Re: [CR] Lyotard pedal axle transplant

(Example: Component Manufacturers)

Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:28:58 -0600
Organization: The Crimson Permanent Assurance
To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <496D4AF9.1000905@verizon.net>
In-Reply-To: <496D4AF9.1000905@verizon.net>
From: "John Thompson" <johndthompson@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [CR] Lyotard pedal axle transplant


Harvey Sachs wrote:
> John, either you wuz lucky or you are a whole bunch more gifted than us
> mere mortals. Some years ago, and it might be in the archives, I
> documented the enormous variety of Lyotard Berthet spindles I had in my
> collection. Not including the 1/2" threading. There were significant
> differences in length (YES!), for example, so not all were
> interchangeable. Newer ones had hex wrench flats; older ones didn't. And
> don't get any of us started on the different lengths of threading (short
> for steel vs long for alloy cranks) and the random variations in
> diameter of the threading, seemingly totally disconnected from any
> indication of whether it was metric/French or English threaded.
>
> Neat design, but not real durable, either.

I guess I was lucky. I did notice that the mounting threads on the 1/2" spindle were considerably shorter than those on the 9/16" spindle from the 45-CAs but I didn't consider that to be a problem (maybe if you had closed pedal holes as on some older French cranks). All the Berthets I have (3 pair at this point) have just a pair of wrench flats, not hex flats as you describe. The random variations in thread diameter I take as just a Lyotard idiosyncrasy.

BTW, I did check the archives prior to posting this and didn't see anything pertinent, but I may have missed something, I suppose.

--

-John Thompson (john@os2.dhs.org)
Appleton WI USA