Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - French Frame Fiasco!

Greetings! Long time reader, First time poster...

I have an old Peugeot frame (roughly 125 mm rear spacing) lying around and I'd like to use it. Yes, I know it's probably more trouble than it's worth, but I don't mind. I was cruising the webs and noticed Velo Orange carries an Edco Competition bottom bracket which is french threaded ( http://www.velo-orange.com/edbobr.html ). I want to know if i could make a fixed gear conversion work with this bottom bracket (it has a 122 mm spindle). The interesting thing about the bottom bracket is that it uses two lock rings and you can make adjustments for the chain line.

So i guess what i want to know is could I make this work without too much hastle using standard 42mm chain line components (120 mm rear hub and track crank) with the use of appropriate spacers and dishing if necessary.

I'm not very familiar with conversions, especially Peugeot.

Cheers!

That's a pretty slick idea, and it seems to have quite a bit of travel such that you could probably use it with a wide variety of cranksets. You might try calling Velo Orange to see if they know how much adjustment it allows.

Still, do you have the original (presumably adjustable) bb? If so, you could save some serious cash by swapping spindles, changing chainring placement on the crank spider, or using spacers/different bolts with your chainring. If there's an existing crankset, you're probably only a couple of mm off as it is, which makes it relatively easy to tweak the chainline.

i hope that peugeot is incredible if you're looking to drop $78+shipping on a BB...

that said, it looks like a sweet BB, and your frame is probably 126mm, that's the standard before the move to 135

Go to the bike mechanics thread. Focus on the crank first.

I don't know whether the taper is ISO or not, which makes a difference. Once you figure that out, then find a crank that matches the spindle length. Remember that if you use a compact crankset out can cheat the chainline in by mounting on the inner ring and out on the outer ring.

Thank you all for responding. I'll post updates if i decide to pursue this project.

that length might be too long depending on your cranks. i had a 115mm bottom bracket with some sugino cranks. gave me a terrible chainline on my 70's peugeot.

Check the vintage of the Pug. From about 1979 to 1983, they were Swiss thread; before that, French, after that English. You spacing makes it likely it's from this confusing mid seventies to mid eighties period.

I'd just find an old Sugino/Sakae/Shimano BB (proper thread, natch) and use that to convert it. Cheaper and more choice in regards to spindle, frankly.

EVERY FRENCH FRAME IS A FIASCO!!!

(This is not true. If it's Reynolds, or has Camply dropouts, or some similar indicator that it was not a piece of crap when it was made, then it may be worth putting $150 for a Phil BB with proper length spindle. Otherwise DON'T BOTHER! Seriously. Waste of time.)

I will not argue that, haha. As of right now, I think I'm just going to refinish the frame with some Peugeot decals I obtained and slap it on ebay and hopefully make a few bucks, I don't have much to lose with doing so...

EVERY FRENCH FRAME IS A FIASCO!!!

(This is not true. If it's Reynolds, or has Camply dropouts, or some similar indicator that it was not a piece of crap when it was made, then it may be worth putting $150 for a Phil BB with proper length spindle. Otherwise DON'T BOTHER! Seriously. Waste of time.)

+1 to both.

But isn't it curious how often they come up here (and in the Vintage forum)? Something about them is very desirable for so many of us to put up with some real hassles. I also have a vintage Miyata that is awesome and well-built, but I can tell you that few if any of the Japanese bikes are as great-looking as the good French and Italian classics.

Sometimes it is worth a $140 BB and $50 seatpost to have a little beauty in your life. Seriously, taking my family to a Giants game costs WAY more than that, lasts only a few hours, and usually results in watching them lose.

Peugeots have some great paint.

I talked to an architect for an hour today and it cost $150.

Peugeots have some great paint.

I talked to an architect for an hour today and it cost $150.

+1 on I can't piss for less than $150 when it comes to home renovation.