What's Up With Octalink?

[rasterdogs]

I dropped by Jitensha Studio in Berkeley, Ca. to check out the Sugino Copsea (http://www.jitensha.com/eng/cospeacrnk_e.html) crankset.

It really is excellent but Hiroshi told me that he can only get these for Octalink bottom brackets.

How much of a issue would it be to use/get an Octalink bottom bracket?

Thanks,
JimD

[MRB]

You can get them in the 105 (5500) series from you LBS, etc. The DA and Ultegra are a little more scarce. The crank in the photo that you have a link to is a square taper, obviously.

[dirtdigger88]

DA is not even scarce- just ordered a new one from Jensen last week-

man I love those cranks- its whats on my Kirk

also look at Ben's Cycle http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75_128_135_772&products_id=694 the alpina 8000 is the exact same crank

Jason

[Louis]

The DA and Ultegra are a little more scarce.

A while back I was looking for Ultegra and had to settle for 105. If you can find a good source of Ultegra Octalink BBs let me know.

Louis

[dirtdigger88]

A while back I was looking for Ultegra and had to settle for 105. If you can find a good source of Ultegra Octalink BBs let me know.

Louis

Louis - shimano still makes the Dura Ace one today . . . they just call them "track" bbs

$59 plus shipping brand new http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BB708B07-Shimano+Dura+Ace+Bb-7700+Bottom+Bracket.aspx

Jason

[Frank]

I have some of the Italian threaded ones left, but the English ones are all gone. I could have sold lots more if I only had them. Many of the folks I knew that used 9 speed DA components switched to Ultegra Octalink bb's for ease of installation and durability.

I sometimes see some Ultegra Octalink bb's on eBay, but usually they are used and/or are the longer ones for triples, not the double crank size.

All of the folks I bought in quantity from, and the bike shops I deal with, have told me they can no longer get the Ultegra Octalink bb's because they are no longer being produced by Shimano, but I have never heard that directly from Shimano.

[Louis]

Thanks Jason. :cool:

[caleb]

I'm still running Octalink on several bikes, and I'd say they work very well.

Actually, I've never had a problem with one. That's more than I can say for the new external bearing bottom brackets.

[11.4]

The BB-7710 track Dura Ace bottom bracket is actually an Ultegra bottom bracket, but with a steel left-hand cup. Some time back we actually sawed an old one in half just to confirm and yup, it's straight Ultegra inside. We couldn't be absolutely certain about the seals, but it has about the same seal resistance of an Ultegra and I certainly have one on a fixie that's gone through the wet and slop all winter without a problem so I'm pretty comfortable with it. I race on them all the time on the track and the BB-7710s are superbly reliable. Note that they only come in English threading and only in a version that fits single-chainring track cranks and double-chainring road cranks from Shimano -- but then you can still get plenty of Octalink bottom brackets in Italian or in 118 mm for triples anyway.

The link from Jenson above actually is for a Dura Ace bottom bracket. Those are superb bottom brackets -- any Shimano team mechanic will tell you it's the best bottom bracket they've ever made -- but they do require careful maintenance because they simply don't have the heavy seals the Ultegra does. The bearing sets though are much nicer than Ultegra, which is why many track riders will take a Dura Ace BB-7700 and strip out the seals and end up with a dynamite track bottom bracket for Octalink track cranks.

If you clean a Dura Ace BB-7700 regularly, it's faultless. If you let dirt accumulate, the grit will erode the white plastic bearing cage for the needle bearings on the drive side. Then when you take it apart, the bearings will fall out. You can simply clean everything out, stick the bearings back in with grease, and reinstall, but you get penalized for having let it go bad even once. Riding a BB-7700 in wet, snow, and salt, I overhauled it every couple months and had it go for 5 years and 44K miles before I sold the bike it was on -- and it never gave me a problem. But I had an automatic routine calling for cleaning every time the cyclometer rolled past a 2,000 mile mark.

The trick to a BB-7700 is to grease the innards and assemble it. Then you'll see a black plastic seal that slips over the axle from each side after the cups are adjusted and tightened. Those seals simply float in grease. So put a good even coating of grease underneath and push the seals well into the grease. Then apply a little more grease on the outside of the seals. Clean that outside grease off and reapply regularly, and dirt and water never gets inside. Be sure your bottom bracket has a drain hole in the bottom so water can't collect -- that'll eventually kill even an Ultegra.

[rasterdogs]

Thanks for all the great info.

I neglected to mention I'm looking at a triple. The photo on the Jitensha site doesn't show it but the Cospea has threading to accept a third chainring. The part/s are going on my Tournesol.

I guess I'm inclined to skip Octalink (and sadly the Cospea) as I'm dubious about replacement bottom brackets in the future. Either that or I need to stock up on spares.

-JimD

[dave thompson]

Thanks for all the great info.

I neglected to mention I'm looking at a triple. The photo on the Jitensha site doesn't show it but the Cospea has threading to accept a third chainring. The part/s are going on my Tournesol.

I guess I'm inclined to skip Octalink (and sadly the Cospea) as I'm dubious about replacement bottom brackets in the future. Either that or I need to stock up on spares.

-JimD
Don't give up. An Ultegra or Dura Ace triple Octalink bottom bracket will last many tens of thousands of miles and most likely more years than you will be inclined to keep the bike. Triple Octalink bottom brackets are common and easy to find, it's the doubles that are scarce.

[coylifut]

I've been using the same Ultegra Octalink BB for 5 PNW winters running. Perhaps the most underrated cycling component currently in circulation.

[Ken Robb]

Thanks for all the great info.

I neglected to mention I'm looking at a triple. The photo on the Jitensha site doesn't show it but the Cospea has threading to accept a third chainring. The part/s are going on my Tournesol.

I guess I'm inclined to skip Octalink (and sadly the Cospea) as I'm dubious about replacement bottom brackets in the future. Either that or I need to stock up on spares.

-JimD
Shimano is still making square taper BBs so I doubt that they will stop making Octa-Link BBs any time soon.

[thugly]

The BB-7710 track Dura Ace bottom bracket is actually an Ultegra bottom bracket, but with a steel left-hand cup. Some time back we actually sawed an old one in half just to confirm and yup, it's straight Ultegra inside. We couldn't be absolutely certain about the seals, but it has about the same seal resistance of an Ultegra and I certainly have one on a fixie that's gone through the wet and slop all winter without a problem so I'm pretty comfortable with it. I race on them all the time on the track and the BB-7710s are superbly reliable. Note that they only come in English threading and only in a version that fits single-chainring track cranks and double-chainring road cranks from Shimano -- but then you can still get plenty of Octalink bottom brackets in Italian or in 118 mm for triples anyway.

The link from Jenson above actually is for a Dura Ace bottom bracket. Those are superb bottom brackets -- any Shimano team mechanic will tell you it's the best bottom bracket they've ever made -- but they do require careful maintenance because they simply don't have the heavy seals the Ultegra does. The bearing sets though are much nicer than Ultegra, which is why many track riders will take a Dura Ace BB-7700 and strip out the seals and end up with a dynamite track bottom bracket for Octalink track cranks.

If you clean a Dura Ace BB-7700 regularly, it's faultless. If you let dirt accumulate, the grit will erode the white plastic bearing cage for the needle bearings on the drive side. Then when you take it apart, the bearings will fall out. You can simply clean everything out, stick the bearings back in with grease, and reinstall, but you get penalized for having let it go bad even once. Riding a BB-7700 in wet, snow, and salt, I overhauled it every couple months and had it go for 5 years and 44K miles before I sold the bike it was on -- and it never gave me a problem. But I had an automatic routine calling for cleaning every time the cyclometer rolled past a 2,000 mile mark.

The trick to a BB-7700 is to grease the innards and assemble it. Then you'll see a black plastic seal that slips over the axle from each side after the cups are adjusted and tightened. Those seals simply float in grease. So put a good even coating of grease underneath and push the seals well into the grease. Then apply a little more grease on the outside of the seals. Clean that outside grease off and reapply regularly, and dirt and water never gets inside. Be sure your bottom bracket has a drain hole in the bottom so water can't collect -- that'll eventually kill even an Ultegra.

wow. And I thought cartridge bearings obviated the need for maintenance. Good on you for taking care of your gear, rather than letting it die a gritty death.

[dirtdigger88]

Thanks for all the great info.

I neglected to mention I'm looking at a triple. The photo on the Jitensha site doesn't show it but the Cospea has threading to accept a third chainring. The part/s are going on my Tournesol.

I guess I'm inclined to skip Octalink (and sadly the Cospea) as I'm dubious about replacement bottom brackets in the future. Either that or I need to stock up on spares.

-JimD

man- it will be a huge mistake to no use this wonderful crank all because of the bb- do you want me to find you two NEW ultegra bb's- then you will be set for life-

you would also be nuts not to buy from Ben's

also- you sure about the triple??? I know it can be done but geez run a 12 -32 (34) in the rear and have a more usable range- whats the granny gear going to be a 22??????

wow. And I thought cartridge bearings obviated the need for maintenance. Good on you for taking care of your gear, rather than letting it die a gritty death.

the DA ones we are talking about dont have cartridge bearings- they have needle bearings- these are adjustable and way better if you take care of them

Jason

[Grant McLean]

wow. And I thought cartridge bearings obviated the need for maintenance. Good on you for taking care of your gear, rather than letting it die a gritty death.

That's the thing... the Dura ace 7700 isn't sealed bearings, it's
a cup and cone bearing design, that has needle bearings in the center,
and a set of regular bearings on the ends (both right and left sides the same).

I don't think many people realize that, since it's been so long since shimano
made a loose bearing bottom bracket....but the 7700 was the original octilink
product, from 1997... the whole sealed and service free stuff came after this.
That's why so many people replaced their dura ace bb's with Ultegra back in
the day, since the ultegra was sealed bearings... no service required.

-g

[dirtdigger88]

thats just sexy

Jason

[11.4]

thats just sexy

Jason

Yep. Balls and rods, Jason.

Just kidding. This is how a bottom bracket cartridge should be made. If a BB-7700 was sealed, it'd be unbeatable. Unsealed, it's still the best bearing set -- you just have to take care of it.

Do note that the 105 and lower Octalink bottom brackets do not have the same bearing arrangements that the Ultegra does. The ultegra has 3 sets of bearings (two on the drive side) including a drive bearing set. The 105 and Sora and such just have one row of classic round bearings on each side -- packed full of grease it feels the same at the store, but it definitely doesn't perform the same as Ultegra or Dura Ace. If you want to put miles on them, I'd definitely shop around for the better-level versions.

[dirtdigger88]

less than 5 minutes of looking-

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/bottombrackets.asp

http://txcyclesport.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BB-7703&Category_Code=BB_road_bottom_brackets

http://www.totalcycling.com/index.php/product/parts_accessories/bottom_brackets_road/index.html?action=currency&id=USD

http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/cranks_bottom_brackets#product=none

Jason

[stevep]

i thk the da bearing octalink bb stinks
needs a lot of care.
too much trouble.
threw mine in the trash at 2,500 miles cause i got sick of diicking with it.

mistake for road use imo.

[fiamme red]

less than 5 minutes of looking-

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/bottombrackets.asp

http://txcyclesport.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BB-7703&Category_Code=BB_road_bottom_brackets

http://www.totalcycling.com/index.php/product/parts_accessories/bottom_brackets_road/index.html?action=currency&id=USD

http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/cranks_bottom_brackets#product=none

JasonThanks! :beer: