Classic & Vintage - Swiss thread quest...

Around 1980, I bought a Motobecane Jubile Sport from a guy I worked with at the time, so it's likely a late 70's vintage. I rode it for several years and subsequently got married and had a couple of kids. When I moved from Minnesota to Texas, I left the bike with the older son who is now in his mid twenties and rides this bike in his job as a bike messenger in downtown Minneapolis. He had a bad fall a couple of weeks ago and apparently the spindle broke or was damaged and he's been told he needs a new bottom bracket. He's healing well, but the bike isn't running.

As I recall, I replaced the bottom bracket in the early 80's with a sealed Phil Wood unit, at which time I learned that the bike had the exotic Swiss thread. I haven't had any luck finding Swiss thread BB components online; does anyone have any suggestions?

My kid and I are attached to this bike and are willing to put more money into it that it's worth to get it running again. If I can't find a Swiss thread BB, is there any way to modify the bike so it will use a modern BB?

Thanks,

Gary,
East Snook, TX

You can find swiss thread BB stuff at the same place, phil wood. however i hear the other alternative is to re-tap the threads to british standard, which are met with moderate success.

I'd contact Phil Wood.
If you have to ream the BB shell (don't think so) you will have to retap it for Italian thread: BSC is too close to Swiss to retap it British, not enough "meat" there, AFAIK.

If you already have a Phil Wood bottom bracket you have the rings needed to mount a modified Shimano cartridge bottom bracket and save some money. You have to drive off the threaded part.

Are you saying that the spindle snapped in a crash? I've never heard of that happening.

You could either get another Phil BB or just get a replacement Phil spindle.

Thanks to all who've replied.

Unfortunately, I'm 1,000 miles removed from the situation and my son's phone has quit working for the time being, so I can't easily get more info.

He was told by a bike shop in Mpls, "...you need a new bottom bracket.", and that's what I'm going on. Also, the bike shop brought up the issue of the unavailablilty of Swiss thread parts, so I've assumed that there was some damage to the threaded cups. As far as the specific damage incurred, I'm really not sure, but it was a component failure that caused the crash as opposed to a crash damaging the bike - at least, that's my understanding.

For now, I'm going to try to get more information, but it appears that Phil Wood still makes the Swiss thread cups, which is good news.

Thanks again,

Gary