Swapping parts

[ozboz]

Hiya , I have seen a nice 60/70's Raliegh small frame Womens bike today , just right to build a touring bike for Ms'Boz , it has a five speed cass , single chainring setup , we have a spare medium Womens Ridgeback to get most things that's needed to get it upto spec , which is an eight speed cass , and tripple chainrings , so before I go and get the Raleigh , will the BB from the RBack fit the older frame , and what compatibility probs should I be aware of ? The dropouts will take the cassette , not sure about the chain missing the frame because of the added width of the tripple chainring set up,
Cheers

 

[steve50]

I'm no expert but I can't see the BB from a fairly modern ridgeback fitting into a forty + year old bike, it might be worth a visit to your lbs to get some advice regards upgrading the Raleigh before taking the plunge.

 

[lpretro1]

If it is 5 spd it will be a freewheel not a cassette for starters. which means u will needa new rear wheel. if it is that old then the dropout width may not be compatible with the width of today's hubs

 

[lpretro1]

Plus the brakes from 60/70s will be pants so get her some new ones esp if she's carrying loads. I think u could be kinder to her by buying something more up to date

 

[steve50]

Plus the brakes from 60/70s will be pants so get her some new ones esp if she's carrying loads. I think u could be kinder to her by buying something more up to date

And cheaper in the long term.

 

[ozboz]

I measured the dropouts the back wheel will fit , as said , some parts , I know where I'll get brakes and gear shifters to suit from , it's mainly the chain ring ann BB I'm concerned with

 

[KneesUp]

I presume you're using the wheels etc from the Ridgeback so ignore the above

You need the correct length axle to get it all to line up. Take the old one out and measure it. And then consult your lbs about changing it bearing in mind you're going from a single to a triple. There are different threads in BBs but I can't recall any details. There will be parts that for though. Sheldon Brown is normally good for such info.

 

[KneesUp]

@raleighnut may be able to advise on Raleigh bb threads?

 

[lpretro1]

any use: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/raleigh26.html

 

[ozboz]

any use: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/raleigh26.html

That has answered the question , it can be done , but not without some tweaking in the bearing dept
Cheers !!

 

[raleighnut]

@raleighnut may be able to advise on Raleigh bb threads?

With a bike of that age it could well be Raleigh threads especially if the crank is cottered.
There is an easy way to do it if the old bearing cups are OK (most of em are, they were made to last) but it means using a non-cartridge BB and square taper crank.
You then need to source a suitable length shaft, I've done it a couple of times but only by trying different ones until I found one that was right. The only critical dimension is the one between the bearing 'shoulders', you can get away with them being a couple of millimetres longer (the adjustable cup will just sit a bit further out) but if this dimension is less then you may not have enough thread to get the lockring on.
Then you just need to find a shaft with a length suitable for a triple, again trial is the way I've done it by mocking it up with one that fits the bearing width and trying the crank on, rings too close to the frame means you need a longer shaft and vice-versa. It does help if you've got a few old partworn shafts and access to a bike shop that has older stock (I've got both and luckily John lets me rummage through the drawer with the shafts in it until I can find the one I need)
The last conversion I did was fitting a Stronglight square taper single ring to an old 3speed that originally had a steel cottered crank on it.

 

[Dogtrousers]

If you have the time, then muddle your way forward. You can always put the parts back on the donor bike. And it may well be fun! Start with the BB, as it sounds like that's going to be trickiest.

I'd go with @raleighnut's suggestion of just replacing the BB axle with one long enough to carry a triple. Replacing the whole BB will entail removing the fixed cup, which is a big PITA.

 

[ozboz]

Thanks for the info @ralieghnut & @ dogstrousers , I would say that it does have the raliegh thread size BB , typical !! was a lovely frame and just the right size for a small person , and the right price for a project !

 

[sidevalve]

Just a thought - do you really need a triple at the front ? I run a double and a larger rear [7 speed] cassette and have no problems even here in hilly Durham. Most of the older bikes could take a double [they were often sold as 5 or 10 speed models] and the old story 'more is better' doesn't always work out to be true. Check E Bay for bits - it's amazing how many old bits are out there and if you are using alloy rims don't listen to the doomsayers about the brakes either - a well set up calliper or centre pull with modern pads can be surprisingly good even now. Way too many riders [like car drivers] rely on brakes instead of good riding skills.

 

[raleighnut]

Thanks for the info @ralieghnut & @ dogstrousers , I would say that it does have the raliegh thread size BB , typical !! was a lovely frame and just the right size for a small person , and the right price for a project !

Like I posted it should be pretty easy to do, just a bit of a faff, I'd try using the old shaft from the Ridgeback as a starting point. A lot of the so called 'sealed' BBs can actually be taken apart.