Originally Posted by stumpjumper
Its a popular, albiet somewhat dramatic refrence to the AVA bars and stems of the 1970's that seemed to come on every french import bike for some reason. They're flimsy and has a notorious habit of breaking, even when new.
Actually, given that aluminum has no endurance/fatigue limit, one could argue that all vintage stems, handlebars, seatposts, cranksets and brakests that are made from alumumin should be replaced for safety reasons.
Originally Posted by powers2b
Converting to the original steel components to aluminum will shave about 8 lbs from the bike.
Actually, that's what the UO10 was all about, replacing all the steel components with aluminum. It probably actually saved only about 3-4 lbs. Even the advertised difference between a Peugeot UO8 and the PX10 with tubulars and Reynolds 531 butted tubing, was only 7 lbs.
Originally Posted by gohronin
What is a cottered or cotterless crank?
Cottered cranks are held on the spindle (axle) using a cotter pin. This is a pin with a tapered flat on one side and a theaded stud on one end. It fits into a hole that is drilled through the crankarm at right angles to, and intersecting with, the spindle hole. The flat on the pin mates with a flat milled on the spindle. Once driven into the hole, the pin wedges intself between the spindle and crankarm, and is retained with a nut. This holds the crankarm onto the spindle. All cottered cranks are steel, with the notable exception of one SR model.
Cotterless cranks cranks have a spindle with a stud or threaded holes on the ends. The crankarms slip onto the spindle and are held in place with a nut or bolt. Most vintage, cotterless spindles have tapered, square ends. The crankarms have a mating taper and tightening the bolt drives the crankarm onto the soindle taper, wedging it in place. Modern cotterless spindles may have splined ends. In general, if the crankarm is made from aluminum, it is cotterless. However, the opposite is not true. There are many inexpensive, steel, cotterless cranksets.