Originally Posted by
kyleboyd
I know this is old but can anyone give me some further direction on replacing the selecta bottom bracket? I am not an experienced/knowledgeable bike mechanic, but I'm attempting to rebuild an old 70's road bike. Any (specific) help would be great!
Selecta/Integer was Shimano's solution to a problem that didn't exist; they moved the freewheel mechanism into the crankset and made the gear cluster essentially fixed (it -does- freewheel, but it's very stiff). This allowed the rider to shift while coasting, which is, to me, unspeakably and gleefully cool. The only fly in the ointment is that this required an oversized bottom bracket shell, the old American Standard size. Realizing this, Hiroshi and Hiro did their homework and produced a product that was startlingly well-engineered. Selecta/Integer is, essentially, a proto-Octolink; witness the bearings just as far outboard as can be, and the splined attachment of the crankarms. Sadly it didn't sell (IMO because the bikes it went on were heavy girls-frame Schwinns, not lightweights) and went the way of all flesh.
The good news is, you can buy bushings that screw into your frame and make it useable with a square-taper three-piece crankset. They run about $30 the set. IF you choose to not go this route, your cups (if salvageable) are useable with one-piece cranks, available everywhere.