Threading question
 

I just bought a Raleigh Super Course from a French gentleman who owns nothing but Italian tools. He indicated the bottom bracket has been retapped.

I have tried Raleigh cups, Italian cups, and French cups to no avail. What should I do?

-Lord Helmetz

buy this http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/2298427741.html

And re-tap it to WHAT?

-Lord Helmetz

oh I wasn't answering your question, I just think you should buy that

I think I should too. Please send $650 to my PayPal account to facilitate this purchase.

-Kurt

I bet you haven't tried an international cup yet.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...AAXcUiKmleRijT

No no no....

Buy this:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/boa/2300341852.html

Come on, you still haven't figured it out?

-Lord Helmetz

Is that to say I can thread that boat into my bottom bracket? Wouldn't that make it a boatum bracket?

-Lord Helmetz, wondering why "boatum" looks like a dirty word.

I think you may have stumped us all on this one. What other threading is left?

I think this is a final April Fools gag. on the chance it is not, did you try Swiss? you need one of those self threading VO BBs

English...

Isn't Raleigh "English" ?

An Italian shell diameter is greater than English. Is it even possible to tap an English thread shell to Italian, or would the threads cut too deep?

EDIT: 1.2 mm difference...so it would shave off a good deal of the BB shell, but I'd imagine shells were made thick enough for different threading standards?

k_as_in_knife got the joke. I was playing on word association. "English" makes people think of Raleigh; yet, as most of us know, Raleigh threading is proprietary 26 TPI, while standard English threading is 24 TPI.

The correct answer is "English" - the most common BB threading to begin with ;)

-Kurt

Nice one Kurt. Keep 'em coming! :thumb:

You'll have to wait until next April Fools!

-Kurt

Yes. Bicycle Research made a reamer/tap set for exactly that purpose:

http://www.os2.dhs.org/~john/br-reamer.jpg

P.S.: In theory, the mythical French gentleman would have tapped the bottom bracket out to 24 TPI threads over the English 26 TPI, which was used in a number of Super Courses. Although that would technically result in compatibility with both thread types, the 24 TPI threads might have been damaged enough (or enough grit may have accumulated in them) to jam a pair of 26 TPI cups.

-Kurt

^^^In reality, he would have left you with 2-3 good threads tops.

FWIW, my '68 Super Course is Carlton built and English threaded.

All of this could have been avoided if one used a Left handed metric adjustable allen wrench. Works for me everytime.

I read the whole thread.
You owe me 3.50 for my time.

Caught me out.

VO Grand Cru.

He said "a gentleman".