# BB - Italian or English?



## karlg (Nov 29, 2006)

Do EM steel frames have an Italian or English thread bottom bracket? I have a NOS 20th anniversary frame. It has never been built up. After cleaning the paint off the BB shell faces, I measured the width at approximately 68mm. It should be 70mm if Italian. However, I could start an Italian threaded cup into the right (drive) side clockwise, as I expected. The threads need chasing. Do I just have a narrow shell? Campagnolo spec is 69.2 - 70.8mm. I have an Athena UT groupset for the frameset.

Thanks,
Karl


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Eddy has always used Italian threaded BB's (at least while he was running the Co).


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## karlg (Nov 29, 2006)

bikerjulio said:


> Eddy has always used Italian threaded BB's (at least while he was running the Co).


Thanks. That has been my experience also. I was just surprised to find the BB so under spec. I measured 68.2 mm tonight.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

I'll have to go measure my Merckxes now!

Sounds like someone got a little too enthusiastic with a facing tool. You should shim under the NDS campy cup to get it within spec width.


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## karlg (Nov 29, 2006)

bikerjulio said:


> I'll have to go measure my Merckxes now!
> 
> Sounds like someone got a little too enthusiastic with a facing tool. You should shim under the NDS campy cup to get it within spec width.


The frame had never been faced. I had to remove the paint from the faces. My other Merckx frames are spot on at 70mm. I need to take it to my LBS to have the BB threads chased. I'll ask them to measure the width also and pick up a spacer/shim.


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