Cup and cone bottom bearing?

zcacogp

Chaps,

First post here ... be gentle!

I have an old bicycle (at least 18 years old), which has been standing for a long time but I have started cycling into work recently.

It doesn't ride quite as well as I'd like, and (for the first time ever), I dismantled the bottom bearing this evening. There was quite a lot of play in it, and I was keen to explore ...

I discovered that it has (what I now discover to be) a cup and cone bottom bearing. And the axle (/spindle) is worn in some areas. One of the bearing faces on it is rough around about 90degrees of the circumference. The cups are in better nick - they aren't damaged, although one of the ball bearing race cages was also cracked.

Not having any spare parts there wasn't much I could do but clean it up and re-assemble it, with some new grease (it was totally dry when it came apart.) However, having had a quick google, I can't find anywhere that sells the parts I need; an axle and bearings for a cup and cone bottom axle. (I assume it comes with the cups as well.)

Does anyone know how hard these parts are to find? Will a local bike shop have them? I work in Canary Wharf, where there is an Evans Cycles, and their website shows nothing of the sort that I am looking for ...

The alternative would be to try and use a (modern) pre-sealed bearing. Would one of these fit? For what it's worth the bicycle is a Peugeot Premiere, circa 1991(ish), road bike.

Thanks for any help!


Oli.

supersonic

They can still be got, (the axle will have a code stamped in it), but I would just change the whole unit for a cartridge bottom bracket which will fit.

Measure the length of the axle from the ends of the tapers, and the shell width of the frame.

zcacogp

That was a very quick answer Supersonic - thank you.

I was coming to the same conclusion about whether a modern cassette would fit having read this thread here:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12675369

Will one definitely fit? If so, is that all I need to know to get the right one - the length of the axle (when you say 'from the ends of the tapers' presumably you mean the total length of the axle, end-to-end?) and the shell width of the frame (is this the length of the 'tube' at the bottom of the frame that the cassette will slide into)?

Also, the other thread recommends a Shimano UN54 cassette. These seem to be about £25 or so. Was it recommended because it will fit (and others won't) or because it is a good cassette? I'd like to spend a little less than this if possible; using the bike is a money-saving exercise, and it's cost me a LOT more than the bus to date! (New pedals, new tyre, couple of innertubes, handlebar bag). Is the UN54 is very much better than anything else at the same price or cheaper then I'll buy one, but are there any cheaper alternatives which you would recommend?

Thanks very much for your help.


Oli.

ETA: Actually, two seconds on google shows me this:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=17473

Which seems to be the same product (UN54) at a much cheaper price (half of wiggle) - that's more like it!

Anything else I should buy? A tool to fit the cassette, I'd guess ...

supersonic

Unless your frame has an oversized bmx type bottom bracket shell (which I very much doubt!), then the cartridge bottom bracket will be a direct replacement and your cranks will slide on the same way.

Yes, measure end to end - but if there is a male thread for cranks nuts rather than bolts, ignore the protrusions. The bottom bracket will come with the right bolts.

Shell width is as you say - usually 68 or 73mm.

The UN54 is a good option and will last for many years.

stickman

With Peugeot it's possible the BB thread may be different, check a cup in another bike or ask your bikeshop. Maybe your 90s bike is modern enough and fine though.
UN54s are good, i've got them on 3 of my bikes.

rubbercolin

+1 UN54

zcacogp

Chaps,

An update. Thanks to everyone for their input - I ended up doing as everyone suggested, and put a UN54 in. It fitted straight in - there was nothing to it! Cranks off, old spindle and bearings out (and in the bin), and screw in the UN54 thing (with a little grease), put the cranks back on. Simple as that. Didn't take more than 20 minutes. And that was after having had a beer, and probably included the time take to wash my hands afterwards ...

I am assuming that the collar you screw onto the other side (plastic thing) is to support the other end when it is in situ?

Part was about £12 (from chainreactioncycles.com), and the tool to screw it in was £8 or so from evans cycles in Canary Wharf. (I bought a UN54 from them at the same time, but it turned out to be the wrong size, so I'll take it back this afternoon.)

Thanks for your help. To date, I have done about 5 miles on it, and it's done OK for that (huge!) distance!


Oli.