Would this Dawes be worth saving?

[raleighnut]

Ah, I'm a total beginner at this so I don't know what caged races are. I'll get googling....
Thanks for the suggestion.

These,


The cage just makes reassembly easier, plenty of grease and they'll outlast a 'sealed unit', trick is catching them before there's a problem but as long as you do it's less than a fiver a pair.

Another trick I use is to rotate each crank I/4 turn (1 flat) every time I change the bearings (mark it with a dab of paint or a scratch)

 

[midlife]

I use Weldtite bearings.....very silly name but pretty good lol .

 

[si_c]

You've got an old style spindle there where the nut tightens on to the spindle rather than the reverse. You can either do as mentioned, get some caged 1/4" bearings and replace the ones you have, or swap it for a 68x118mm Shimano BB-UN55.

Assuming you have the tools to fit it, that's the approach I'd take - the shimano unit will require much less fettling to get it installed right, and will last a very long time. If you plan on using this bike in bad weather then it's a no-brainer.

I use caged bearings on one of my Pugs - frankly it's a pain in the ass compared to a sealed unit.

 

[raleighnut]

You've got an old style spindle there where the nut tightens on to the spindle rather than the reverse. You can either do as mentioned, get some caged 1/4" bearings and replace the ones you have, or swap it for a 68x118mm Shimano BB-UN55.

Assuming you have the tools to fit it, that's the approach I'd take - the shimano unit will require much less fettling to get it installed right, and will last a very long time. If you plan on using this bike in bad weather then it's a no-brainer.

I use caged bearings on one of my Pugs - frankly it's a pain in the ass compared to a sealed unit.

And yet mine is totally the opposite.

 

[si_c]

And yet mine is totally the opposite.

It's mostly fine, but after riding daily in bad weather winter before last I found myself having to repack the bearings every month or so as they started to emulsify, which is something that I've never had happen with a shimano unit.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I usually replace with sealed BBs.
I just find them more reliable and easier both in maintenance and replacement.
I've never had a sealed cartridge freeze in the bottom bracket, but dealt with plenty of cup and bearing ones that did.
BTW, they need to invent a few more types of bearing cups so we can need a few dozen more tools to remove them.

 

[raleighnut]

It's mostly fine, but after riding daily in bad weather winter before last I found myself having to repack the bearings every month or so as they started to emulsify, which is something that I've never had happen with a shimano unit.

Never had the grease emulsify and I ride in all weathers (well if I want to go anywhere I do)

1 caveat I should add is that this is assuming the shaft is an 70s/80s/90s one, the new ones are made of compressed cheese and the bearing surfaces are likely to be knackered by the time you've got to the bottom of the road DAMHIKT but every bike I've fitted a new un on now has external bearings but 3 of my bikes are still on old BB shafts (and I won't mention the one with an 'Isis drive' BB as there would be too much swearing involved)

 

[Gravity Aided]

Never had the grease emulsify and I ride in all weathers (well if I want to go anywhere I do)

1 caveat I should add is that this is assuming the shaft is an 70s/80s/90s one, the new ones are made of compressed cheese and the bearing surfaces are likely to be knackered by the time you've got to the bottom of the road DAMHIKT but every bike I've fitted a new un on now has external bearings but 3 of my bikes are still on old BB shafts (and I won't mention the one with an 'Isis drive' BB as there would be too much swearing involved)

You've never had the grease emulsify because you actually ride your bicycles.

 

[scarygerbil]

I usaly go to my LBS with the frame and crank set and he fits them testing the spindle length for best clearence saves a lot of time and a perfect fit all the time

 

[Illaveago]

I can remember when I was young lifting the lid on the oiler fitted to the bottom bracket and squirting oil in with an oil can . It was one of the things a child was allowed to do . They never seemed to wear out in those days .

 

[biggs682]

I usaly go to my LBS with the frame and crank set and he fits them testing the spindle length for best clearence saves a lot of time and a perfect fit all the time

same here as nothing worse than spending a couple of hours fitting a bottom bracket and then finding it's too short or long

 

[woodbutcher]

same here as nothing worse than spending a couple of hours fitting a bottom bracket and then finding it's too short or long

Yep support your LBS, you never know when you might really, really need them !!

 

[biggs682]

Yep support your LBS, you never know when you might really, really need them !!

Exactly

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I'm having trouble getting the freewheel off the bike. My splined tool is fractionally too big to fit so I'm looking for pointers on what the right size is and where I can get the correct tool.
Freewheel is a Regina 12-17, 6 speed.