Classic & Vintage - Replacing cup and cone BB with Velo Orange cartridge type

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
yugdlo
02-13-12, 07:33 PM
I have a Motobecane that came with a Stronglight competition BB; 118mm ISO taper spindle. I love the looks of the Stronglight 49D crank, but alas old age has crept up on me, and TA rings are just too darned pricey.
Soooo; for the past 3 years or so I have been running a Sakae SA crank, using it as a compact double, 48, 34 chainrings. The crank is JIS tapered but has seemed to work OK; I do occasionally have to tighten the non drive side crank bolts. I am thinking about getting one of the Velo Orange French threaded cartridge BB's and get the crank back on a Jis taper spindle. I still have the original spindle from the SA. It is stamped 3S; a quick visit to Sheldon Browns, vault o knowledge tells me it is 121.5mm long. This may be a rhetorical question, but I assume I will be OK to get the 122mm spindle option from VO, but wanted to throw this out to you all, see what you think.

auchencrow
02-13-12, 09:06 PM
Why don't you just reinstall the 118mm ISO taper spindle and your 49D?
loose spoke
02-13-12, 09:16 PM
Yes, that should work, however, check to see if the spindle for the SA is symmetrical. If not, you may have clearance issues on the drive side with the VO which is symmetrical.

Bill Kapaun
02-13-12, 09:34 PM
The 3S has one end 5.5MM longer than the other.

IF the long end was on the crank, you need a 127MM BB.
IF the short side "" then a 116MM (117)
EDIT-
You'll note that Sheldon's chart gives the symmetrical equivalent on the far right column. That is IF the DS is the LONG side.

Symmetrical equivalent is 52 MM + 2X MM, where X is the DS length.
yugdlo
02-14-12, 04:43 AM
Why don't you just reinstall the 118mm ISO taper spindle and your 49D?

the 49D is 42, 52: I'm running a 34, 48. The VO bottom bracket is cheaper than a set of TA chain rings, and I have not found a 34 tooth TA ring
yugdlo
02-14-12, 04:57 AM
The 3S has one end 5.5MM longer than the other.

IF the long end was on the crank, you need a 127MM BB.
IF the short side "" then a 116MM (117)
EDIT-
You'll note that Sheldon's chart gives the symmetrical equivalent on the far right column. That is IF the DS is the LONG side.

Symmetrical equivalent is 52 MM + 2X MM, where X is the DS length.
The longer side was on the drive side. Unfortunately VO does not have a 127mm spindle.
Let me ask this. The spindle that came off the donor bike is still in good shape, and it came out of a 68mm shell, would that spindle work in the Stronglight bb?
753proguy
02-14-12, 02:39 PM
The longer side was on the drive side. Unfortunately VO does not have a 127mm spindle.
Let me ask this. The spindle that came off the donor bike is still in good shape, and it came out of a 68mm shell, would that spindle work in the Stronglight bb?

Yes, probably without any significant issue, but try it and see. The proof is is in 'le pudding....'