Classic & Vintage - am I crazy or what?

As you probably already know if you read these forums, I have a 1975 Peugeot UO-18. It has the original cottered cranks. For some reason I'm not sure I understand, I want to change them to cotterless cranks. :roflmao: Anywho, the only way to do that apparently is to buy a Phil Wood french thread bottom bracket for a whopping $150.:eek: But I really, really, really want to do it. Understand that this is not a pristine bike. It is chipped with rust showing through, I have my bottle cages attached with pipe clamps because there are no braze-ons, it has rear baskets and a trunk bag, etc., etc., etc. But I seriously love :love: my bike, crappy though it may be.
What do you think I should do? Keep the original cranks or spring for the big bucks and change them? I kind of hoping that someone will sound the voice of reason here. But, I'm also kind of hoping that everybody says, "go on and do it". Please help me!!:rolleyes:
I'm also thinking of powder coating it----but that's a whole other issue!!

or you could simply reuse the original cups and get a square spindle which will be less than 20bucks and a set of crank arms and rings

wthose Phil Wood look real nice, and once you have one as you are using the same crankset you can just get cups and move it from bike to bike.

can you put a cotterless spindle in those cups? I am not sure the diameter is the same

How do I know what size spindle to get?
Thanks for the reply.
Kate

http://www.velo-orange.com/grcrufrthbob.html

Way cheaper.

Sorry, I might have missed your previous posts on this bike, but do you have a special personal attachement to this UO-18?? spending the big money on the Phil Wood bottom bracket might be worth it if you do, but if not, I suggest you just save the money you were going to use on the expensive Phil Wood bottom bracket, sell the UO-18 and get a newer, better Peugeot or any brand bike with modern cranks that catches your eye with the money. There's lots out there in the market to pick from.
JMOs

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

How do I know what size spindle to get?
Thanks for the reply.
Kate
take the old one out and take it to you lbs

Chombi,
I do have a personal attachment to my UO-18. I got it at the local bike collective and did the work of fixing it up to make it rideable. And I paid for it with volunteer hours. Now I am really involved in the collective as a volunteer. It's also the same bike that I bought with graduation money when I got out of high school. same color, everything. I love my crappy bike!!

WOW $48 very nice I think you need to look for new cranks and get the size that crankset needs. have you thought about what cranks you will use?

First you need to know what crankset you're going to use so you can find out what length spindle it needs. Then get a square taper spindle of the correct length and taper. Or go with a JIS crankset and get the Velo Orange cartrige BB of the correct length.

I say go for it. Unless you want to keep it original, an alloy crank and wheels will make the bike feel a lot livelier. A UO-18 is a real comfortable bike to ride. I built-up one for my wife with an Ultegra crankset, Shimano RD, Tektro brakes and alloy wheels. The bike weighs under 25 lbs and my wife loves it. I think I will swap the crankset for a Stronglight 49 or 91 though...looks more vintage.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c298/koskid/DSC03703.jpg

Well, you may be insane.
We'll send a truck around.

Not for you, silly, put the bike in it.

Other alternatives include a YST threadless bottom bracket (but there have been some quaility issues with these) or getting a good LBS to re-thread the bottom bracket to Italian. However, the Chombi would probably be my choice.

Unless you want to keep it original, an alloy crank and wheels will make the bike feel a lot livelier.

I agree about the wheels --or, specifically, the rims; I like the original Normandy hubs-- but I don't see the point of changing the crank. I like the better cottered cranks such as you find on the old Peugeots, and the weight difference is not as much as you'd think.

Ouu this is a good thread for me to read. i'm doing something kind of the same with my Peugeot I got the other day. it's also that age and has cotters. i'm making mine spruced up. so if you want i'll test the BB idea, since I've got parts galore I most likely have all parts needed. even nice 27" alloy presta rims

If you do some of that stuff before I do let me know how it went

there's also the bb from Bicycle Quarterly that looks nice. My mother has an old Peugeot mixte. She wants a bike that has larger tires, but I was thinking new derailleurs, crank, 700c, and she's good to go. She doesn't listen to me though, when Im in the position to help her with it I'll probably find out she threw the Peugeot in the trash and got a big box bike.

I did the next best thing. I just tested it. lol I found a random spindle and tryed it. it was a tad small but works. for now that is. it's not rideable yet.
Since we are on this topic. Should it be single speed or 12 speed?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/demonic_inu/100_1848.jpg

The number of speeds you need depends on how you are going to ride it - if you are just hopping around, then single speed is fine - if you plan to ride it longer, go for a 12 speed.

I have a single speed fixed gear that is fun, but I don't use it for transprtation, unless it's a run around the corner to the library or something - I use it to ride in the morning to get in better shape. Multiple gears means you can load up a bag and go for a nice ride into the country, if you choose. Single speeds can do that as well, but why would you want to limit yourself if you don't have to?

That bike looks like a good start - I'd reccommend you poke around here before you make a bunch of purchases - decide what you want and make calculated purchases to make the bike what you want. Look at VO orange and Rivendell as well, and try to make a plan before you jump in.

[edit] Well, it looks like you have a lot of bikes, so this won't be your only ride. If you don't have a singlespeed, then I'd say singlespeed it.

Mkay. and I rarely buy parts. lol basicly tires only I've got parts and parts galor! I just got five whole bikes today lol

My opinion: Cottered cranks are cool. Keep them. I agree with dck's observation that alloy rims would make more difference in ride quality.

But if you really want to do it here is a tip I found in Southerland's: an inexpensive Shimano bottom bracket can be mounted with Phil rings if you remove the fixed cup from the Shimano (using a vice and a plastic hammer). I have not tried this approach but it seems like a useful one to pass on to all you french-, raleigh-, and swiss-threaded bottom bracket owners looking for options.