1988 Paramount crank issue
05-01-17, 03:25 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Brooklyn
Posts: 49
Bikes: Surly Cross Check, GT Timberline, Trek 730 Multitrack, Univega Gran Turismo, Schwinn Paramount
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
1988 Paramount crank issue
Hi All,
I recently had my 1988 Paramount 50th anniversary edition frame restored by Waterford and started the build. I have a Dura Ace 9 speed group set (triple) that I was planning to use. The crank is a 7703 which takes an Octalink bb 118.5mm. I installed the bb and when I installed the drive side crank, it was very obvious that there is no clearance for the chain on the inner ring. Is this group set just not compatible? I believe the bb is installed correctly and I am a bit baffled.Thanks in advance for any ideas or advice. I would love to have a double rather than a triple but unfortunately my knees won this one.
Lori
I recently had my 1988 Paramount 50th anniversary edition frame restored by Waterford and started the build. I have a Dura Ace 9 speed group set (triple) that I was planning to use. The crank is a 7703 which takes an Octalink bb 118.5mm. I installed the bb and when I installed the drive side crank, it was very obvious that there is no clearance for the chain on the inner ring. Is this group set just not compatible? I believe the bb is installed correctly and I am a bit baffled.Thanks in advance for any ideas or advice. I would love to have a double rather than a triple but unfortunately my knees won this one.
Lori
05-01-17, 04:35 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 1,883
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 263 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
8 Posts
Unless I'm missing something, there doesn't need to be clearance for the chain. As long as the chainring won't hit the chainstay, the chain is never down there?
05-01-17, 04:36 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: GWN
Posts: 2,538
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1858 Post(s)
Liked 606 Times
in
403 Posts
You may be using the wrong Bottom Bracket. This link may explain it better than I can.
Octalink v1 or v2? - BikeRadar Forum
Octalink v1 or v2? - BikeRadar Forum
05-01-17, 04:51 PM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Brooklyn
Posts: 49
Bikes: Surly Cross Check, GT Timberline, Trek 730 Multitrack, Univega Gran Turismo, Schwinn Paramount
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yup I realized that after I posted. Omg I am an idiot 
. Thanks! Maybe I should post some pictures of the bike to divert attention away lol.
. Thanks! Maybe I should post some pictures of the bike to divert attention away lol.
05-01-17, 05:56 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 4,094
Bikes: 199? Landshark Roadshark, 198? Mondonico Diamond, 1987 Panasonic DX-5000, 1987 Bianchi Limited, Univega... Chrome..., 1989 Schwinn Woodlands, Motobecane USA Record, Raleigh Tokul 2
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1131 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
05-01-17, 09:11 PM
#8
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,402
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1556 Post(s)
Liked 2,024 Times
in
989 Posts
@jdpt , you are correct to have a 118.5mm spindle length for a triple Octalink crankset of that era (7703 Dura Ace, 6503 Ultegra, 5503 105). Octalink V1 is your ticket. V2 BBs are, to my knowledge, only for mountain. Their spline width and depth are different (and thankfully obviously so) and they are labeled differently. V1's will be labeled BB-XXXX, so a 'paired' Dura Ace crankset to Dura Ace BB would have a 7703-labeled crankset to a BB-7703 bottom bracket. BB-6503 and BB5503 would also work just fine, and as others have stated, much more set-it-and-forget-it. I have both the million-bearings 7700 bottom bracket as well as a few lower-ranked ones. All work well for me!
As long as your smallest chainring clears the chain stay, you are good to go! Clearance, whether it be 10mm or 1mm, is clearance, so don't sweat it unless you have the leg power of 50 track cyclists. I've run less than 1mm clearance on a bike and at 6'5" / 215 can't get 175mm triple cranks to contact the frame (I am certainly not the last word in power output here, but am not a slouch...for short distances!).
There is (another) special place in my C&V heart for Dura Ace triples as they are so rare and intriguing. The Dura Ace to please the eyes, the triple to please the knees, and leg muscles, and heart, and lungs.... There is a 7803 crankset for sale at my LBS and it's my length and for a great price. Very tempting, but I already have a 7800 crank on a bike I really like! Tyranny of the immediate opportunity! Looking forward to seeing your Paramount completed. 50th Anniversary, mmmmm... 
As long as your smallest chainring clears the chain stay, you are good to go! Clearance, whether it be 10mm or 1mm, is clearance, so don't sweat it unless you have the leg power of 50 track cyclists. I've run less than 1mm clearance on a bike and at 6'5" / 215 can't get 175mm triple cranks to contact the frame (I am certainly not the last word in power output here, but am not a slouch...for short distances!).
There is (another) special place in my C&V heart for Dura Ace triples as they are so rare and intriguing. The Dura Ace to please the eyes, the triple to please the knees, and leg muscles, and heart, and lungs....
There is a 7803 crankset for sale at my LBS and it's my length and for a great price. Very tempting, but I already have a 7800 crank on a bike I really like! Tyranny of the immediate opportunity! Looking forward to seeing your Paramount completed. 50th Anniversary, mmmmm...
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
webike4fun
Classic & Vintage
17
08-27-10 01:50 PM
