BIGFOOT Smokestone 1993 (now NeilM's)
- Thread starter Tc
- Start date
the_duke":1exprew1 said:
Depends, mine was made in 93, and if it was going to be based around Campag running gear, then 70mm would make sense. Or it may have been made for a particular customer who wanted and Italian BB, who knows, I'll see what I can find out from Graham this week.
As a follow on; I visited Graham Foot today at Slam69, he and his partner were pretty pleased to see the frame, and he confirmed that the BB is Italian 70mm.
This is a cautionary tale to those who assume and who don't use there eyes and their vernier calipers (or just a steel rule). Below are pictures that show what happens when you install a British / ISO bottom bracket into threads designed for a more unusual (in MTB's) sizes.
The force that must have been required to make a LEFT HAND thread fit a RIGHT HAND shell, don't bear thinking about it.
There is an old engineering truism 'if you have to force it, you're doing something wrong'
Graham is hopeful of being able to carefully chase the damaged threads out. The alternative is a sleeve or a threadless BB.
This could so easily have been avoided, and the thread running continuously from side to side of the shell should have been an immediate give away.
Ah well, with any luck we shall soon have it fixed.
BTW, the gold Bigfoot in the Malvern photo's shown on other threads is Grahams own bike that he still has. He also knows of the very last bike sold, just before he shut up shop. It is still local and is almost never ridden, but is perfectly preserved.
This is a cautionary tale to those who assume and who don't use there eyes and their vernier calipers (or just a steel rule). Below are pictures that show what happens when you install a British / ISO bottom bracket into threads designed for a more unusual (in MTB's) sizes.
The force that must have been required to make a LEFT HAND thread fit a RIGHT HAND shell, don't bear thinking about it.
There is an old engineering truism 'if you have to force it, you're doing something wrong'
Graham is hopeful of being able to carefully chase the damaged threads out. The alternative is a sleeve or a threadless BB.
This could so easily have been avoided, and the thread running continuously from side to side of the shell should have been an immediate give away.
Ah well, with any luck we shall soon have it fixed.
BTW, the gold Bigfoot in the Malvern photo's shown on other threads is Grahams own bike that he still has. He also knows of the very last bike sold, just before he shut up shop. It is still local and is almost never ridden, but is perfectly preserved.
:shock:
Flip that looks awful! Hopefully he can sort something for you.
Was this shell custom or were all the early frames in that width?
Mine is the 2nd gen and is visually different due to the tapered edges. Another subtle evolution I guess.
Flip that looks awful! Hopefully he can sort something for you.
Was this shell custom or were all the early frames in that width?
Mine is the 2nd gen and is visually different due to the tapered edges. Another subtle evolution I guess.
I didn't ask about the choice of BB, as I rather felt I'd taken quite a bit of his time blathering on about all of us on RB, but I will find out when I go to collect my frame.
It may well have been to do with the availability of parts at the time, or possibly that the bike was built around Campag. I'll ask to see the two bikes he has in the shop, as one is the same generation as mine.
The engineer in me tells me that we can make that BB shell serviceable again, it is just the method we use. What concerns me more is that the damage was done in the first place. I know we all drop some clangers from time to time, most of mine were done in my teens on poor long suffering British motorbikes and mates mopeds, but the machines were plentiful and parts pretty cheap, these bikes are a whole different ball game; bolox one of these , and that's it gone for good.
It may well have been to do with the availability of parts at the time, or possibly that the bike was built around Campag. I'll ask to see the two bikes he has in the shop, as one is the same generation as mine.
The engineer in me tells me that we can make that BB shell serviceable again, it is just the method we use. What concerns me more is that the damage was done in the first place. I know we all drop some clangers from time to time, most of mine were done in my teens on poor long suffering British motorbikes and mates mopeds, but the machines were plentiful and parts pretty cheap, these bikes are a whole different ball game; bolox one of these , and that's it gone for good.
DeletedUser006
Old School Grand Master
Fingers crossed for you Neil,
I have an Italian BB on the cinelli and seem recall that it's a larger overall diameter than ISO English :? I bet that someone got the threads wrong when refitting the BB as the driveside cup is not left-hand thread on itailan BB's
I would get it re tapped at Argos and see if that sorts the thread out.
I have an Italian BB on the cinelli and seem recall that it's a larger overall diameter than ISO English :? I bet that someone got the threads wrong when refitting the BB as the driveside cup is not left-hand thread on itailan BB's
I would get it re tapped at Argos and see if that sorts the thread out.
Thanks James.
The BB that came out is a Shimano UN51 BC 1.37 68, so someone really did a job getting that in.
I took the frame back to Graham, as he is the original builder of the Bigfoot's. I figured as he'd designed and built it in the first place, he was probably best qualified to repair it.
So, now I'm waiting for a phone call.........
The BB that came out is a Shimano UN51 BC 1.37 68, so someone really did a job getting that in.
I took the frame back to Graham, as he is the original builder of the Bigfoot's. I figured as he'd designed and built it in the first place, he was probably best qualified to repair it.
So, now I'm waiting for a phone call.........
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