Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - *help* Removing 1970's Stronglight crankset

I have a Dawes Galaxy, identical to this one: http://www.kichline.com/chuck/bikes/Dawes/default.htm

Shown in the second picture is the Stronglight crankset. How would I go about getting this off? Should I just take it to a bikeshop?

Thanks in advance.

What you have is a cottered crank. See here on how to remove >>>> http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/cotters.html

don't turn this into a fixed gear

don't turn this into a fixed gear

this

don't turn this into a fixed gear
This +1.

Sell this on the "Classic & Vintage" forum and use the proceeds to buy a Pista or something more appropriate for a fixed gear.

If it really is exactly identical to the one in that article.
You could probably sell that on Ebay for an easy grand, if you clean it up nice, and have a shop tune everything up.

Then you can buy a banging real fixed gear.

Do you even have identical Nashbar tires? (Somewhere, Jesus is crying).

no, sorry. I meant the crankset is identical. The bike itself is more beat up, and it already is a fixed gear. Bleh I wanted to set up a better crankset, but the LBS folks told me that the BB is probably french threaded and how that's an expensive job.. something like $150 just for the cup.

I don't know too much about that noise. I just wanted to adjust my gear ratio because the hills in UC Santa Cruz are intense. I got it to work on the small chain ring and it was fine until the goddamn chain ring bent from the chain pressure.

I would love to buy a nice "real fixed gear," but I don't have $400+. I have more like $150 - lol. Besides, my rig is super comfortable - much better than the Motobecane Messenger I rode for a few weeks.

So yeah... that is where I am at now. <ROCK>me<HARDPLACE>

thanks for the replies though. keeps me entertained through my first days in these dorms..

no, sorry. I meant the crankset is identical. The bike itself is more beat up, and it already is a fixed gear. Bleh I wanted to set up a better crankset, but the LBS folks told me that the BB is probably french threaded and how that's an expensive job.. something like $150 just for the cup.

I don't know too much about that noise. I just wanted to adjust my gear ratio because the hills in UC Santa Cruz are intense. I got it to work on the small chain ring and it was fine until the goddamn chain ring bent from the chain pressure.

I would love to buy a nice "real fixed gear," but I don't have $400+. I have more like $150 - lol. Besides, my rig is super comfortable - much better than the Motobecane Messenger I rode for a few weeks.

Please post pics of said bike. If it's in even decent shape, you may be able to flip it into the hands of an adoring vintage bike enthusiast, buy a new fixed bike complete with the proceeds, and stop worrying about "that noise." And did your bike shop seriously tell you an old Dawes has French threads? If so, I'd find another shop...

I had a Dawes Lightning that was just a little too big that I bought as a conversion. I am pretty certain that a Dawes has regular English threads. Anyway, it was a great bike and very comfortable to ride.

there is nothing wrong with turning vintage bikes into fixed wheels. Touring bikes make a great choice for conversion if you want to ride fixed for distance. They have a more relaxed geometry and clearance for wider tires, allowing for a slower, but more comfortable ride.

Then again, if this doesn't appeal to you, sell it and buy something a little more aggressive.

and in the off chance the bike it french threaded, your LBS is full of **** (http://www.velo-orange.com/grcrufrthbob.html),

no, sorry. I meant the crankset is identical. The bike itself is more beat up, and it already is a fixed gear. Bleh I wanted to set up a better crankset, but the LBS folks told me that the BB is probably french threaded and how that's an expensive job.. something like $150 just for the cup.

All you need is to replace the axle (spindle) for the cottered cranks with a square taper axle. You can keep the existing bearing cups and ball bearings. Pretty nice aluminum square taper cranks are available for around $100, unless you want some fancy color anodized stuff. I've got some Sugino RD cranks on my FG that I paid only about $75 for, although they came with a steel chainring, which I changed out to aluminum for about $25.

no, sorry. I meant the crankset is identical. The bike itself is more beat up, and it already is a fixed gear. Bleh I wanted to set up a better crankset, but the LBS folks told me that the BB is probably french threaded and how that's an expensive job.. something like $150 just for the cup.
Dawes is an English brand (they're still building bikes) and I've never seen one with a French thread bottom bracket. It's almost certainly English thread, with all the possibilities that opens.

But don't destroy that nice crank. Remove it properly and sell it to someone who can appreciate it.