Originally Posted by
the sci guy
Do y'all think it's necessary to service the BB? It hasn't been ridden since about 1994. I don't have any of those tools and I certainly don't want to wait 4 weeks and pay a shop to do it. I mean, I can order the tools, but $$$.
Does the spindle rotate freely and smoothly? If so, it's not desperate to service it, but after 26 years I'd probably want to open it up and take a look.
Is it instead possible to just put a new modern BB in with a matching spindle length?
Sure, but in order to do that, you'll need those same tools you're concerned about buying and having to wait for, and another, different tool to install the modern bottom bracket cartridge, or pay a shop to do the work. And then there'd be some guesswork in determining what specific cartridge will work best with your crank.