WilliamK1974

Hello everyone,

My apologies if these are over-asked questions on here. I'm finally getting a chance to work on the old Peugeot I picked up a couple of years ago. I had the bike shop remove the old cottered crankset because I didn't have the right tools to remove it without the possibility of causing damage to something else. I plan to take out the neglected bottom bracket parts and replace them with a cartridge and a Stronglight cotter less crank. Now, if I bought this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175088430217 , what size would I need to order this: https://velo-orange.com/collections/...e-alloy-cups-1

Also, the bike currently has a set of Japanese-made steel rims on it. I want to keep the original freewheel, so what should I look for in the realm of alloy rims? The bike has its original MAFAC Racer brakes, if that makes a difference.

Thank you,
-William

grant40

Square taper cranks are pretty universal. If it's has French threaded on the bottom bracket description then it will probably work as French bikes have a unique thread.

grant40

Also keep in mind that you need a longer spindle in order to run those vintage cranks. It looks like the one that is up there has a short spindle which is used with modern cranks.

jamesdak 

So, I was lucky with mine and had some alloy wheels off an old Fuji I used on mine. Those steel rims with the Mafac brakes are just scary.

Check out Velomine for some nice cheap alloy rims that can use a freewheel. Just not sure if the threading is the same off the top of my head.

Wheels like this:

https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...ath=87_172_176

WilliamK1974

Maybe something more like these: https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...oducts_id=2529

Assuming they'll accept a French thread freewheel. Might be worth asking about. It's kind of funny to think that I only paid $40 for the bike.

WilliamK1974

That sealed bottom bracket comes in different spindle lengths from ranging from 103mm to 122mm. The question I was trying to ask was if that crankset is a 170mm, does that mean it requires a 170mm spindle? Or is 170mm the length of one of the crank arms from the center of the hole out to the center of the pedal hole. If it's the former, the Velo Orange French thread BB isn't going to work, so I would likely need to seek out a different crankset.

I hate to ask what may seem like odd questions, but I'm kind of new to dealing with upgrading a French bike. My other French bike is a Gitane TdF that I bought from its original owner. It was well cared for, so all I've had to do was basic maintenance on it. This poor Peugeot was quite neglected, and I'm trying to make it better than new.

Velo Mule

UO-8's are great bikes WilliamK1974 and I would also be tempted to upgrade the crank to a more serviceable square taper crank, in fact I did that with an Astra (French) bike that I had. However, if the crank is good, perhaps you might consider greasing the bottom bracket and putting it back together. Then spend your time and money on wheels, which will be worth spending money on.

You could stick with the original freewheel. You can rebuild it or send if off to the Freewheel Spa if you want an expert to recondition it. The Freewheel Spa

How about a picture, when you get a chance. We don't get tired of seeing UO-8's.

rgvg

170mm is likely the length of the crank arms. The length of the spindle I hear is dependent on the crankset. Sorry I don't know what is required for that particular one you have linked though.

sincos

170mm is the length of the crankarm. I am not familiar with the UO8, but would guess it takes a 118mm BB spindle. Do you have a BB shell width?

obrentharris 

If your bike has the original Normandy hubs then your freewheel will most likely have French threads and you will need to find a rear wheel with a hub that also has French threads. You mention that the steel rims are Japanese, so perhaps you have replacement wheels, in which case your freewheel may have English threads. Best to post a photo of the freewheel and the rear hub so that we can see what you have, or you can remove the freewheel and measure the threads.
Brent

pfaustus

If memory and a quick google serve, to reuse the Peugeot cottered crank cups for a Stronglight cotterless crankset, you need a 122mm long spindle and the spindle must be stamped with a "5" . It is possible a stronglight or other French spindle might not have the "5". It took me a while going through the boxes at the co-op to find one that would work. There was a cheap french threaded cup and cone bottom bracket labeled "action" being sold, but it seems to have disappeared.

John E

True. I put a Sugino spindle in mine, but I needed a set of French-thread Sugino cups to accommodate it. It is an issue of cup wall thickness.

WilliamK1974

The BB shell measured 70mm. The cottered spindle was 142mm from end to end.

WilliamK1974

Here's the original thread from when I first got the bike. It looks mostly the same except for new brake and shifter cables, and a Simplex RD.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ast-night.html

Velo Mule

That bikes looks great @WilliamK1974 . Thanks for the link. Yellow was not a popular color so it stands out in two ways. Steel is real refers to the frame, although our 3 speed members may appreciate steel rims, I would use this opportunity to upgrade the wheels.



That yellow looks close to Rustolum Sunburst yellow. Or Testors hobby paint yellow. That is if you're inclined. It will still ride nice.

I am disappointed to hear that this Peugeot may displace your Schwinn. If that is the case, I believe that it will go on to someone that will apricate it.

WilliamK1974

I sold the blue '73 Schwinn Continental sometime during 2021. It was in good shape and just needed some maintenance. I don't regret selling it as I bought it more out of curiosity than anything else. Once it was cleaned up and fixed up, it rode nicely enough. Last time I saw it, the buyer was using some of my photos to try and sell it for more than he paid for it from me. Not sure how that worked out for him, but I haven't seen the ad lately.

WilliamK1974

If I don't care too much about originality but am more concerned about utility, could I put in a French-thread BB with the right spindle length and then put some kind of square taper triple chainring crank on it? With the hilly terrain around here, having some lower gears would make for a better ride. Downside would be finding a set like that which would be threaded for the bike's Lyotard pedals, but that's an acceptable trade-off. I'll save all of the old parts in case I ever sell the bike.

ThermionicScott 

At a minimum, you could start by replacing just the front wheel with one that has an aluminum rim. That's where most of your effective braking is, and you don't have to find one with a rare axle spacing.

pfaustus

Yes. But, French threaded bottom brackets can be difficult to find. What I wrote before is how to convert the bottom bracket cups that came on the bike to square taper. Frankly, unless you already have a crank threaded for french thread pedals, pure utility demands tossing the ones that came on the bike.

WilliamK1974

You're pretty adamant that I need to do the wheels before the crank, but I'm dealing with a very neglected, hard to turn, crunchy feeling BB. At least with its current wheels, it can be used even if they're not perfect, but without a functioning BB and crank, it's not going far except downhill.

ThermionicScott 

Oh, by all means, go ahead and fix the bottom bracket and crank.

All I was trying to say is that when it comes to the wheels, there are options besides waiting for a perfectly matched set that works with your Peugeot's rear spacing. For example, I relaced the front wheel on my old 3-speed to an aluminum rim (Sun CR18) and left the rear wheel completely stock with its steel rim. Stopping is improved so much that I may leave the bike like that indefinitely.

WilliamK1974

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across touchy.

WilliamK1974

Velo Orange sells a French thread cartridge BB. It's a spendy solution, but it would be one less thing to deal with for awhile. It's a matter of knowing what axle length to buy and which crankset to get. I like the look of the Lyotard pedals, but they were neglected, too, and their bearings would need some attention.

I wish someone on here would reply who has done something like this and could show me what they did. That would sure be easier than re-inventing the wheel, and I'm very much a "show me" kind of learner.

Thank you,
-Bill

TPL

Rims are NOT wheels

and

Wheels are NOT rims

SJX426 

The spindle length is dependent on which crank you choose to use. The Stronglight 93 uses a 118 spindle with the French cups, as an example. I would think that combination is one of the more likely ones to be able to find. The price might make you swallow.
There are other options, of course, but the solution needs to be a configuration that support a good chain line while still fitting onto the frame. A spindle that is too short could cause the inner ring to rub on the chain stay. One that is too long may cause issues with shifting either in the back or with the front derailleur. There is some tolerance but not much more than a couple of mm.

Cups first to determine spindle bearing distance. Spindle length to accommodate the location of the chain set.
Sheldon Brown's Threaded Bicycle Bicycle Bottom Bracket Crib Sheet