602.4Where is George?VISUAL::MILLINGBob Milling, MKO2-2/K03, 264-2068Thu Apr 07 1988 15:185
    Where do I find George?  I'm not familiar with the stores mentioned...
    
    BTW, thanks for the suggestions; there's hope!
    
    Bob
602.5HOW TO FIND GEORGECHEAPR::NORTONThu Apr 07 1988 16:065
    Re: .4 - George is at Gamache's in Fitchburg - 617-343-3140.  For the
    directions, take a look at note #570.1.  Tell him Reg sent you.
                                                       
    Kathy
    
602.6Chainring found! - questions about standardsVISUAL::MILLINGBob Milling, MKO2-2/K03, 264-2068Mon Apr 11 1988 13:3033
    George had a chainring that matched the hole pattern of my old
    chainset!  It has 44 teeth which is 4 more than I wanted but a lot
    better than the 48 I've got now.  Yes, I told him Reg sent me.
    
    George also had an "axle" for my wide bottom bracket.  It seems
    that for American made 27" bikes my bottom bracket shell is not
    really all that wide.  (At about 73 mm it is a lot wider than the
    68-70 mm which seems to be common on racing bikes.)
    
    So, now I've got two possible solutions to improving gear ratios.
    I decided to take advantage of the new cotterless bottom bracket
    and mounted it along with an old Stronglight triple (the tapper
    seems to be a real close match).   Ready to go, right?  Well, not 
    quite.  
    
    While making all these changes I decided to go for one more and
    tried to install the freewheel that I had used on another bike
    along with the triple chainset.  Now, I'm stuck.  It seems that
    the threads on the freewheel (came off a 700 wheel) don't match
    the threads on the hub of my 27" wheel.  I wouldn't be surprized
    except that I moved a freewheel the other direction about 2 years
    ago (from 27" wheel to 700 wheel).  
    
    I have learned a lot about hub widths, bottom bracket widths and
    threading, headset treading, etc.  But, I thought there was only
    one "standard" for freewheel threads.  I guess all my reference
    books focus on bikes that are common in the European market.
    
    Can anyone out there point to some reference material on the
    standards for 27" bikes or maybe for American made bikes in
    general?
    
    Bob 
602.7See George, or see George...MENTOR::REGKeep left, except when not passingMon Apr 11 1988 15:2014
    re .6	Southerlands is "THE" reference manual, George Gamache
    will have a copy.  You will need to know the name of the hub
    manufacturer (not bike maker), usually stamped in the centre section
    and only visible under good light when the hub has been cleaned.
    George should be able to reference Southerlands by hub manufacturer
    and year to find the threading, hopefully you havn't already
    "redefined"  it :-^)   If you can't read the name in the middle
    of the hub take it to George anyway, he may be able to recognize
    it from only a couple of letters, or he could just try a few different
    cogs<errr, clutters> to see which fits best without cutting a new
    thread on there.
    
    	Reg