Old Steyr 3 Speed

Doki said:

I picked up an old Steyr 3 speed, which is unfortunately
painted purple with nice rust highlights, and I'd like to
spray it black.

Or even a Puch 3 speed 🙂.

On Fri, 7 May 2004 16:11:42 +0100, "Doki" <[email hidden]>

may have said:

I picked up an old Steyr 3 speed, which is unfortunately
painted purple with nice rust highlights, and I'd like to
spray it black. I've sprayed enough things to know how to
actually paint it, but I don't know what to do about the
bottom bracket and headset bearings. Is it possible to take
them out easily

Yes, for certain values of the word "easily". Since you
presumably want to remove the cranks anyway, the extra work
to remove the BB is not all that much.

Quoted message said:

or can I get away with masking around them?

You might; it's a toss-up in my opinion as to which is the
better choice.

Quoted message said:

I'm planning to strip down to bare metal with an angle
grinder and wire brush attachment, so there's liable to be
a fair bit of metal dust about the place. Will it be
possible to find replacement bearings if I kill them with
metal dust or have I got to cosset them for fear of never
finding spares?

Most likely, yes, from what I recall. I have a similar bike
in my collection; its BB is not exotic.

Quoted message said:

The other thing is that the seat tube seems very short
compared to my mountain bike's seat tube, and the seat will
almost certainly be too low for me whilst there's a
reasonable length of tube in the clamp. Have seat posts
stayed the same over the years, or will I be looking for
something odd?

Match for size and you're in good shape. Most of the Puch
3-speeds were made for cruiser-style riding, which generally
doesn't involve a lot of seat elevation.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via
e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words
processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Doki said:

I picked up an old Steyr 3 speed, which is unfortunately
painted purple with nice rust highlights, and I'd like to
spray it black. I've sprayed enough things to know how to
actually paint it, but I don't know what to do about the
bottom bracket and headset bearings. Is it possible to
take them out easily, or can I get away with masking
around them? I'm planning to strip down to bare metal with
an angle grinder and wire brush attachment, so there's
liable to be a fair bit of metal dust about the place.
Will it be possible to find replacement bearings if I kill
them with metal dust or have I got to cosset them for fear
of never finding spares?

The other thing is that the seat tube seems very short
compared to my mountain bike's seat tube, and the seat
will almost certainly be too low for me whilst there's a
reasonable length of tube in the clamp. Have seat posts
stayed the same over the years, or will I be looking for
something odd?

Neither piece is complex, the actual balls are very standard
sizes and cheap, and both could probably do with a good
cleaning and fresh lubricant. Your crank may be "cottered",
which is what our industry calls steel cranks with wedge
pins. If you're lucky, there is a greybeard at an LBS nearby
with both replacement pins (
9.5mm) and the Var #7 press to set them. The other crank in
Steyr bikes would be a Thun with a pinch bolt on the left
and a right crank that's one with the spindle (
inspiration for the current DuraAce?). While lower quality
somewhat, that type would be easier for the home mechanic
to service. Its retainer clips are an unusual format, but
new balls may be snapped into those or just replace them
with a set of loose balls . The locknut and adjustment are
reverse threaded.

The headset similarly may have an unavailable retainer but
loose balls are arguably better anyway. Your seat post is
25.4mm - same as all that general class of bicycle. Wald
#901 posts are fifteen inches long,$5 to $10.

Steyr used two hubs, a "Steyr" marked Sturmey Archer copy
which can use SA cables, shifter and axle nuts or a Torpedo
which will give you difficulty on those parts.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971

Quoted message said:

Doki said:

I picked up an old Steyr 3 speed, which is unfortunately
painted purple with nice rust highlights, and I'd like to
spray it black.

Quoted message said:

Or even a Puch 3 speed 🙂.

From Steyr-Daimler-Puch, as it was once called?

Now a division of Bianchi, owned by CycleEurope.
--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1
April, 1971

A Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

Doki said:

I picked up an old Steyr 3 speed, which is unfortunately
painted purple with nice rust highlights, and I'd like
to spray it black.

Quoted message said:

Or even a Puch 3 speed 🙂.

From Steyr-Daimler-Puch, as it was once called?

Now a division of Bianchi, owned by CycleEurope.

And Steyr seem to be making rifles for the Austrian army.