John Betmanis noted:
I see in those pictures that the heads of the cotters lead when the cranks rotate forward. On most bikes with cottered cranks I've seen (from a quick survey around the house), the nutted end of the cotter leads. Is there a right and wrong way to install cotter pins and why? Why would this Paramount be opposite to what I've seen?
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Feeling frustrated about this question myself, several years ago I broadened my universe of inquiry and looked at a whole bunch of Rebour show pictures. I didn't do heavy-duty statistics, but there were enough of each style that I came to conclude that it doesn't really matter - as long as the cotters are fitted well to the cranks.
Now, this will be met with shouts of derision from the audience, which I suspect has neatly, but unevenly, divided itself into three groups: ---> Who cares about cotters? Real bikes are cotterless with tapered square ends on the spindles (what Williams splines?). --> nuts lag always. --> nuts lead always.
In politics, both of the latter may be true. :-)
harvey sachs
mcLean Va