[CR]BB questions & Front Record Circlip trivia

(Example: Framebuilders)

Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 13:52:21 -0400
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "George Allen" <jgallen@lexairinc.com>
Subject: [CR]BB questions & Front Record Circlip trivia

Just some minutiae for the Campy obsessed among us. Some bottom bracket questions I hadn't thought of asking before:

BB#1 http://www2.lexairinc.com/~geo/bb/bb1.jpg This is from a 1971 Raleigh International. Notice the solid, non-grooved lock ring, "Brev. Inter". on both cups and the "Z" on the axle. Can anyone tell me what the "Z" means?

BB#2 http://www2.lexairinc.com/~geo/bb/bb2.jpg This is from a 1975 group that I purchased from the Netherlands (and it arrive in less than two weeks). The " Brev. Inter." has disappeared, replaced by "Made in Italy" on both cups. Also notice the triangle with a "T" inside and the lock ring is now grooved. I can see why they used the English words "Made in Italy" on the English cups but did they use Italian on Italian cups? Does anyone know what the "T" inside the triangle means?

BB#3 http://www2.lexairinc.com/~geo/bb/bb3.jpg I'm not sure the year on this one but assume it is a post-CPSC with the raised lips on the fixed cup. "Made in Italy" is gone and "Brev. Inter." is back. The lock washer remains grooved. No"Z", no triangle, no"T".

And one last thing: I was cleaning up a early flat cage, circlip Record front derailleur for a trade to a fellow list member. I installed nicer, period correct adjusting screws and a clamp bolt/nut from my pile of parted-out front changers. The circlip was a little rusty so I attempted to install a nicer one from a later, 3-hole, lipped version. It didn't fit too well and then I noticed that they have different shapes. The lobes on the newer circlip are larger than the lobes on the older version.

George Allen
Lexington, KY