Well, here is what I know. I recently purchased several TDC cottered BB axles to use with a Stronglight 3-arm crank in a 1954 French-made Duravia/Mecadural Aluminum frame. Two different models, between 135 and 137.5 mm overall length. This works nicely with the Stronglight with double chainrings.
I have a Stronglight (I think) cottered axle marked 127 which measures just a bit more than 127mm overall length. This axle was too short for a Stronglight crank with double rings, so I assume 127 must be for a single chainring. So I would guess you will need an axle with an overall length something close to 127mm, at least for the Stronglight, not sure about the Williams.
BTW, if you use the Stronglight cranks, be aware there are two different versions, the French version and the English version. The English version is marked "A" = Anglais on the arm and it uses an English axle, which had a different diameter than a French cottered axle. This was why I had to buy the TDC axles to use with my Stronglight cranks, most of which were the English version.
BTW, did final installation today of the Stronglight cottered cranks on the Duravia, using a Park cotter pin press. This tool is really worth having if you deal with cottered cranks.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: Sean Flores <seaneee175@gmail.com>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR] Cottered Bottom Brackets Have My Head Spinning
\r?\n> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> Date: Sunday, July 19, 2009, 3:12 PM
\r?\n> I'm in the process of building up a
\r?\n> 1950's Freddie Grubb frameset and would like to use era
\r?\n> appropriate cottered cranks. This will be built up as a 1x5,
\r?\n> with a single, non gear-case chainwheel in the front. I'm
\r?\n> deciding between a williams 5 pin or a Stronglight 3 arm
\r?\n> competition cottered chainset.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I've been looking at both Sutherlands, the Bikelist
\r?\n> Archives and the chart on Peter Underwood's Classic
\r?\n> Lightweights site. I can't make heads or tails of the
\r?\n> archive posts and the chart on Classic Lightweights has some
\r?\n> major discrepancies when compared to the one in
\r?\n> Sutherland's.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> So my question is, what is the correct spindle length for a
\r?\n> 1x5, non gear-case setup? I'm trying to keep it easy by
\r?\n> looking at TDC and Bayliss bottom brackets as it seems those
\r?\n> are the most readily available. However, I would love any
\r?\n> input (as well as a spare bottom bracket anyone may have
\r?\n> lying around).
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Thanks All.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Sean Flores
\r?\n> San Francisco, CA
\r?\n> USA