Help for Aggie!

[PJ15]

Hello

I'm a cyclist who enjoys doing local shopping trip etc; on my folding bike called Aggie. I bought the bike second hand around 5 years ago, but she is I think quite old maybe 1970s.

I want to give her a new paint job and some new brake cables, but am having some trouble. I've nearly stripped the frame but to get the final pedal off I'm told I need a crank puller, but not a metric one as she is an old bike?

I've also been advised the BB arm has been machined for a cotter pin (sorry above my head!) but there is no cotter pin. I'm told it doesn't taper either which is usual to attach a crank puller.

I have no idea what make it is as there is no badge or logo on the bike!

Any advice would be very welcome

PJ15

 

[peteoc]

A photo would help

 

[PJ15]

Photo pretty bad but this is what it looks like!

Thanks

PJ15

 

[ASC1951]

Yikes, that is old!

IMO the crank puller advice is twaddle. Cottered cranks are on a parallel axle and are held on solely by the cotterpin - once you remove that, the cranks should come off with a few well-placed taps.

One way to deal with this is to remove the l/h bearing cup (the circular plate on the axle next to the frame) and the lockring on the chainset side; the whole axle should then slide out on the other side, ball bearings and all. Two advantages: you can get at the chainset more easily, if it really is stuck on the axle; you can re-pack the bearings and fettle the whole assembly, which it will certainly need.

The downside is that if you don't feel happy to do this yourself, or don't have the tool to loosen the bearing cup and lockring, a bike shop is going to charge you more than Aggie is worth.

Given your description, my guess is that this is a Raleigh Shopper or similar. Very serviceable little bikes in their day, but you can readily find them on Ebay in good order for £50ish, which may be better than emptying your pockets in the bike shop or skinning your knuckles on something with a dicky drivetrain.

 

[tyred]

I don't think that's a Raleigh 20 BB (I own an R20). It looks like a Thompson style BB to me. I've never had one of those apart but no puller should be necessary.

Edit: You can buy the complete BB for £3.99 - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/thompson-old-...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item4150f30dcd

With basic tools and mechanical knowledge, it shouldn't be difficult to replace. Just double check the dimensions first.

 

[PJ15]

Thank you for the advice, I must admit taking it all apart does sound a little bit of a challange, but I will certainly consider it. As you say Aggie has little monitary value so nothing much to lose by having a go.

However I'm sentimental and she is priceless to me and I wouldn't swap her for an ebay buy

pj15