Tourist in MSN

By bottom bracket tube on the frame, I assume you mean the bottom bracket shell. Or at least that is what I call it. On spindle length, the goal here is to avoid getting the chainline too far off. If the chainline is off by 1 or 2mm, not a big deal, I would not worry about it. If however you wanted to try to get it spot on, maybe get a bottom bracket for a 73mm shell, then put shims on it so that it is centered. I have had good luck with the people at Velo Orange, you could call them and tell then you have an old Raliegh with Nottingham bottom bracket threads (the person on the phone may or may not know what that means) then talk about the offset and length issues and see what they say. I think they also sell the shims if you wanted to shim it. I am assuming that you can shim that particular bottom bracket, but I admit that I have never seen that bottom bracket so that would be something to ask about.

If it was me, I would quote 30 minutes on the wheels, but I am very slow and careful on spoke adjustments. Most others are faster than me, which might be why I am not working as a bike mechanic.

I have stuff that I pulled off bikes decades ago shoved away in boxes, after a while you figure out what is best to discard and what is worth hanging onto. But I never discard anything until the project is completed.

Chili Cheesy

No worries. Thanks again.

I like the shim idea, but there is no 73mm version. I'm gonna' order the BB now. I'll see once I get it. I can easily return it, but I think it'll be okay. Thanks for the estimate on the labor time.

Tourist in MSN

Oops. Sorry. I assumed the bottom bracket was also available for a 73mm bottom bracket shell.

Squeezebox

The most important part of your bicycle is the frame.

mantelclock

Chili,

Another thing to consider is how you are going to attach the rear rack. If you have a vintage Pletscher, then no problem, otherwise, there are no braze ons on the seat stays of an old Grand Prix for attaching a carrier. The P-clamps that are readily available at hardware stores, suffer from metal fatigue and break even when you don't carry a load. That was an issue with my Motobecane. I finally solved the problem by making a clamp out of aluminum bar stock. It is a simple solution, but a bit too complicated to describe. I will take some pictures in the morning when there is enough light in the garage for the camera to focus.

saddlesores

i'm not sure BB spindles are all centered, you'd have to find an expert to ask.
so going from 113 to 123 doesn't necessarily mean each side is lengthened
by 5mm. could be the drive side goes up 7mm, the other side 3mm longer.

a friend here got a great deal on some "seconds" frames. why seconds?
seat tube was too tight for correct seatpost, had to be reamed/sanded
and/or shimmed. BB threads crankside were not cut as deep as should
be, could not get the BB to seat in fully. had to add a shim but then
chainline a bit too far out. did the calculations, ordered a new BB, but
the decrease on each side was not equal. same with the next one.
third one was like goldilocks.

shouldn't be as much a problem in your case, we were limited as to what
we could do with shims.

grolby

Ok. It's typical on older cup-and-cone BBs to have an asymmetric spindle. Why, I don't know, but it doesn't matter. You probably don't need to worry about it, because the modern crank you're buying is intended for use with a modern, symmetric spindle. Assuming you're able to get this new BB installed square and properly, you should have no problem at all.

mantelclock

Here are a couple of pics:

Chili Cheesy

P-clamps will be fine. Maybe not the flimsy ones from a hardware store, but what I have in mind is a thick, strong p-clamp meant just for bikes and racks. Plus... all the stress will be on the rack eyelets on the dropouts. I'll use another p-clamp for the fenders if I don't end up with a bolt that's long enough to put both on. Don't worry. Thank you though. Important stuff.

Yea... I just have to try what I ordered when it gets here and go from there. What do you mean by "seconds" frames?

Your pics are not viewable, my friend.

mantelclock

[QUOTE=Chili Cheesy;18633534]P-clamps will be fine. Maybe not the flimsy ones from a hardware store, but what I have in mind is a thick, strong p-clamp meant just for bikes and racks.

All of the p-clamps that I've seen on bike parts websites are identical to the ones that I used, and that failed at the seatstays. You only need a drill, a tap, some AL stock and a hack saw to make a clamp that definitely will not fail. I think the grand prix does have eyelets for fenders, but another option is to use clamp on fenders. On my Motobecane, I used these:
Fenders SpeedezHybrid/ Touring

Chili Cheesy

I am really not comfortable putting holes in my already skinny seat stays. It would be better in this case to get something that attaches to my seat post or something.
I already have my Velo Orange fenders. My dropouts only each have one eyelet. I'll have to put the rack in it and the fenders with p-clamps unless I can get both onto one bolt from a hardware store.

mantelclock

I wouldn't dream of it, nor did I suggest that. I solved both the rack and the fender problems without altering anything on the bike, and I avoided the issue of metal fatigue in the clamps. The p-clamps might work okay for fenders, just carry a couple of spares.

Chili Cheesy

Oh, I see what you were saying, haha. Sorry. Gotcha.

mantelclock

I hope that you were able to see the pics that I posted. I think they show enough to make it pretty clear how to do it. I did consider having a local frame builder put a couple of braze-ons on the seat stays, but while my solution is not elegant, it is totally reversible, and it wouldn't mean having to repaint.

Chili Cheesy

The pics don't show up.

What about this?

mantelclock

Those are fine for a front rack, but these would work for a rear (also from Tubus):


Much better than a P-clamp.

Here is my solution:

Doug64

This is an older type Blackburn rack. It works very well with side or center pull brakes.

This type may be hard to find now. That was put on my wife's bike in 1976. However, it would be easy to modify a contemporary rack to fit this configuration.

shipwreck

Nice rims! Ridgida?

When I have put racks on older sport touring bikes I simply drill out some holes in the center of the rack to use a single stay mount like the old blackburns. Made the stay out of various steel stock. If you try to use aluminum stock it tends to fatigue and break at the bends.

saddlesores

the products coming off the assembly line that don't quite meet
quality standards. you can get "seconds" at the outlet mall....
levi's with an off-center rivet, shirts with loose buttons, that
sort of thing.

well, these were frames that didn't meet the standards...which is
pretty spectacular in china! BB shell threads not cut deep enough
on one side, seat tubes not reamed to proper inner diameter.

but it's pretty rare to find normal human sized frames at a reasonable
price. 23" schwinn mtb frames for $15! buy half a dozen.....if only one
is usable, it's still a bargain, and you'll still have some groovy wall art!

Chili Cheesy

Teamdarb

I like the new look.

jefnvk

Beautiful! I love reusing old stuff, over just going out and buying new. I'd have done my upcoming trip on my old Schwinn Le Tour, if I could have shed enough weight off the thing to feel comfortable staying under the 50# airline weight limit when boxed and packed.

Forgive me if I missed this earlier in the thread, who makes those fenders?

Happy Feet

I see what you did there

Nice bike! I have a soft spot for C&V bikes; they just seem stylishly classy. Did you keep the original pedals? I get why you probably wanted wider platforms but old school with metal toe clips and leather straps... Just sayin

jefnvk

What size steel do you use, and do you feel it holds rigid enough? I'm trying to attach some racks (Axiom Journey) to bikes without the seat stay screws right now, I'm wondering if that is a better option than the P Clips I found at Home Depot.

bradtx

Chili Cheesy, Very nice job, congrats!

Brad