Originally Posted by
Sixty Fiver
A good road double (reduced to a single) can be used with a square taper spindle... you will need a number 5 spindle to replace the cottered one and this can be done as long as your bearing cups are in good condition.
A new spindle costs about $7.00 and most good shops should be able to get them if they don't stock them.
i've never found a shop that stocks them. I got a spindle on ebay, it is a TA 344. However, it's actually too long (even though it's supposedly equivalent to a 5 series). It works, but the adjustable cup doesn't thread in as far as it should and there are some exposed threads... makes me nervous.
Do a search on sheldon's site for more info about using 5-series square-taper spindles with french bottom brackets