Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Vintage cranks compatible?

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Vintage cranks compatible?

Old 12-05-06, 04:55 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
sekaijin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,142

Bikes: 2000 Litespeed Classic, 1984 Schwinn LeTour, 1998 Gary Fisher Marlin, 1969 Hercules, 1977 Sekai 5000 Superlite, 1993 Koga-Myata TerraLiner, 2013 Trek Farley.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Vintage cranks compatible?

My bike has its original TA cranks from the 1970s that I'm looking to swap out b/c I don't like the 49/40/28 chainring sizes.

I'm assuming that when I see vintage French cranks on eBay (TA, Stronglight, Peugeot, etc.) I can trust they are compatible with my current square-taper BB, my current crank bolts, and my current original pedals.

Can I also make that assumption for 1970s and 80s Shimano, Campy and other makers' cranks, if they show a square BB hole? Might there be a problem if the replacement crankset comes without its matching crank bolts?

Many thanks in advance!
sekaijin is offline  
Old 12-05-06, 04:57 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
cyclotoine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Yukon, Canada
Posts: 8,775
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 113 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 16 Times in 14 Posts
what sizes are you looking for? I have a 52/45 TA crankset...
__________________
1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
cyclotoine is offline  
Old 12-05-06, 07:57 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Grand Bois's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Pinole, CA, USA
Posts: 17,414
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 443 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 27 Times in 25 Posts
Wouldn't make more sense to change the chainrings on your present crank? I assume it's a Cyclotouriste. You can still get rings for it. I just bought a 52 for $12 on eBay.

In answer to your question, you can assume nothing. Do you have French pedal threads? Will a BB for a triple be too long for a double? Not all square tapers are the same. The Japanese use a different standard. If you have French bottom bracket threads, it's really going to get ugly.
Grand Bois is offline  
Old 12-06-06, 11:57 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
sekaijin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,142

Bikes: 2000 Litespeed Classic, 1984 Schwinn LeTour, 1998 Gary Fisher Marlin, 1969 Hercules, 1977 Sekai 5000 Superlite, 1993 Koga-Myata TerraLiner, 2013 Trek Farley.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Maybe changing the chainrings on my present crank, a Cyclotouriste, really is a better idea.

cyclotoine, I am interested and I sent you a PM - just wanted to confirm you saw it.
sekaijin is offline  
Old 12-11-06, 10:31 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
sekaijin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,142

Bikes: 2000 Litespeed Classic, 1984 Schwinn LeTour, 1998 Gary Fisher Marlin, 1969 Hercules, 1977 Sekai 5000 Superlite, 1993 Koga-Myata TerraLiner, 2013 Trek Farley.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Dirt, you did really well paying just $12 for your 52 ring on eBay. I just paid $37 for a 34 ring to replace my 28. Hopefully the sale of my 28 will make it a wash, or almost.

A 52 is coming up for auction again, we'll see. (My LBS has the TA 52s and 53s but at $60 and $70.)
sekaijin is offline  
Old 12-11-06, 03:14 PM
  #6  
Dolce far niente
 
bigbossman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 10,834
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times in 13 Posts
I just saw this Cyclotouriste ad posted on CL. It's local to me, so I can act as your agent if you want to arrange it.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/247389348.html
__________________
"Love is not the dying moan of a distant violin, it’s the triumphant twang of a bedspring."

S. J. Perelman
bigbossman is offline  
Old 12-11-06, 09:00 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Sluggo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Left bank, Knoxville TN
Posts: 627
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 51 Post(s)
Liked 130 Times in 58 Posts
You can get a good range of TA rings new. Harris cyclery, among others, stocks them.

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/frenc...ks.html#bottom
Sluggo is offline  
Old 12-13-06, 03:06 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
sekaijin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,142

Bikes: 2000 Litespeed Classic, 1984 Schwinn LeTour, 1998 Gary Fisher Marlin, 1969 Hercules, 1977 Sekai 5000 Superlite, 1993 Koga-Myata TerraLiner, 2013 Trek Farley.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
bossman, many thanks for the offer. Great idea, but it looks like the ring sizes posted on your local craigslist are not what I need (and then there's the motley collection of damaged and orphan crank arms ...). My TA rings are 28/40/49; I just got a 34 inner to replace the 28 (overpaid $37, would have loved to get your local 33 for $16 OBO); now looking for a 52 or 53 outer.

Hoping at the end of the day it will all shift properly without also replacing the front derailleur. It's the original Suntour Cyclone from 1977, a double derailleur over a triple crankset. It was unable to upshift from the 28 to the 40. The 28 was only an "emergency gear" for hard climbs that you had to get out of by stopping and manually lifting the chain. I'm hoping it will shift fully between 34/40/52 or 53.

TA rings are available here and there, just not usually cheap ...
sekaijin is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.