When to junk old ride, bad swiss bb
 

I've recently been riding my uncle's 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring to commute 3 miles each way between campus and back as well as a couple ~20-40 rides.

The bike seems to fit me well, I like the fit and the ride a lot. I also feel that the bike has sentimental value b/c while I haven't ridden it very much in comparison to my other bikes, it was passed down to me by a close family member who purchased the bike new.

Unfortunately the bottom bracket is giving me a lot of problems. Both cups have slight pitting, and have had to pull everything apart to repack the bb after what I consider a short distance.

I don't know if I'm being picky because my newer bikes are much "higher end" but I don't want a bike that needs constant maintenance.

The LBS wants to put in a english BB backwards, and they think this will magically fit and/or work properly. This sounds like a horrible idea after checking out Sheldon Brown, who recommends a phil wood BB.

It looks like the phil wood is pretty expensive ($116+47+15= ~$ 200 after shipping)

Already invested are Tektro Cross levers, r556 lr brakes, a seat, and wheels. All things that can easily be moved from one bike to another.

Would this be worth investing, or would I be better off finding another frame to throw things onto. If you were in the same situation would you buy the phil wood, try the ghetto solution, or find a new frame?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/...e1e7165dd8.jpg

Would this work?

http://www.velo-orange.com/grcrufrthbob.html

I know that you can re-tap a french bottom bracket to italian thread because the shell diameter of italian is slightly larger. I do not know if you can do this with swiss BBs too.

Maybe there's a big warehouse in Switzerland full of NOS Swiss threaded BBs, looking for bikes to go on......someone should eventually check it out for us.....;^))
Unfortunately most bikes including my Peugeot PSV, that need Swiss BBs might not be worth enough to invest a $100+ worth of new BBs on. I've been pondering about replacing my Swiss BB with a Phil wood unit since the late 80's and have always been turned off from doing it because of the high price of the thing. It's almost like I'm just waiting for it to eventually seize on me or something to make an excuse to spend that kind of money. The problem is, the supply of Siwss threaded BBs around the world continues to dwindle as we put it off again and again, every year.
Maybe if I try and find Phil Wood's HQ in San Jose and try to buy it direct, I might get a discount??
I finally found my old (for Stronglight cranks) Park crank puller tool and I will be opening the PSV's bottom bracket very soon for an overhaul. I think it will be a good chance to confirm again that the BB is indeed Swiss threaded and it might be my segue to finally get a new/better one on the bike. I've been cringing for years about the cheap looking, original no-brand OEM unit that's on the bike presently, although I have to say that it has served me for many many miles without failure.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV with......groannn..Swiss BB....

If your not into tinkering, move on. Otherwise ebay it up. Orrr... do all of the above! I think it's always good to have a "tinker" bike. Try not to have all your bikes be that bike though... (i'm trying to work on that one).

I'd think finding an older model Shimano cartridge BB with removable drive side cup would be easier than finding a good condition Swiss BB. You can mount a Shimano unit using Phil Wood cups, which is a good deal less $ than a full Phil unit. Of course, you'll still need the Phil mounting tool(s).

wrk101's suggestion sounds good on paper but you could spend an awful long time looking for a decent French donor bike for a good price, and then it still might have a French BB, not a Swiss one.

I'm a sentimentalist...especially when I'm partial to the bike anyway. I'd buy the Phil Wood BB and get that little extra appreciation knowing it's there every time I road it.

If obtaining a swiss or phill BB is not possible, you could at least fix 1/2 your problem by putting a good cup from a french BB into the right side.
Might also be worth a try to re-finish the existing slightly pitted cups (on a lathe) or try packing the BB with a fine abbrasive polishing compond instead of grease and riding for a few hours to see if you can polish out some of the pitting, then dissasemble, clean and install new bearings. I would re-pack with loose bearings instead of using bearing retainers, try to fit in an additional bearing. It might also be worth a try to use a slightly different size bearing, see if you can make it work with different size bearings that roll on fresh surface of the cups instead of down in the pits.

+1.

Alternately, if a good deal pops up for a good threadless BB in the proper size (stay away from the YST's - they're infinitely worse then what you have now), get it.

-Kurt

Your bike looks to be in great shape. I would spend the money on a Phil Wood BB if you can't find any NOS replacements.

too bad Mavic no longer makes their cartridge BB. the one where you just chamfered the sheel a bit and 'lockrings' did the work of holding it in place. it was pricy but very universal.

That's a terrific looking Motobecane. You said you like the way it fits and you like the ride. You are never going to meet another 70's Motobecane on the street - the new ones do not count - they are asian bikes sold by somebody who bought that great brand name. This is a classic. I'd keep it and invest in a phil wood bottom bracket and mounting rings and keep restoring that beauty.

Mel Pinto has NOS Edco threadless eccentric cup bottom brackets available:

http://www.melpintoimports.com/image...tric_65600.jpg

They're ostensibly for triple cranks, but since they're threadless you have quite a bit of leeway in setting up the chainline. I used a "double" version on my fixed gear bike for a while -- I just offset the cartridge a couple millimeters toward the non-drive side.

+1 The unit you would look for is a UN72...They come up often on ebay but finding one in the correct width can be trying...Total cost minus mounting tool is usually around $65-75 for the Phil rings and BB.

Enough people have posted that you can just force in an English thread cartridge bottom bracket that I'd be willing to try it if it was mine. You're not going to hurt the steel BB threads with the aluminum and plastic threads on the cartridge.

I other words, try the "ghetto" solution first.

http://house-of-yes.com/phil-wood-y-bottom-bracket/ you could buy the phil cups and perhaps your LBS has the tools. If not I would find a new LBS.