Old Bike/Bent Chainring

[jflbike]

Hi - please forgive my newbie questions:<br />
I have a thrift store bike that I'd like to use for short easy street rides. The bike is a Bridgestone Kabuki Skyway. I've done some research and know that it's an old bike probably from the late 70s early 80s and that it is Japanese.
Here's the problem - one of the chainrings is bent (not just a tooth but the whole ring). This causes the chain to come off - I know that my bike shop could try to bend it back but that doing so may not work/fix the problem. The chainrings are weird - only three bolts with a measurement between two adjacent bolts of 90mm (approx). My online perusing tells me that I probably can't find a replacement chainring.
So - can I just replace the whole crankset? How do I know what will fit? Will any 3 chainring crankset work? Thanks for your help (and patience!)

[DaveM]

I don't know much about what came on this bike, but from the few online photos I see, it looks like a fairly standard two chainring crankset. Your's has a triple?<br />
I would think any normal road crankset should work. I'd stay away from the more high end current cranks that are made for 9/10 speed drive trains.
Here's a decent very low cost road triple:<br />
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=45378&page=SHIMANO+FC-2203+TRIPLE+ROAD+BIKE+CRANKSET
If you do have a triple, note that mtn bike cranks will have lower gearing than on a standard road crank.
Do you have the disk brakes? I had no idea they were around that far back.

[DaveM]

I forget to mention - try straightening the chainrings first. I've actually had pretty good luck doing this. Although once they've bent once, they are a bit more likely to bend again.
Take the chain off the chainrings so it can spin freely and then just carefully bend the rings back to a straight line. Keep spinning the cranks so you can see where to adjust. Best to use smooth jawed pliers or an adjustable wrench if it will fit in there.

[jflbike]

Thanks DaveM - I'll try to bend the chainring back but wanted to have a backup plan. I appreciate your help!

[jflbike]

I also double checked the crankset and it definitely is only a double - don't know why I said it has three...either I can't count or I just mistyped. Good catch!