Patrick Lay wrote:
> Hello to all..I recently purchased and overhauled a nice 70s Paramount
> which, from the evidence at hand. had been restored and promptly
> warehoused for years in less than ideal conditions. The Campy BB grease
> had been reduced to a clay-like substance and was very hard to clean out
> of the bearings. I had so much trouble cleaning the cage on the fixed
> cup side before reloading it with new balls that I tossed the adjustable
> cup bearing assembly into the someday box and filled the cup race with
> loose bearings. What is the best grease to use for longevity and
> stability as well as effectiveness to avoid having it dry up every few
> years?
The best way to prevent this is to take the bike out for a spin every
now and then!
> I also found the two feared tiny cracks on both sides of the
> crankarm spider, I tried to file them away but one had progressed beyond
> the practical range of the file. So not only do I need a crankset, but
> it occured to me to ask if the crack will cause catastropic failure
> without warning or if it will grow slowly before the inevitable happens
> and allow me to use it on an occasional use bike.
Alas, unlike steel, aluminum tends to fail suddenly and catastrophically.
--
John (john@os2.dhs.org)
Appleton WI USA