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-   -   Stronglight Bottom Bracket fit (https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1299704-stronglight-bottom-bracket-fit.html)

GCBM 09-05-24 09:28 PM

T.160, T.260 documentation
 

Originally Posted by GCBM (Post 23341522)
Since we have discussed Stronglight spindles and PhilFo has mentioned his cottered spindle issue. I have some Stronglight T-260 bottom brackets - the cottered roller bearing bottom bracket sets (photos below). Do any of you have any documentation for these so I have some idea what they fit?
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...522e89e5d8.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...77461cf2a5.jpg

Funny what happens when you open the box... no specs, but something...

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...78cea891b5.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...70790f6d87.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8677916840.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...27bd4c9964.jpg


bulgie 09-06-24 01:05 AM

Wow, so cool. Would you by any chance be willing to scan that document? The pics you uploaded are great, I can pretty much read it all, but scanned in a real document scanner would be easier on the eyes. I'm a beggar trying to be a chooser, don't worry if that's not something that's easy for you. The pics you posted already are fun and educational!

GCBM 09-06-24 02:32 PM


Originally Posted by bulgie (Post 23341895)
Wow, so cool. Would you by any chance be willing to scan that document? The pics you uploaded are great, I can pretty much read it all, but scanned in a real document scanner would be easier on the eyes. I'm a beggar trying to be a chooser, don't worry if that's not something that's easy for you. The pics you posted already are fun and educational!

I just have to remember to bring a set into the office. I have 8 boxes of those (6 for cottered cranks) and it appears most still have that paper. The end box markings all seem to be different - supposedly some are for doubles, some for triples but to the naked eye they look the same size. I'll have to do some measuring at some point for fun.

And I still haven't found a Stronglight article or spec sheet on them. As I noted earlier though - in part that may be because so far, what I can find by way of Stronglight catalogs completely miss the 60's when one fine fellow on here says they were marketed.

dddd 09-06-24 05:21 PM

I've read these weren't so great functionally.

Something about the clearances where adjusting the cups didn't fully eliminate chainring wiggle, since the radially-disposed roller's track diameter wasn't up to controlling the tilting of the spindle (where the other sets of rollers on the spindle had some discernible free-play.

I also imagine that the non-tapered rollers arranged to follow a flat but circular race would induce a lot of friction and wear even under clean conditions, and that they would be more greatly affected by their proximity to the elements.

That these made it into production suggests that these issues perhaps weren't that bad, but then again they didn't stay on the market for long since the cheaper ball-bearing versions were likely a lot cheaper and worked great.

Tapered-roller bottom bracket designs are also quite rare, since even those impose the added friction of the rollers constantly pushing outward against the retainer, and similarly more greatly affected by any intrusion of the elements.

oneclick 09-07-24 03:31 AM


Originally Posted by dddd (Post 23342506)
I've read these weren't so great functionally.

It's a bad design.
There is no adjustment for play orthogonal to the bb threads.

GCBM 10-09-24 12:51 PM

1 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by GCBM (Post 23342373)
I just have to remember to bring a set into the office. I have 8 boxes of those (6 for cottered cranks) and it appears most still have that paper. The end box markings all seem to be different - supposedly some are for doubles, some for triples but to the naked eye they look the same size. I'll have to do some measuring at some point for fun.

And I still haven't found a Stronglight article or spec sheet on them. As I noted earlier though - in part that may be because so far, what I can find by way of Stronglight catalogs completely miss the 60's when one fine fellow on here says they were marketed.

Sending you a message with the attached scan

bulgie 10-09-24 02:12 PM

Thanks!
For my own archive, since I'm not interested in the Italian, German and Spanish translations, I cropped it to just the graphic and the French/English instructions, saved as JPG, much smaller file size.
In case it's useful to anyone else, here's the result:
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f8c4b3c192.jpg

(I know, the original photo was just as readable, sorry for making you go to the effort of scanning it. Your scan does look nicer though!)

Road Fan 10-09-24 03:14 PM


Originally Posted by GCBM (Post 23341447)

Since you have a good set of specifications for the Stronglight spindles, I’d say take a caliper and measure th dimensions of your spindle and make sure it complies with one of the items on the chart. Then install the spindle and torque in the BB, install and tighten the arms and measure the centerline to pedal face off set for each pedal face. It’s good that your chain line looks good, but you can measure the chainring to frame center distance at the BB axis and the freewheel center to the center of the rear a hub gap. This last requires that the rear OLD is centered between the dropouts, in other words that your frame is actually aligned correctly.

This can be a tricky business, but when you get it right you’ll be rewarded with very good pedaling.


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