Old 07-27-07, 01:29 PM
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Sheldon Brown
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Newtonville, Massachusetts
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Bikes: See: http://sheldonbrown.org/bicycles

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Originally Posted by Paupie
I found a near-mint old 6-speed steel Ross cruiser at a thrift shop for 20 bucks. It's not exactly what you'd call a "good" bike but I really like it for some reason; maybe good condition for a '70s bike, and because it seems really sturdy. I don't even mind that it weighs a ton because I'm pretty heavy myself. Anyway, when I took it apart I discovered it has one of these weird one-piece cranks, which I now know is an ashtabula. Can anyone tell me if I can upgrade it to a modern bottom bracket? Is it worth it? Thanks in advance.
If you're satisfied with the existing pedals, no burning need to change the BB. Those are very reliable, just a bit on the heavy side (and use oddball pedal threads, so your pedal options are highly limited.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/opc

We have adaptor bushings that would let you install any modern bottom bracket in your frame:

http://harriscyclery.com/opc

Sheldon "Ashtabula" Brown
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