Hi,

I have a question about the correct tool I need to pull stronglight cranks. The cranks are on a Motobecane mixte with 531 tubing and nervex lugs. Based on what I have read here I think it must be either a Grand Jubilee or maybe a Grand Record. It came with a stronglight headset and huret rd with a replacement shimano fd. I'm just throwing in this other info in case it helps answer my question. I have also attached pics of the cranks. Also, on the back of the non-drive side crank is stamped "160" (length I presume?) and "9/16-20"

I see a couple of stronglight crank pullers on ebay now and they look like they will be pricey. Is this one of those tools that might be too rare and expensive to bother purchasing? I will be keeping this bike for the long term so maybe a high price is justified.

Any thoughts or info is greatly appreciated.

If you are going to keep it, buy the tool. I have one I bought 30 years ago. Do not need it often, but when I do, it's there. You cannot count on your LBS to have the correct thread puller.

If you want to pull off those cranks (model 49D), you'll need a Stronglight puller. Biketoolsetc.com sells a Stein version for $30 (item #SN-STEX). Certainly if you just need to pull the crank one time to service the bottom bracket, you might as well have your LBS do it (and perhaps they won't charge you). If you're a tool hoarder like me, you'll buy the tool.

Neal

I can't tell exactly what model Stronglight that is (49D?), but if you plan on keeping it make sure you use the correct puller - otherwise you'll end up with a ruined crank thread, which happened to the model 93 on my girlfriend's PX-10, courtesy of a mechanic who decided to use a TA puller instead of a Stronglight one. A TA puller is NOT the correct one, even if they do seem like they thread in okay. From memory, the TA puller is 23.15mm and the Stronglight one is 23.35mm. I may be wrong on these sizes, but like I said, a TA puller can ruin a crank, and I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who has had this happen to them. Good luck!....

Thanks for your responses!

I was not aware of the biketoolsetc.com version. I guess I'll take the plunge since I do like to squirrel away parts and tools. B-day is come and gone, maybe I can score one for mother's day.

Cheers, and thanks again for the info and perspective everyone.

The T.A. puller is 23mm. The Stronglight puller is 23.35mm. Buy the extractor if you're going to keep the bike. If you take the bike to a shop to have the crank pulled, the tool they use may have been around for 30-40 years and have damaged threads that will damage the threads in your crank. Chances are they'll try to pull it with the wrong tool, anyway.

The TA puller size is 23mm. I've never worked on Stronglight, but I see J.A. Stein pullers for Stronglight in both the 23.35mm and 23.15mm sizes:

23.15mm ("for 1982 and earlier") on Sheldon Brown/Harris.

23.35mm on velo-orange.

Be sure to put your tools away when your done. I was cleaning off the work bench this weekend and was getting ready to toss some screen door handle pieces I had hung onto for some reason (the door from our house to the garage was originally on my wife's late Granddad's house and the handle crapped out -- my wife gets sentimental about just about everything and I wasn't sure if I should throw out the old handle so I left it sitting there). Sitting next to the aluminum door handle parts were the two cylindrical pieces of my vintage Stronglight crank puller -- looking just like part of the door handle assembly and something that would make great aluminum scrap. Fortunately I gave it a second look before it hit the aluminum bin. Yikes!

Anyway -- get the right tool, but not a disposable one ...

Just to confirm, the Stein made puller from biketoolsetc.com (23.35mm) will be a good quality tool, right? And as for the 23.15mm versus the 23.35mm, do I assume these cranks are pre-1982? Is there a way to tell the difference?

Your info and input are again appreciated.

It's a typo on the Harris site. The size is 23.35.

Okay, thanks very much for the clarification. That makes everthing easier. When I get the tool, I'll be sure to give it an extra special and safe place in the tool box.

I believe that Sheldon's is a typo, the correct size is 23.35, he got one digit wrong but the spirit of the info is correct: it ain't the same as the TA (23 even). Later Stronglights went to the 22mm standard that *virtually* everything else uses.
OH, I see Dirtdrop already said that, I didn't see...

stein tools are really nice !

one other thing you may find you need is a thin-walled 16mm socket to fit the original crankbolts

Thanks for the tip!

I took a set off with my TA size tool, but I was lucky. Here's another source:

https://www.velo-orange.com/jast23stcrpu.html

I love the Velo Orange site, but not so much that I'm willing to pay $15 more than Bike Tools Etc is charging for exactly the same tool.