Stronglight Competition 35x1 BB removal

StefanP

Hey all,

I am building up a new fixie/singlespeed bike, at the moment the frame is equipped with the aforementioned bottom bracket whose axle is far too wide for my purpose.

The drive side I think will come out just with a adjustable spanner or something like that (suggestions welcome - I'll think about it tomorrow morning) but the non-drive side is the issue. (Apologies for the dodgy photos, but I think they show all you need to see.)

http://i44.tinypic.com/14czcko.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/29mr3f4.jpg

What tool would I need to remove the left hand side cup?

Thanks
Stefan

ugo.santalucia

Very interesting little toy... You need two different tools:

for the non drive side a 8 pin BB extractor, the Park Tool one for Truvativ and Shimano BBT 18 should fit (can't promise) for the lockring and 2 pin tool for the main cup (HCW-4 hopefully), the drive side is a 36 mm, so although you can try with a large spanner, you might damage it and the best thing is to get the proper thin spanner (Park Tool again HCW-4).

35 x 1 is the French thread, very rare, it will undo the "italian" way, so both sides of the BB shell will behave like normal screws and will be undone anticlockwise (unless it's an even rarer Swiss thread).
You will struggle to find another French thread BB (maybe E-bay only option), so my advice is to leave it on if it still works and fit any square taper crank you fancy.

I used to hang around Croydon, but don't do it anymore these days, shame as I could have helped you, I've got all the tools. Plenty of good bike shops in the area anyway if you need it serviced

ugo.santalucia

... just an addition to the previous post... if you need a shorter axle for the fixie project, remove the cups (or even just one) clean and regrease the bearings and fit a shorter axle, as this one is too wide for single speed. My guess (and it's only a guess) is that as the BB shell is 68 mm like the British one, most British square taper axles should fit, but double check, as I have never had a French BB in my hands

StefanP

Thanks, Ugo, I think If I can get the drive side crank off and then fit an old raleigh square taper which is shorter It'll be perfect (or at least thats the theory), I'll let you know how I get on!

ugo.santalucia

StefanP wrote:

Thanks, Ugo, I think If I can get the drive side crank off and then fit an old raleigh square taper which is shorter It'll be perfect (or at least thats the theory), I'll let you know how I get on!

It sounds like a good plan. If the bearings fit around the axle like a glove, you're probably on the right track. If it works, best thing would be to remove the left side, which annoyingly is the difficult one, as the way your BB works is that you have to tighten the left cup with the two pin tool until the axle rotates freely but doesn't have lateral play and then you have to lock it in place with the 8 pin lockring.
Undoing the drive side might work, but you might end up with some lateral play or it might end up being too tight... the side you need to adjust it is the left, I am afraid.
Worth getting the two tools I recommended, if you plan to do your own maintenance, although I would make sure that the drive side cup takes a 36 mm wrench... french are weird

Monty Dog

As someone hasn't posted it already - all the info your need is here:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-hel ... et-service

If in need of 'heavy tools', last time I was in Screwfix, this was on offer - if this won't shift a fixed cup, then nothing will!
http://www.screwfix.com/p/adjustable-wrench-24/53084

StefanP

Thanks Guys for the help.

The drive side we removed with a giant adjustable hammer.
The lockring, we took off with a hammer and chisel without damaging it. The actual cup we used the adjustable spanner (with the two pins coming out the side (SPA-6) IT was ridiculously tight, though.

ugo.santalucia

StefanP wrote:

Thanks Guys for the help.

The drive side we removed with a giant adjustable hammer.
The lockring, we took off with a hammer and chisel without damaging it. The actual cup we used the adjustable spanner (with the two pins coming out the side (SPA-6) IT was ridiculously tight, though.

I suggest you clean the threads by oiling them and screwing the cup in and out a few times (half a turn, half a turn back, one turn, half a turn back etc etc... ), until it runs smooth. Then refit using antiseize, best is still the copper paste, you find it at Halfods. Bearings will instead be generously greased. Proper tools will guarantee a long life, the vandalising method is a hit and miss... next time you might end up damaging it and that'll be it... French threads are rare like hen's teeth

mz__jo

French bottom brackets are generally 70mm wide. The axles do not have exactly the same bearing diameters as english - you may be lucky, you may spend a lot of time finding something that is really correct (depending on your conception of correct).