Bottom Bracket Length
 

So I am trying to figure what spindle length I would need for my bottom bracket. I know it is not an easy task and generally manufacturers should be contacted. However Sugino is in Japan and their english is not great and T.A. Specialties is in France and hasn't gotten back to me yet and I would be making a custom crank anyway with a tripelizer.

As some of you know I am going with Co-Motion Cascadia in a 56cm. I plan on using a Phil Wood BB but I am unsure of cranks right now. It is either going to be XD600 or even better a "cobble together" from T.A. (Zephyr cranks, outer ring and middle adaptor/triplizer and Zelito inner ring). I know according to the late great Sheldon Brown that XD600s are about a 113-118mm and double Zephyrs would be 110mm (though the info could be old) and he lists old T.A. Cyclotourist road triples at about 120-123.5mm.

I am hoping someone might have some better insight here because I am not sure exactly what to do aside from buying stuff and hoping it works. I know it is best to have everything and measure together but I am trying to get parts now and get everything ready for when I finally get the frame. Plus the Phil hubs and BB are somewhat of a package deal that I am working out with a former colleague of mine at the shop he manages.

You don't list a location on your profile. If you are US, I have a well used but still good 113mm Shimano BB UN27 that you can have for cost of shipping so then you could try that width. Or... your LBS might be able to give you a used one cheap or free.

When I changed BBs, I tried to get a spindle length that would line up the centerline of the chainrings (the middle ring on my triple, for instance) with the centerline on the cluster. So rear hub width (130? 135?) and whether it's a double or triple up front are considerations.

We do probably have one laying about the shop maybe in the old used parts bin that doesn't legally exist. I might take you up on your offer though but that will be down the line. I don't even have the frame or cranks so I cannot go too much farther forward yet but I was hoping someone is magical and might have some ideas.

135 Rear with a triple crank. Though I had briefly toyed with doing a double because I am not in the outer ring a whole ton but then I thought new bike, a little bit lighter, a little nicer, go for the ding dang triple gold.

My biggest problem is I don't have the frame or cranks (as stated above which I just realized while typing this) so I cannot actually measure and figure it out. I really was trying to find out now because I was trying to do one Phil Wood order with my colleague but he is willing to do another on down the line or possible QBP might start stocking them?

This would be a great starting place. The cranks are going to determine what you will use on your frame. Start with something laying around and measure from there. It's almost sheer luck to find someone that has used the same frame/crankset combo once you stray too far from the CAAD/Sram Force group....just install the cranks on a known length of cheap and correct for your high dollar set up.

That sounds like a reasonable plan. Hopefully I can get the TA cranks all set up but just gotta find "stockists" aside from Peter White.