I didn't mean to imply the VARs at Harris were overpriced, just pointing out the old ones might be a little cheaper at a swap meet. In fact, I have two of the VARs, as I consider $25 apiece cheap insurance versus losing one's only extractor that works on several Stronglight equiped bikes. However, that is expensive if someone if trying to keep the bike habit on a tight budget.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Sheldon Brown wrote:
> Jeff Widman wrote:
>
> >Speaking of 122 BCD old Stronglight cranks, I have a
> >1980 Peugeot with these components. Anyways I'm
> >looking for a crank puller that works with the old
> >Stronglights, as well as some chain rings. I'm not
> >particularly concerned on teeth numbers, but rather
> >price. Sheldon Brown has some chainrings, as does
> >Loose Screws, but I don't really want to pay sixty
> >bucks. Can I just flip the rings over? Anyone got some
> >older barely used/unused rings they'll sell?
> >Anyone got a crank puller? Sheldon Brown has the VAR
> >model, but once again, $25?
>
> Jerry & Liz Moos wrote:
>
> >>There used to be a lot of the original Stronglight pullers
> >>around, I think they probably came with the cranks at one time. These
> >>are smaller and simpler than the VARs, you may still stumble across one
> >>at a swap meet.
>
> Harvey M Sachs wrote:
>
> >The one I have looks exactly like a TA puller. However, I don't
> >think that the threads are quite the same. Am I wrong?
> >harvey sachs
> >
> >From my French Bicycles page http://sheldonbrown.com/
>
> "Crank extractors
>
> "Older French cotterless cranks used different threading for
> the crank extractor.
> In particular, older TA and Stronglight cranks each had their
> own unique thread
> for this purpose, and you will need to get the correct puller
> for the crank you are
> working on. TA used a 23mm extractor, Stronglight used 23.35mm
> until 1982,
> when they converted to the standard 22mm diameter."
>
> The small "home mechanic" type 23.35 extractors are no longer in
> production, only the more elaborate, double-ended "pro" model is
> still available. This is rather expensive, but VAR is the only
> remaining source for anything that will fit these cranks.
>
> I go to the trouble of stocking and listing these, and probably sell
> one every 2-3 months. I sell them at a normal retail markup, despite
> the low turnover, because I want to keep them available to those who
> need them.
>
> Selling oddball stuff like this is not an easy business. Pricing
> needs to take turnover into account. Tying up a finite amount of
> capital in slow-moving products doesn't make economic sense unless
> the dealer can make enough profit on each sale to warrant the
> investment.
>
> Loose Screws is, indeed cheaper on a number of items than Harris
> Cyclery...and what happened to Loose Screws?
>
> Another well-known supplier of out-of-the-way bike parts who
> undercuts prices on a number of items we sell is constantly going in
> and out of business, presumably because he's having a hard time
> making a go of it. I think there's a lesson there...
>
> Sheldon "Hope To Be Here For The Long Haul" Brown
> +---------------------------------------------------------------+
> | The poet Henry O'Meara (1848-1904) was my great-grandfather |
> | I've put his book "Ballads of America and Other Poems" |
> | on the Web at: http://sheldonbrown.com/
> +---------------------------------------------------------------+
>
> Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
> Phone 617-244-9772, 617-244-1040, FAX 617-244-1041
> http://harriscyclery.com
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