Small common parts that seem to be way overpriced
03-09-22, 10:02 AM
#51
Thrifty Bill
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,526
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 964 Times
in
628 Posts
Crank arm dust caps aren't as common as some think. At least half the vintage bikes I find are missing both dust caps, a quarter are missing.
I continue to find all my dust caps in the form of a complete bike (on the quarter that have both). Picked up a trash bike yesterday: good thumb shifters, decent Sakae crankset, and BOTH dust caps. The rest goes to the co op.
Some eBay sellers take advantage of this (one comes to mind), that part out crank sets. Dust caps auction #1. Chainring bolts, auction #2, chain rings: auctions #3, #4, and perhaps #5 (if it is a triple), crank arms auction #7.
One guy in particular will sell dust caps for about what you can buy a complete crankset with (including caps). They sucker buyers who do a search for dust cap rather than crankset.
I continue to find all my dust caps in the form of a complete bike (on the quarter that have both). Picked up a trash bike yesterday: good thumb shifters, decent Sakae crankset, and BOTH dust caps. The rest goes to the co op.
Some eBay sellers take advantage of this (one comes to mind), that part out crank sets. Dust caps auction #1. Chainring bolts, auction #2, chain rings: auctions #3, #4, and perhaps #5 (if it is a triple), crank arms auction #7.
One guy in particular will sell dust caps for about what you can buy a complete crankset with (including caps). They sucker buyers who do a search for dust cap rather than crankset.
03-09-22, 10:04 AM
#52
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Saratoga calif.
Posts: 1,049
Bikes: Miyata 610(66cm), GT Vantara Hybrid (64cm), Nishiki International (64cm), Peugeot rat rod (62 cm), Trek 800 Burning Man helicopter bike, Bob Jackson frame (to be restored?) plus a never ending stream of neglected waifs from the Bike exchange.
Mentioned: 28 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 339 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 632 Times
in
229 Posts
In praise of crank dust caps.
A few years ago at the Burning Man event at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada I was riding my trusty Trek 800 Antelope around out in the deep Playa at night when I noticed my left crank arm was loose. A few seconds later the sucker fell off completely. I knew I was screwed if I couldn't find the crank spindle bolt so I spent the next 10 minutes looking around where I had stopped hoping to find it to no avail. I had to try and pedal with only the right pedal then using my feet to push and glide the half mile back to my camp. The next morning I was bummed out thinking I would spend the rest of the week walking. I reached into the saddle bag where I had thrown the crank arm and Eureka! There was the cap still in place and behind it my precious spindle nut. 10 minutes later I was back on the road, mobile again.
A few years ago at the Burning Man event at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada I was riding my trusty Trek 800 Antelope around out in the deep Playa at night when I noticed my left crank arm was loose. A few seconds later the sucker fell off completely. I knew I was screwed if I couldn't find the crank spindle bolt so I spent the next 10 minutes looking around where I had stopped hoping to find it to no avail. I had to try and pedal with only the right pedal then using my feet to push and glide the half mile back to my camp. The next morning I was bummed out thinking I would spend the rest of the week walking. I reached into the saddle bag where I had thrown the crank arm and Eureka! There was the cap still in place and behind it my precious spindle nut. 10 minutes later I was back on the road, mobile again.
03-09-22, 01:24 PM
#53
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,800
Bikes: Lots of English 3-speeds, a couple of old road bikes, 3 mountain bikes, 1 hybrid, and a couple of mash-ups
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 887 Post(s)
Liked 335 Times
in
225 Posts
A pair of these currently cost $12 on ebay - all the way from Serbia:
I purchased mine for $10 from the same seller - but that was a month ago. Inflation, don't you know. Problem is, I still haven't received them in the mailbox!
My adjusting screws look naked without them. A complete pair of adjusters runs around $35-40 shipped, so this is my least-expensive option. Plus brass will look a little more bling than chrome
When they finally arrive, I'm gonna JB Weld them to the adjuster screws; I am tired of losing these things.
DD
I purchased mine for $10 from the same seller - but that was a month ago. Inflation, don't you know. Problem is, I still haven't received them in the mailbox!
My adjusting screws look naked without them. A complete pair of adjusters runs around $35-40 shipped, so this is my least-expensive option. Plus brass will look a little more bling than chrome
When they finally arrive, I'm gonna JB Weld them to the adjuster screws; I am tired of losing these things.
DD
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...justment-screw
03-09-22, 01:56 PM
#54
Banned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Brass looks nice, but if you can abide chrome VO sells these pretty cheap.
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...justment-screw
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...justment-screw
My issue is that only the knurled ends are missing (and the only bits that usually go missing), so buying a complete pair wasn't a consideration for me.
DD
03-09-22, 01:57 PM
#55
The Wheezing Geezer
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Española, NM
Posts: 1,055
Bikes: 1976 Fredo Speciale, Jamis Citizen 1, Ellis-Briggs FAVORI, Rivendell Clem Smith Jr.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 414 Post(s)
Liked 920 Times
in
447 Posts
Crank bolt dust caps on Campagnolo Nuovo Record cranks are period-incorrect.
Period.
Period.
Likes For C9H13N:
03-09-22, 05:23 PM
#57
Strong Walker
Campagnolo Record/SR brake lever gum hoodsCampagnolo brake cable guidesrear center pull brake cable hangers for Cinelli B and SC
03-09-22, 10:37 PM
#59
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,489
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1641 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 831 Times
in
540 Posts
Crankset dust caps elimination was a standard part of our "gram strategy" whenever we bought new bikes.
Unfortunately, they all went in the trash, along with tire valve caps, dork discs and CPSC mandated reflectors......
Unfortunately, they all went in the trash, along with tire valve caps, dork discs and CPSC mandated reflectors......
__________________
72 Line Seeker
83 Davidson Signature
84 Peugeot PSV
84 Peugeot PY10FC
84 Gitane Tour de France.
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7
86 ALAN Record Carbonio
86 Medici Aerodynamic (Project)
88 Pinarello Montello
89 Bottecchia Professional Chorus SL
95 Trek 5500 OCLV (Project)
72 Line Seeker
83 Davidson Signature
84 Peugeot PSV
84 Peugeot PY10FC
84 Gitane Tour de France.
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7
86 ALAN Record Carbonio
86 Medici Aerodynamic (Project)
88 Pinarello Montello
89 Bottecchia Professional Chorus SL
95 Trek 5500 OCLV (Project)
03-09-22, 11:14 PM
#60
Banned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,824 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Woo-hoo - they've arrived
DD
DD
03-10-22, 01:31 AM
#61
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 7,244
Bikes: '72 Cilo Pacer, '72 Gitane Gran Tourisme, '72 Peugeot PX10, '73 Speedwell Ti, '74 Peugeot UE-8, '75 Peugeot PR-10L, '80 Colnago Super, '85 De Rosa Pro, '86 Look Equipe 753, '86 Look KG86, '89 Parkpre Team, '90 Parkpre Team MTB, '90 Merlin
Mentioned: 87 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 834 Post(s)
Liked 2,127 Times
in
555 Posts
^I bought a pair of those, too. Weeks went by and I forgot I'd ordered them. It was a pleasant surprise when I opened the envelope.
Recent sticker shock:
Sets of chainring bolts
Cable clamps (noted above), especially for French/metric tubing
T.A. bottle cages
replacement derailleur pulleys
Recent sticker shock:
Sets of chainring bolts
Cable clamps (noted above), especially for French/metric tubing
T.A. bottle cages
replacement derailleur pulleys
Likes For gaucho777:
