Classic & Vintage - Dust cap source?

Where have all the dust caps gone?

The vast majority of cranksets you see on auction, and cranks which you see on vintage bikes whether they're for sale locally or at auction, have come astray of their dust caps.

I think I have four nice Shimano sets which are completely or partially capless, and I'm coming up empty for a source, metal if possible, plastic if not.

Anyone?

I could use a set of metal Shimano ones myself. I bought a NOS set of grey Shimano plastic ones recently. Not quite sure how much they cost though as I got them with some other parts for a lump sum. They did have a few other packages of them.

bikeman has 'em... but the shimano ones are expensive at $8 each...

i found the black nashbar ones to be cheaper and just as effective... (bolt + dustcap in one!)

hth!

http://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi?c=Crank/Chainring&sc=Crank%20Dust%20Caps&id=938345413417

Bought generic metal ones at LBS for dirt cheap ($1 ea?).

Well, many people just tossed em in the old days cause it made you go faster! I had some generic, blank, aluminum ones that were multi-purpose, love to find some more.

I never scrap a pedal without saving at least the dustcap, if not the bearing cones, as well.

When I bought Capo #3, I was extremely glad to have saved a dustcap from Capo #1 after the frame broke.

Well, many people just tossed em in the old days cause it made you go faster! I had some generic, blank, aluminum ones that were multi-purpose, love to find some more.
From what I've heard, only the "poseurs" had dust caps on their bikes, all the fast guys and racers removed the dust caps.

From what I've heard, only the "poseurs" had dust caps on their bikes, all the fast guys and racers removed the dust caps.

So if you're not a racer or going particularly fast and you ride without dustcaps, wouldn't that make you a, uh, poseur?

Neal

Well, I rode with the racers, but always kept my dustcaps...

Ive got a set of Campys :) the crank set, dust caps, and Campy bolts are again available as Ive emailed and PMed the interested party repeatedly and have gotton no answer? :(
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/adustcaps003.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/adustcaps002.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/stumpyspic/adustcaps001.jpg

Well, I rode with the racers, but always kept my dustcaps...I threw mine away, but still couldn't stay with them. :(

Lots of them got chewed up in the removal process (improper tools) and so got pretty ugly! Just try to find pristine campy NR's, for instance. Also, manufacturers like Sugino took to using plastic ones which really got chewed up fast, usually from too narrow screwdriver blades.