Old 08-02-15, 04:03 PM
  #17  
verktyg 
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Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro

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Originally Posted by Chromolo
As for the crank and spindle issue, I measured my current BB at 102mm in length and concur with you about the one needed being 111mm as referenced by
VeloBase.com - Component: Campagnolo FC-01CH, Chorus.

So I googled to see if any were for sale and came across this listing:
Campagnolo Chorus Bottom Bracket Square Taper 68 mm x 112 mm English Thread | eBay

Could this guy be wrong? I have not seen any of this era bottom brackets in 112mm. It's possible that it is 111mm. In any case, if it is 112, would it be satisfactory? Also, is it a good idea to change just the spindle and leave the same cups since my current BB is Record?
The original 102mm wide BB in your frame is for later model Chorus crankset.

111mm is the "correct" spindle length for the earlier Chorus cranks.

112mm vs 111mm spindle length can be a matter of manufacturing tolerances... or the seller didn't or couldn't measure it correctly.

Contrary to urban myth and wishful thinking, bottom bracket components and crank arms used wide manufacturing tolerances and were never that accurate!

THESE WERE BICYCLE PARTS... NOT SWISS WATCH MOVEMENTS! (I'm yelling at the true believers in the cycling world, not you)



A few years back I was putting together a cheap SS beater bike for wet weather riding. After ~40 years of messing around with BBs I decided to do a quick and dirty documentation of my trials and errors on this project:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/282672...7627678462359/

Read the info below the photos for details...

I accurately measured over 40 BB spindles and BB cartridges plus BB cups and a lot of crank arms. These included Phil Wood, Campy, Stronglight, Shimano, Suntour, TA, Avocet and other brands.



The Phil Wood BBs were the only ones that repeatedly met the published specs. All of the others were consistently way out of spec.

"Make to print, beat to fit, paint to hide!"

That said, plus or minus 1mm or 2mm difference in the spindle length isn't going to matter to anyone who isn't OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).

Once the soft aluminum crank arms have been tightened onto the spindle, the internal squares distort to fit the taper.. It's a force fit! After that, all the bunk about ISO, JIS and so on is just that... See my flicker album in the link above.

Crank arms that have been frequently removed and replaced or ones that have been run loose can be scrap... They will fit too far onto the spindle:



There are a number of the Campy 111mm Chorus BB cartridges currently listed on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Bottom-Brack...and=Campagnolo

You will need a BB tool to install the cartridge. Make sure to thoroughly clean out the threads in the BB shell and the cartridge - even if you take it to a LBS to install (especially if you take it to a shop).

Park makes a tool that sells for ~$9.00

BBT-5/FR-11



verktyg retrotrogrouch

Chas.
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Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....

Chas. ;-)

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