BB's? how do you configure?

thought i could fire this one out. I got an old 70's edddy merckx frame with the old style bolt on crank arm set. I want to upgrade the bb and crank set, but how do I know what threaded type it is? I have a serial number under BB and sent that off to a merckx site (i hope) to find out. How do you check serial numbers? I have checked sheldon's site and will read it again to see if helps me. Hope you all very well and having fun whatever you up too. ps. thanks for any advice

By bolt on do you mean cottered cranks? The b.b. spindle will be round with on flat notch taken out or just standard square taper rather than the fancy new external bearing b.b?

68 mm wide b.b shell = british / iso
70 mm = Italian

I forget the diffrent diamiters and the and I think the french is 70 mm wide as well, check sheldons site, in the glossery look up bottom brackets and there is a table of info.

tommy thanks alot. I am new the terminoldgy but I am studying hard! The spindle is circlualr where the bolt-on acts like a tightening pin..if that helps describe it better. To measure the BB can I measure the width of the underneath of the BB? I will check sheldons site again. Thanks tommy, ps. is everyone here in London? I ask beacuse i lived in Hackney Downs for a few years and moving back next week to London. So it would be great to get to chat to some London fixe folk. When I lived there I did not have a bike, but spent the last year getting one and trying to learn, but where I am now is a void and perhaps even a little resentful of this. Thanks for your help, hussy.

measure the width of the BB, then measure the width of the spindle itself ie 107mm; then head to wiggle, look under square taper.

No prob.

..........."The spindle is circlualr where the bolt-on acts like a tightening pin"

Sounds like a cottered crank alright. The pin bit is the cotter pin.

.........."To measure the BB can I measure the width of the underneath of the BB? I"

Yep turn the bike upside down and measure the bit of the frame that the b.b threas into that is the b.b shell.

Most people are in London, just keep an eye open there will be rides, pub, and other event to come meet people. Enjoy!

yep, sounds like cotter pins. in addition the width, the BB diametre will be diff. english BBs are smaller in dia...an english BB would slide right through an italian BB shell.

gotta love those cottered cranks.

mallet? check.
bit of wood? check.

whack it. hard. in the middle.

I find it's hammet check wood check
..... bigger hammer check
... drill, drill drill. Tea
...drill, drill, drill
Done.

yes - the "oh, that didn't really work, and why is the head all flat?" moment.

followed by the drill stage.

Cool, I have all this to come fairly soon. rubs hands

I think if the frame was made by Merckx (not branded) it's Italian as De-Rosa helped Merckx start up when he set up in frame building route and so Merckx bikes have Italian BB .. oh but check as suggested above to be sure !

got it sorted but BB is English so saves an effort for searching. like the mallet and stick tool to do the trick, tried it it works, still not made it back to london as crashed off my cotter & pin cranks whilst bunny-oppin over an island beacon at a sleeping policeman. kazoom...need some plate put into the shoulder but on a waiting list.....????????? how do I measure a hospital waiting time?? seriously open to options......... coming soon more questions about BB update by one arm Emanuel.

Bloody hell!