Wanted: French BB or 70mm spindle OR Threadless 68mm BB

Looking to replace the BB on an old Peugeot which looks to have french threads and is cottered, to something that will allow me to run my spare crankset (which was on a 68x115) with a square taper.

Hoping someone can supply me with a spindle of 70x115 (which I believe will give an equivalent fit to the old one above), or failing that a french BB which is square taper.

Also if any of this is bullshit, tell me - I've misread Sheldon!

French BB width is 68 afaik, so you would need a replacement spindle from a bsa bb or another french bb but not an italian bb since their width is 70mm. Also, keep in mind that there are iso & jis taper standards and there can be complications when mixing the two.

Bit left field, could you run a threadless BB? Cheap enough to try, most of them are on a JIS taper so no Campy cranks. Make sure you tighten them up with grease as this really lets you torque it up! Other options might be to skim the face of the BB by a mill each side and find an old BB as Sig has mentioned!

I use one similar to this which has given me no trouble for several years (as long as suitable torqued up)

Hmm since they are crappy no name cranks not sure how I'd determine JIS or ISO w/o callipers. Hadn't thought about the shell width mind, thanks! Appartently 70mm gives a better fit despite the shell being 68mm (source)

I've been searching all morning and this is the first I hear of threadless! Thank you!

Title updated, threadless BB also be very handy!

No worries, I've been lucky enough to get 2 second hand frames with stripped bottom brackets in my lifetime, threadless BB's worked a treat both times (cannot stress greasing and tightening till red in the face enough) good luck with getting sorted!

A dirt cheap BB, £15 with Postage, surely worth a shot!

This is what I used on my old french track frame. Was a nightmare trying to find a bb that hit all the right specs. French cups, 68mm shell, 113mm spindle and pretty sure that it's ISO square taper. Ebay linkkkkkk

Here's another eBay link. I recently put one in my french track frame and it seems fine.

I've got an old french BB here if you need a stop gap.

Appartently 70mm gives a better fit despite the shell being 68mm

That was the case on my Peugeot. The shell is 68 but the cups are thinner than English so the bb spindle centre needs to be longer.

Not true for all Peugeots though, so best thing is to compare the original spindle to a 68 or 70 and see if the centre part is the same length.