Iride01 

I think I support both LBS's and DIY'ers equally. If you want to empower someone, then help the OP by replying to them. Don't sound like a overbearing and ranting person that calls out others for reasons of your own imagination.

It makes no sense to only tell people to DIY.
I don't believe that responding to a thread requires me to read all the opinions given in the other replies. How long does it take to read post 13?

Up until your attack, I would likely have said nothing more here unless the OP introduced more stuff for comment.

SurferRosa

I did. I have. I do.

Yeah, it's my "imagination" that you constantly shoot down practical DIY advice.

Anyone with a 5th grade literacy level will know otherwise.

Iride01 

I didn't shoot down any other's advice. You are the only one here shooting down advice of another. I just gave other opinion for the OP to consider. You still really haven't given anything to the OP other than fill up this thread with your attempts to justify your misguided attempt to censor me.

5th grade literacy might well enable one to know otherwise. So why did you even start your first post directed at me? If you want to censor for the forum, then first become a Moderator.

SurferRosa

pecanhas

OP here again. I tried to upload a photo, but couldn’t. The issue is that the crankset is cracking, and the pedal is not leveled anymore. It seems like the pedal could simply break out, what would make it dangerous. Additionally, peddling feels wobbly. I think that the old bearings are dead too.

Iride01 

I'll still stand by those statements. But they are only opinion.

So far you still haven't addressed the OP and instead you continue to argue with me! What does that say for the both of us?

At least I offered something for them to consider. You just chose to criticize another member for giving opinion you didn't agree with.

58Bianchi

Hey OP! In between the arguments, you will find recommendations that are basically right. From this post, it sounds like your bottom bracket is dead and the cranks are following along. The reason why they wanted $200 (and it could be a “go away” quote) is that bottom brackets are notorious for getting rusted in old frames like these. And unfortunately, you need a special tool/socket to unthread it. A bike this old may not even have a cartridge type bottom bracket.

I LOVE working on bikes like this. A lot of us do. The bikes are worth it to us. But it does take some skill even if you have the right tools. Perhaps the best advice was to go find a shop that will do the hard stuff and guide you on the rest.

Good luck!

squirtdad

keep posting when you get to 10 you can post pics

GamblerGORD53

The frame is pretty enough. Fenders look poor. But what I suspect, is the OP has done NOTHING to lube and maintain this bike in the 10 years.
Therefore, it's probably beyond any reasonable fixing. Is the seat post stuck too? Do the wheels spin for a minute or two, like the front one should.
So just get a $700 NEW bike with a SA 3 speed.
I did spend a LOT more than $200 upgrading my 1973 CCM. It wasn't wasted IMO.


I rode this on my 2019 trip in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec city no problem.

csport

Proof of concept estimate for DIY:
Toolkit $32.50 Has spanners to remove the old BB and the tool to install a square taper one
BB-UN300 $16 122.5mm spindle
Tourney crankset $26
Total: $74.50
Optional:
Combo wrench $8.50 to turn the BB tool
WD-40 $7 to help remove the old BB
Grease $12
Total optional: $27.50

ericoseveins

Hey, you're DC-based? Come on over, I'll help with this

pecanhas

Yay. Yes, I am in DC. Don't know yet how to DM in the forum. But would love to meet up.

ericoseveins

Co-ops aren't everywhere but we have five in the DC metro. There's grants available if someone wanted to start a co-op in an area without a co-op nearby.

ericoseveins

Got around to reading through this thread and saw this post from the OP. Replacing the BB and cranks is certainly an option. Alternatively, assuming the cottered cranks are steel, does anyone on the forum have opinions about stick or TIG welding the crack in the crank and then chasing the thread? It's just a pedal, IMO nothing really catastrophic can happen. The repair would be lower cost and the end result would be period correct. Thoughts?

squirtdad

Imagine pedaling hard for what ever reason (making a light, having run) etc and suddenly the pedal falls off. Instant out of balance situation, possible to probably foot hit ground, good change of losing control and bike crashing.
So IMHO is is not just a pedal. and it catastrophic is a real possibility

I personally would worry at all about period correct with a bike like this

ericoseveins

Well, thanks for the thoughts and yeah, period correctness might be a little ridiculous in this case. Then again period correctness is maybe a little ridiculous inherently :/

pecanhas I sent you a private message, it occurred to me that the default profile might not be set up to automatically notify

LesterOfPuppets

Man I love that era Free Spirit. Already have a maroon Sunbird and often think about getting a blue one like that and one of the British racing green ones.

pecanhas

thank you! I need to reach 10 posts so I can read the message. So I’m trying to do that now…

pecanhas

these photos show the bracket. the closeup shos the crack near the pedal.

dedhed

Crank arms are available new & used. Just need to know things like length, spindle and cotter size, pedal thread.
Personally I'd upgrade to a cheap alloy cotterless crank new or used.

https://www.schellers.com/product/su...m-232842-1.htm

ericoseveins

Ehhh it's up to pecanhas but $7 plus shipping is a whole meal at Trader Joe's. I say light that crank up.

3alarmer 

...between the chroming and the depth of the crack (which goes all the way through the eye), it would be hard to get a quality weld in that spot without grinding out a big V, and then back filling it. Sort of a V groove weld.
Given that the pedal eye already looks to be distorted, it's not something I would attempt. If you get junk in the weld it will probably break there again. Crank arms are cheaper than good dental insurance.

FBinNY 

Am I totally missing something?

Has there been a blight, wiping out the supply of steel crank arms?

Rather than debating high or low end alloy crank and BB options, wouldn't make both practical and financial sense to simply source and fit a left crank and cotter?

Edit -- sorry I missed the posts that followed the photo, and had the pre-photo debate in mind.

So count me as a +1 to those posts just above.

pecanhas

Thank you, all. It seems that the simplest solution is to just replace the left crank (thank you, I didn’t even know it was possible to replace only one crank before this post).

Now, since peddling was slightly wobbly even before the crack, would the “complete” solution be to replace the crankset and bottom bracket?

3alarmer 

...most replacements of this nature involve changing to an economically priced square taper sealed unit bottom bracket, and an alloy crank set that matches it.
It's quite possible that your original cup and cone bottom bracket is still serviceable, and just needs to be cleaned, greased, and maybe get new ball bearings.

Without taking it apart, there's no way to inspect and diagnose this. Try one of those multiple DC co-ops. I think there's still one in Mt Rainier, just across the PG county line, and one in Alexandria. There may be others.