Threadless or threaded BB?
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8
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Threadless or threaded BB?
I would like to replace the BB of a 1970 (or 1969, I'm not 100% sure) Allegro Anquetil in order to install a sealed square taper BB instead of the original cottered BB.
Since it's a 1970 Allegro (thus made in Switzerland), I think that it is reasonable to expect a swiss threaded BB. I'm looking at 2 options:
1/ Velo Orange threadless BB, to be safe (if it's not a swiss thread and/or if the thread is stripped)
please paste in your browser velo-orange.com/collections/bottom-brackets/products/grand-cru-threadless-bottom-brackets (sorry I'm not allowed to post URL's yet)
2/ IRD QB-55 Quad bottom Bracket with IRD conversion BB cups
please paste in your browser store.interlocracing.com/qbqubobr1.html
please paste in your browser store.interlocracing.com/italianbbcups.html
Should I choose option 1 or 2? Or is there another option that I'm not aware of?
Does anyone have any experience with Velo Orange and/or IRD products ?
Thank you!
Since it's a 1970 Allegro (thus made in Switzerland), I think that it is reasonable to expect a swiss threaded BB. I'm looking at 2 options:
1/ Velo Orange threadless BB, to be safe (if it's not a swiss thread and/or if the thread is stripped)
please paste in your browser velo-orange.com/collections/bottom-brackets/products/grand-cru-threadless-bottom-brackets (sorry I'm not allowed to post URL's yet)
2/ IRD QB-55 Quad bottom Bracket with IRD conversion BB cups
please paste in your browser store.interlocracing.com/qbqubobr1.html
please paste in your browser store.interlocracing.com/italianbbcups.html
Should I choose option 1 or 2? Or is there another option that I'm not aware of?
Does anyone have any experience with Velo Orange and/or IRD products ?
Thank you!
#2
Full Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 390
Likes: 81
From: Switzerland
Bikes: 1957 Alpa Special, 1963 Condor Delta, 1967 Tigra Sprint, 1977 Oltenia, 1987 Mondia, 1965 Staco de luxe, 1969 Amberg
If the drive side cup is still fine i would stay with the original. Or just change the spindle.
#4
Senior Member

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 166
From: Mountain Brook. AL
If your BB shell is indeed Swiss that locks you into the high priced options listed. Swiss shell should be the right diameter
for the Velo Orange threadless BB which is limited to max of 35mm ID on the shell. All three companies have a good
rep (Velo Orange, IRD, Phil Wood ) but Phil will be even more expensive than the other two. I would go for whichever is
available and cheapest. A brief search did not show other threadless BB options but I believe there are some.
Amazon has this: https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Threadless-Repair-Bracket-122-5mm/dp/B001644PSC/ref=pd_cp_200_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=fcaa6d12-8b2b-4ad7-b277-864b2da79f6e&pf_rd_r=EF3J8T28QFYK3AJ6B3BT&pd_rd_wg=95uRK&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=4OGKA&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=18daf808-a4a6-11e8-ab43-b9b76271e88c&pd_rd_i=B001644PSC&psc=1&refRID=EF3J8T28QFYK3AJ6B3BT
Cheap enough to experiment with.
Phil needs a special tool for their rings, maybe IRD also (?)
You also need an estimate spindle length, top of the head length guess would be 118 or 122mm for double CW setup,
purely a guess.
for the Velo Orange threadless BB which is limited to max of 35mm ID on the shell. All three companies have a good
rep (Velo Orange, IRD, Phil Wood ) but Phil will be even more expensive than the other two. I would go for whichever is
available and cheapest. A brief search did not show other threadless BB options but I believe there are some.
Amazon has this: https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Threadless-Repair-Bracket-122-5mm/dp/B001644PSC/ref=pd_cp_200_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=fcaa6d12-8b2b-4ad7-b277-864b2da79f6e&pf_rd_r=EF3J8T28QFYK3AJ6B3BT&pd_rd_wg=95uRK&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=4OGKA&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=18daf808-a4a6-11e8-ab43-b9b76271e88c&pd_rd_i=B001644PSC&psc=1&refRID=EF3J8T28QFYK3AJ6B3BT
Cheap enough to experiment with.
Phil needs a special tool for their rings, maybe IRD also (?)
You also need an estimate spindle length, top of the head length guess would be 118 or 122mm for double CW setup,
purely a guess.
Last edited by sch; 08-20-18 at 12:26 PM.
#5
Nigel
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 7
From: San Jose, CA
Bikes: 1980s and 1990s steel: CyclePro, Nishiki, Schwinn, SR, Trek........
I'd start with the Sunlite option first. Niagara Cycle Works also stocks them. And there are undoubtedly other sources too. Pick the correct spindle length for your new crankset.
#6
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Hi Kovkov, thanks for your answer. The drive side cup is still fine but the spindle is not the original one and I strongly suspect that the one in place now doesn't have the correct dimensions since there is play in the BB. Since I don't know anything about spindles (their radii and/or models) I'd rather play it safe and get a new sealed BB.
#9
#10
Full Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 390
Likes: 81
From: Switzerland
Bikes: 1957 Alpa Special, 1963 Condor Delta, 1967 Tigra Sprint, 1977 Oltenia, 1987 Mondia, 1965 Staco de luxe, 1969 Amberg
Hi Kovkov, thanks for your answer. The drive side cup is still fine but the spindle is not the original one and I strongly suspect that the one in place now doesn't have the correct dimensions since there is play in the BB. Since I don't know anything about spindles (their radii and/or models) I'd rather play it safe and get a new sealed BB.
#11
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 33,657
Likes: 1,119
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
#12
Clark W. Griswold




Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 18,448
Likes: 6,758
From: ,location, location
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
My Cilo is made in Switzerland and I thought for sure it must be Swiss threaded and dang it, it was French so I have an extra Swiss cup laying about. I went with a QB-95 on it and it is smooth as butter but was difficult to remove the old BSA cups. Phil Wood also is a nice choice because you can literally get any sort of threaded cups and was the only choice for my Phil Wood frame but alas their newer stuff loses the red engraved logo which bothers me a bit even though nobody will see it.





