The next build off? Plans for the future

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Which would interest you?

  • Off Road

    Votes: 18 48.6%
  • Muscle

    Votes: 18 48.6%
  • Skinny

    Votes: 22 59.5%

  • Total voters
    37
  • Poll closed .
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Gathering more parts for the pile
 
Might sound crazy, but I’m hoping to run into a challenge or two. That is the fun part. I probably won’t have a chance to touch it until the build off. I have a Raleigh Sprite in the stand and am about to head out of town for spring break. The cranks have cotter pins. Not sure what my plan is for the build. Just going to take it apart and see what happens.
Old Raleigh’s have a wider non standard bottom bracket, nothing else fits, unless it’s a Raleigh made brand. Cottered cranks come with different spindle diameters, different cotter diameters and different tapers. There is no info on the net regarding this. Keep the bb, hanger stuff, cotters and reuse it. It’s not worth buying an old Raleigh square taper spindle (expensive if you can find one) or one of the new BSA hollow bb and new cranks and hope you can get it wide enough to work. Replacing the bb will cost more than the bike is worth. If I remember correctly the bar diameter is not standard on old Raleigh’s but the quill into the fork is standard. Change the quill to use standard diameter bars. I’m thinking about this from years ago but I’m pretty sure I’m remembering correctly. I avoid Raleigh, Schwinn, French, Swiss and Belgium bikes because they have wacky non standard inferior engineering, made out of gas pipes or both. I do own all of the above except Swiss. One of each is one too many, but I have two French, and two Schwinns. Dah. One Raleigh and one from Belgium.
 
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Old Raleigh’s have a wider non standard bottom bracket, nothing else fits, unless it’s a Raleigh made brand. Cottered cranks come with different spindle diameters, different cotter diameters and different tapers. There is no info on the net regarding this. Keep the bb, hanger stuff, cotters and reuse it. It’s not worth buying an old Raleigh square taper spindle (expensive if you can find one) or one of the new BSA hollow bb and new cranks and hope you can get it wide enough to work. Replacing the bb will cost more than the bike is worth. If I remember correctly the bar diameter is not standard on old Raleigh’s but the quill into the fork is standard. Change the quill to use standard diameter bars. I’m thinking about this from years ago but I’m pretty sure I’m remembering correctly. I avoid Raleigh, Schwinn, French, Swiss and Belgium bikes because they have wacky non standard inferior engineering, made out of gas pipes or both. I do own all of the above except Swiss. One of each is one too many, but I have two French, and two Schwinns. Dah. One Raleigh and one from Belgium.
Raleigh stems are standard its the threading that is different same with the bottom bracket BSA threading isn't the same either you can use a jis spindle don't remember which one 7 I believe but keep Raleigh cups but have to change the bearing size Raleigh stems have the same threading 26 tpi but you change the headset you need to change the fork to.
 
That is all correct. I recently worked on a few Raleigh’s. The handlebar diameter is not standard. So if you want to change handlebars you need a new stem. I find all of this entertaining.
 
I love this site. I can’t have these types of discussions with anyone I actually know in person. Also I did find someone online that makes Raleigh cotter pins. I can post a link if anyone want. The only problem is they don’t accept the Raleigh R nuts because they have strange threading. The R nut is too important to me so I have been re-using the pins. Just don’t hammer in them. I use my bench vise to press them out.

I also found someone selling R nut stickers. I suppose that would work.
 
I love this site. I can’t have these types of discussions with anyone I actually know in person. Also I did find someone online that makes Raleigh cotter pins. I can post a link if anyone want. The only problem is they don’t accept the Raleigh R nuts because they have strange threading. The R nut is too important to me so I have been re-using the pins. Just don’t hammer in them. I use my bench vise to press them out.

I also found someone selling R nut stickers. I suppose that would work.
Those are grade 3 cotters. Grade ones are no longer made. Grade 3 are made in China and India and are’t machined like grade 1. The flat is stamped on under sized rods and the rod expands to fit the cotter hole in the crank arms. They’re metric threaded so R nut’s won’t fit. About 4 years ago someone was machining grade one cotters but they quit making them. Perhaps someone took up making them again. You’re better off with using your original cotters or looking for NOS. Cottered cranks now are only used on new cheap bikes in India and China. A thing of the past. Parts will continue to be harder to find. If I buy a cottered crank it must include the original spindle, cups, bearings and cotters. People that sell cottered cranks on line can’t answer questions like what is the spindle size or what cotters it takes. Their clueless. If the spindle fits the crank arm then it only matters that the cotters fit the spindle taper. The cotters can be too small for the crank arm holes and it will work. If the cotters fit the crank holes but the cotter taper is off then it will only last a few hundred miles before it they are ruined. Flat filing to try and correct the cotter taper has only worked for me once. Flat filing to match is hard to do if you don’t have the original worn out cotters to help make a match.
 
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This is what I found. I did not buy anything nor make contact with this site. Looks legit though.

https://bikesmithdesign.com/CotterPress/cotters.html
He was out of the size I needed about 4 years ago. I’m using ones with the correct taper but not the right diameter. It’s on a 1920s Italian fixed gear track bike that has been ridden on four 60 to 130 mile rides. Legano crank and Campy spindle. Downhill pedaling puts stress on the cotters and they have been replaced twice. The chainring has also slightly warped and needed to be straightened. Now a days it’s mostly used on a balance roller.
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If you’re not riding in racing shorts or don’t have a chain guard the cotters should be reversed so your pants don’t snag on the cotter nuts. Either way is correct, but for esthetics they should be reversed. Personally on a bike like this I don’t feel it matters.
 
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It is some beautiful lumber. What’s the story?
My buddy bought some land and a saw mill happened to be on it. Now he has no machine skills what so ever so I go and use it. Now the price of black maple is 7 bucks a board foot. So I cut it for him and split. That's being used to make parts for my build off bike.
 
My buddy bought some land and a saw mill happened to be on it. Now he has no machine skills what so ever so I go and use it. Now the price of black maple is 7 bucks a board foot. So I cut it for him and split. That's being used to make parts for my build off bike.
Now you REALLY got me curious! 🧐
 
C'mon. I've waited for a couple of days. Nobody gonna make a joke about Ingola getting wood for the buildoff?

No?


K, just me then. Nevermind I'll be in my room
He should use this logo on his wood bike but change the name spelling to Splinterkind.
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And the 'powers that be' told me April 1st was "too early" to begin tossing around ideas and feelers for the Annual RRB Build Off 18. :bigsmile:

Heck, it was still technically March when Iggy ( my new nickname for @ingola ) first made his wood post. 😗
 
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