Replacing a bottom bracket

Ghost Rider

I'm overhauling a Dawes 10-speed racer from the early 1980s. The factory paint job is looking pretty shabby and the frame had touches of rust so I decided to paint it. I removed the cranks but, in doing so, I noticed that the axle itself seems to be moving a bit stiffly. I reckon the bottom bracket might need replacing or need new bearings, at least.

Does anyone have any experience in replacing bottom brackets on bikes from this period? If so, how is it done? I'm not even sure what type of BB it is but it seems to be held in place with a steel ring on either side of the frame...

ednwireland

you generally need some tools but if its cupp an cone rather than cartridge i'd look at these better than i can explain it
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Bicycles/Maintenance_and_Repair/Bottom_Brackets/Bottom_bracket_overhaul

http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html

Ghost Rider

I've looked at both those articles but I remain a bit foggy on the subject.

Maybe I need to remove one of the outer rings first and that'll tell me what type of BB I have...?

ednwireland wrote:

you generally need some tools but if its cupp an cone rather than cartridge i'd look at these better than i can explain it
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Bicycles/Maintenance_and_Repair/Bottom_Brackets/Bottom_bracket_overhaul

http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/bbcups.html

Itsfixed

If the axle is loose then it defiinitely needs replacing. I simply got a bike shop to remove the a shagged cup and cone BB from an 80s bike. I have a BB removal tool, but its only for the modern cartridge jobs. Cartridge BBs are much smoother and more reliable than cup and cone ones.

There's no point in shelling out for a specific tool just to remove the old cup and cone one. Get a bike shop to do it, buy a new cartridge BB, such as a Shimano UN52 square taper, and buy a BB tool to screw it in yourself. They last a good while. It's a doddle to fit.

Ghost Rider

Cheers. I was starting to think that way alright.

One more question, though: if the axle is just a bit stiff i.e. rotating without any "bumps" but requiring a little effort to do so, could it just be that it needs greasing?

Itsfixed wrote:

If the axle is loose then it defiinitely needs replacing. I simply got a bike shop to remove the a shagged cup and cone BB from an 80s bike. I have a BB removal tool, but its only for the modern cartridge jobs. Cartridge BBs are much smoother and more reliable than cup and cone ones.

There's no point in shelling out for a specific tool just to remove the old cup and cone one. Get a bike shop to do it, buy a new cartridge BB, such as a Shimano UN52 square taper, and buy a BB tool to screw it in yourself. They last a good while. It's a doddle to fit.

Morgan

Sounds like disassembling and cleaning the BB and applying new grease might get you a few more years use. You'll know for sure once you get a look inside.

Ghost Rider

Well, seeing as I don't have the tools and it's probably a bog-standard BB anyway, I'll probably just get a bike shop to remove it and fit a cartridge one.

Morgan wrote:

Sounds like disassembling and cleaning the BB and applying new grease might get you a few more years use. You'll know for sure once you get a look inside.

RainyDay

Just curious - what model/colour/size is the Dawes?

Ghost Rider

Its decals describe it as a "Dawes Sport" and as "Handmade" but no other information is or ever was, as far as I recall, visible. As for the paintjob/colour, it's the exact same colour as the model known as the Dawes Windsor - that is, a golden brown blending into a chestnut brown. It occurred to me that maybe Dawes re-named it for the Irish market, perhaps feeling that the connotations of "Windsor" might not be so positive over here... Whatever its true name, I do recall seeing this particular model around quite a bit in the early 1980s. Not too sure of the frame size but I think it's about 21".

RainyDay wrote:

Just curious - what model/colour/size is the Dawes?

RainyDay

Thanks - I had sold my vintage Dawes Galaxy last year, so I was just wondering if it had reappeared.