Octalink V1 - was/is this a decent BB system?

[AngryScientist]

i mean - shimano went to octalink V2, so V1 must have had some issues?

anyway, i have a crankset i'd like to repurpose from a triple to a wide compact double and it's octalink V1 interface. current BB is roasted.

buy a new BB and go, or skip it and use a ST bb/crank?

[bicycletricycle]

they work great

[dave thompson]

IIRC the V2 Octalink BB was for MTBs. V1 was for road.

[GOTHBROOKS]

i thought v1=road and v2=mtb.
not that it was a redesigned or updated model or whatever.

[AngryScientist]

ahh, i didnt know that about road/mtb, thanks for the clarification.

OK, i'm ordering a new BB, thanks team!

[cmbicycles]

V1 has narrower splines, and as mentioned was used for road but also and XTR. Mountain/V2 had wider splines and was used for XT and below.

[11.4]

It got a bad reputation in some quarters for stripping, but that's only because you had to match the splines and then pull them together. People wouldn't match them properly, would tighten the crank arm bolts until the splines butted hard against each other, and they thought they had done it. They hadn't. The crank splines would bump off the opposing splines and everything would loosen up and spin. It wasn't hard to strip splines if you only engaged them a couple millimeters instead of the full 12 mm or so. Do it right and it's an incredibly durable and reliable system. It's also held up as one of the most rigid crank systems around.

When you get bottom brackets, try to get the Ultegra BB-6500. That one was utterly indestructible. The next best is the currently available Dura Ace track bottom bracket, the 7710. It's basically the same as the 6500 in a steel casing. There's a 105 version that Shimano still makes as a replacement item, but while it's durable it isn't all that great. The DA-7700 bottom bracket for road Dura Ace is the one that Shimano's own mechanics think is their best bottom bracket ever. It uses annual and needle bearings to give a wonderful low-friction ride, but it's susceptible to dirt and needs to be serviced very frequently. And over time, the plastic housing for the needle bearings gradually wears and the bearings tend to fall out, making servicing a pain. If you can replace it every year or so and service it every month, it's a great product. I'd go with the 6500 or 7710 instead.

[bicycletricycle]

they are harder to find, especially the xtr ones, the road units are a little easier to find. I like the original loose ball units but most prefer the sealed bearing ones. I believe you can still get them new because the dura ace track cranks take the 109.5mm spindle units that the regular road units used.

[AngryScientist]

i need the 118.5 spindle length, which i think means i'm working with the 105 level stuff if i dont want to spend hours on ebay...

[cmbicycles]

118.5 was for triples, 109.5 was for double. There were Ultegra and DA triple BBs, but if buying new and not scouring ebay 105 is good 'nuff.

[Ken Robb]

The best bike mechanic I know is also the owner of a fine LBS. He often recommended using the Ultegra V-1 BB rather than the Dura Ace even when selling/installing a whole DA Group because the Ultegra is a sealed unit that needs no maintenance whereas the DA is loose ball bearings that should be serviced from time to time. I think the Ultegra may have slightly more friction due to more complete sealing so the DA might be better for racers. I think 25,000 trouble-free miles is common with the V-1 Ultegra BB.

The Octalink system eliminates wear caused by mounting and removing a crank that can happen over time with square-taper designs. OTOH I never had a problem with either design so maybe it's an answer to a question I never asked. :-)

I have 2 bikes left and 1 has v-1 Ultegra triple and the other has V-2 crank/BB.

I guess I should sell my Ritchie 50-34 cranks and the matching V-1 BB that I used on my Hampsten.

[jumphigher]

I've had DA 7700 cranks and BB installed for about a month on my road bike. I really like it, it's incredibly smooth, light, and stiff.

[Louis]

Octalink V1 is awesome. I've had one that's been through all sorts of muck and it just keeps rolling.

[tv_vt]

Great BB. Used them for decades. Finally upgraded to 7900/9000 cranks and went with the newer BBs, but Octalinks were fantastic and lasted forerver.

[Big Dan]

I still use them.

[AngryScientist]

universal praise. this is good to hear!

i have a 105 unit on order!

[11.4]

i need the 118.5 spindle length, which i think means i'm working with the 105 level stuff if i dont want to spend hours on ebay...

The 118.5 mm BB-6500s are the easiest to find these days. The 109.5 mm ones disappeared pretty early. So you might have the best chance of finding the ideal bottom bracket and at a better price.

[nalax]

I've been using v1 octalink since about 2005 and have serviced the DA BB a couple of times. Have a new DA BB sitting around somewhere as a backup. I find it to be easy and reliable.

[AngryScientist]

none for sale on e-bizzle right now other than a used one, but i'll keep a search open for future proofing!

[Llewellyn]

I haven't seen a 109.5mm Ultegra unit for sale in years so I've stocked up on the 105's. They're good enough for my requirements.

[NYCfixie]

nashbar has the 105 version for $55:
https://www.bikenashbar.com/cycling/parts/bottom-brackets/shimano-5500-bottom-bracket-sh-bb5500

Excel has them on sale for $38
https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp?page=8&description=105+BB-5500+Bottom+Bracket&vendorCode=SHIM&major=1&minor=6

Jenson @ $34
http://www.jensonusa.com/Shimano-105-BB-5500-Bottom-Bracket-118mm-68mm-English?

I still use one on my flat bar cannondale with a 6500 triple group. I have never had trouble with the BB.

[dddd]

V1 with the narrower spline engagement was for use with the harder forged alloy in the XTR crankset, and also suitable for the road cranks where riders were not landing from jumps with their weight coming down on the horizontal crank arms.
The lesser MTB cranks from XT down with cast HollowTech ("hollow forged" only at the pedal eye btw) got the V2 with longer spline engagement.

Their were altogether four V1 bb lengths available, 109.5mm, 112mm, 116mm and 118mm. The XTR 112mm or 116mm will work with the triple if the seat tube isn't too fat and if the chainstay clears the chainrings. This overall improves a triple's chainline imo little unless you cross-chain the middle and small-to-small.

[NYCfixie]

V1 with the narrower spline engagement was for use with the harder forged alloy in the XTR crankset, and also suitable for the road cranks where riders were not landing from jumps with their weight coming down on the horizontal crank arms.
The lesser MTB cranks from XT down with cast HollowTech ("hollow forged" only at the pedal eye btw) got the V2 with longer spline engagement.

Their were altogether four V1 bb lengths available, 109.5mm, 112mm, 116mm and 118mm. The XTR 112mm or 116mm will work with the triple if the seat tube isn't too fat and if the chainstay clears the chainrings. This overall improves a triple's chainline imo little unless you cross-chain the middle and small-to-small.

Shimano was rather clear about what size BB to use for road cranks:
109.5 Double
118.0 Triple

[oldpotatoe]

i mean - shimano went to octalink V2, so V1 must have had some issues?

anyway, i have a crankset i'd like to repurpose from a triple to a wide compact double and it's octalink V1 interface. current BB is roasted.

buy a new BB and go, or skip it and use a ST bb/crank?

V2 had bigger splines.

V2 was for XT and below because 'some' saw 'lash', the aluminum 'valleys' getting munched by the smaller steel 'mountains' of the BB spindle, particularly when jumping with one foot forward and one back. Some track people saw the same thing.
V1, cart bearing ones, are for the most part, fine..kinda small bearings as they made the spindle so large. BUT 'some' issues with octalink made for introduction of external bearing BBs.

[AngryScientist]

thanks. i've ordered the 118.5 105 level BB as they are easily available new.

[jh_on_the_cape]

I used V-1 or V-2 octalink for years with the XTR system.
just make sure you get the BB that works with the crankset.
I don't think V1 and V2 are cross compatible, but I could be wrong on that. They are close, but not exact so people had issues...

that said, they were great at the time and better than ISIS and the other stuff, but external bearing BB are better now... and easier to find.

When i finally abandoned the octalink system, I sold off all of my spares on ebay for a ton of money. i was shocked.

[oldpotatoe]

I used V-1 or V-2 octalink for years with the XTR system.
just make sure you get the BB that works with the crankset.
I don't think V1 and V2 are cross compatible, but I could be wrong on that. They are close, but not exact so people had issues...

that said, they were great at the time and better than ISIS and the other stuff, but external bearing BB are better now... and easier to find.

When i finally abandoned the octalink system, I sold off all of my spares on ebay for a ton of money. i was shocked.

You are right..different spline dimensions completely altho I have seen a v1 BB with a v2 crank crammed on it..

Well they are cheaper and far easier to work on but have downsides like what to do when the crank arm of chainring hits a frame or the dragginess of the seals..funny, the headset bearings went inside and the bottom bracket bearings went outside..:)

[benb]

I still have one of them, not sure exactly which one, on my MTB. XT BB that I bought sometime around 2003/2004 I think.

I'm not sure I could remove it to service it. It has been working perfectly in my current frame since 2005 with 0 service all these years despite being rode in all kinds of bad weather, salt, you name it.

For some reason the rings haven't worn out, but like I said I am worried it's corroded into the frame or something (it was properly installed, but still).

It has just lasted forever. That bike is basically in a state where the next big thing that goes the bike will just get stripped/tossed/replaced. It's got some nice parts on it but it's positively ancient and not worth putting any of them. Everything on it is 5-10 years out of date minimum and the frame is a design that's almost 20 years old. Next time the wheels go significantly out of true it's probably done because a bunch of the nipples corroded.

I think this old fashioned XT BB might still spin more freely with no chain on it than either of my road bikes which have modern BBs/cranks.

[Mark McM]

One thing to keep in mind about Octalink is that it is a Shimano proprietary standard, and while they licensed the rights to make Octalink cranks, they never licensed the right to make Octalink BBs to any other company. So while several companies made Octalink cranks, only Shimano has made Octalink BBs. This is unlike many other BB standards, where there are often multiple manufacturers making compatible BBs. If Shimano ever decides to stop making Octalink BBs, then there will be no more Octalink BBs available.

[zzy]

Octalink bbs are the best 3 piece bbs ever made. And yes the duraace 7700 is the most beautifully spinning bb when you get it just right. Spins like a record cup n cone but has the stiffness of a modern system. I always felt like the got the design of the 7710 and 7700 reversed.

[Gummee]

The best bike mechanic I know is also the owner of a fine LBS. He often recommended using the Ultegra V-1 BB rather than the Dura Ace even when selling/installing a whole DA Group because the Ultegra is a sealed unit that needs no maintenance whereas the DA is loose ball bearings that should be serviced from time to time. I think the Ultegra may have slightly more friction due to more complete sealing so the DA might be better for racers. I think 25,000 trouble-free miles is common with the V-1 Ultegra BB.

The Octalink system eliminates wear caused by mounting and removing a crank that can happen over time with square-taper designs. OTOH I never had a problem with either design so maybe it's an answer to a question I never asked. :-)

I have 2 bikes left and 1 has v-1 Ultegra triple and the other has V-2 crank/BB.

I guess I should sell my Ritchie 50-34 cranks and the matching V-1 BB that I used on my Hampsten.I've had both D/A and Ultegra Octalink BBs. The extra 50g for no maintenance for Ultegra was worth it to me.

Still have a couple of XTR BBs floating around 'just in case.'

M

[11.4]

Octalink bbs are the best 3 piece bbs ever made. And yes the duraace 7700 is the most beautifully spinning bb when you get it just right. Spins like a record cup n cone but has the stiffness of a modern system. I always felt like the got the design of the 7710 and 7700 reversed.

That's why many trackies, myself included, would squirrel away 7700s and use them on the track.

[RobbieTunes]

I really dig the 7700 BB, but use a 6500, even with my full 7700 groups.

Shimano may eventually license Octalink to firms like Token, Omni, etc, who make Isis BBs. A spindle change and back in business.

[zzy]

At this point splined bbs are dead and dying (except on the track) so I doubt anyone will invest in the tooling to bring it back. But I give Shimano full credit for sticking to their standards even in the face of ubiquitous pressfit systems.

[Kontact]

At this point splined bbs are dead and dying (except on the track) so I doubt anyone will invest in the tooling to bring it back. But I give Shimano full credit for sticking to their standards even in the face of ubiquitous pressfit systems.

Claris has an Octalink version, just not the one for the old road cranks.

I have two snazzy Ritchey cranks that use Octalink 109s.

[zzy]

Claris would be part of my dying comment. It's also still used on some hybrid drivetrains which is why they will make the v2 system. Ritchey used the standard, and was then only compact I know of at the time for octalink, but never made the bbs. They then had to do a massive recall on the cranks.

[Kontact]

Claris would be part of my dying comment. It's also still used on some hybrid drivetrains which is why they will make the v2 system. Ritchey used the standard, and was then only compact I know of at the time for octalink, but never made the bbs. They then had to do a massive recall on the cranks.

It was only on the WCS model and only the left crank arm. I took care of it years ago.

[commonguy001]

It was only on the WCS model and only the left crank arm. I took care of it years ago.

I had a set of those that went back and were replaced with the Pro version. Never had an issue with Shimano Octalink cranks and still have some Ultegra 6500 in the parts bin with a couple bottom brackets.