jamesj

on my 1988 raleigh 3 speed i want to change out the cranks they are cottered. what is the process to get new ones installed do i have to change out the bottom bracket also.

and another question. i bought a brooks b67 for my bike and i also bought a kalloy 374 uno in a size 26.0 but i noticed even after greasing threads tightening it it starts to lean back.

so i read that a two post would work are there any suggestions you have on a two bolt seatpost.
i was looking at the nitto s-83 but i noticed it only comes in a 27.2 size.

tatfiend 

Bottom bracket will need to be changed. For a bike as new as 1988 the BB should be standard threading. Older Raleighs used proprietary threading, a PITA for restorers.

HSean

I also want the cotters out of my 70's Sports, damn things keep wearing and pedding is anoyying, hence the bike does more then 20k a day lol

rhm

Aw, c'mon guys, this is the Classic and Vintage forum. Keep your cotters on! There's nothing wrong with a cottered crank, assuming it's all properly installed, and a Raleigh Sports with a cotterless crank would just ... be ... well, wrong.

Roll-Monroe-Co

Hear, hear, here. Crap like this is going to bring out the Grouch.

I like my 1971 schwinn varsity, but it would be better if the frame were made of carbon fiber. I think I'll swap it out.

Grand Bois

I agree. A Raleigh Sports with a cotterless crank would be an abomination.

If you fit the cotters and install them with a press they won't give you any trouble.

frpax

.
+1
Properly installed cotters will last years. And they're extremely cheap to replace. My LBS changed one for me for free...

Dan Burkhart 

Only the spindle needs to be changed, not the entire bottom bracket. Just be sure the width of the centre section of the replacement matches the original.
I'm with the others here, though that say why replace it if it ain't broke?

jamesj

now i feel guilty for wanting to change my cranks out.
so i don't think i would change them now.

but does anyone have any info on a seatpost.

Sixty Fiver

I changed the bb and cranks on my Phillip's 20 the other day and I have also done this on my Peugeot and my other Philip's folder.

They had very poor quality cottered cranks.

rhm

Hey, didn't mean to guilt trip you, but glad you're considering keeping them.

It's probably a 25.4 and probably quite short. If you need a longer one (I usually do), it's pretty easy to find one in either aluminum or steel. The original seat probably had double rails, so you pretty much have to use a clamp that holds them; if you're using a modern seat with single rails, you have more options.

Doohickie

Definitely get rid of your cottered cranks.

And send them to me.

Seriously, if anyone is going to do this (or has an extra cottered crank BB and crank set), PM me.

Sixty Fiver

If I come across and decent ones I'll let you know... we get oodles of them at the co-op.

MnHPVA Guy

I'm the guy who finances his bike addiction selling cotter presses, and even I can't agree with that as a blanket statement.

If you have bike with a good set of cottered cranks, and other original components are also good, it makes no sense to replace the cranks. Years after tourists had alloy cotterless cranks, most racers were still using steel cottered cranks. They wouldn't have done this if cotters weren't as reliable (when installed properly)

But if your cranks and other components are shot, but the frame is good, why not modernize the bike, while retaining as much of it's character as possible. Here's mine; https://bikesmithdesign.com/MyBikes/Raleigh/sports.html

If you are going to a modern crank; Another thing that IMHO makes no sense is spending a huge wad of cash for Phil Wood BB and mounting rings, or mounting rings and an increasingly rare UN-72. Just get the shell retapped to 24 tpi and you will never have to deal with 26 tpi again.

Sixty Fiver

Note the cottered cranks on my Lenton (it is a fixed gear)... they are rock solid and have been on the bike for 54 years. I had to replace one worn pin when I got the bike and they have not needed to be touched for several years.

My 1957 Peugeot has cottered cranks and they too are rock solid and I do think that in later years cottered cranks only appeared on low end bikes and the quality of these was pretty poor... the pins were soft and the steel used in the chain rings was pretty low grade.

This is not the case with older bicycles and Raleigh's quality control was very high on their upper end bicycles including their three speeds like the Sports and Superbe.

My Phillip's folders on the other hand had sad little cranks and I can lay down far too much power for them to handle so out they went. The R20 comes with the much better heron crank.


The fixed gear runs a Stronglight.


The 3 speed runs a Shimano 600.

My Peugeot fixed gear road bike runs a Peugeot branded Sakae.

Reducing the rotating weight and having a stronger crank can be a worthy upgrade in come cases but it does require a fair bit of work as on Raleigh threaded bikes you either need hard to find or very expensive parts or need to re-tap and reface the bb shell to a standard width.

Sixty Fiver

HPVa - That Sports is a fine looking piece of workmanship and the new crank does not look out of place.

Ivandarken

I am in agreement with MnHPVA Guy, and a good cottered crank is a really nice thing. As a matter of fact, I bought one of his Cotter Presses a while back and I can't say enough good things about it. First, it is really (and I mean really) well made. Second, it is beautiful to behold. Third, you can use it as a weapon of self defense- it is so heavy. No relation to MnHPVA Guy... just giving him his props and furthering another persons bike-sick obsessions.

Sixty Fiver

I have a Park cotter pin press... that too is an impressive weapon.