Trying without luck to get an octalink BB out of a road bike. I’m certain I’m pushing it the right way (driveside anticlockwise, non-drive the opposite) but no luck. Any tips?

and I’m certain you’re not 🙂

As you look at the non-drive side of the frame isn’t it anti-clockwise to undo? And when looking at the drive side it is clockwise to undo? i.e. the other way around to how you are doing it?

This may be the problem then. To avoid the risk it was my mental ability to explain myself; basically just to be clear if the spanner handle is pointing up, I push it towards the back of the bike. Sound right?

To undo the non drive side with the spanner up, you would need to push to the front of the bike. To undo the drive side with the spanner handle up, you would also need to push to the front of the bike.

You’re doing it the wrong way, it’s the driveside that is reverse thread. I still have to think about it before fitting / removing..

So if the spanner points up, push forward on either side to loosen the BB.

Think of it this way – if the crank axle or pedal axle bearing seized suddenly, pedal motion /force would undo the thread, in theory.

Aha… that’d explain my constant BB issues. Sadly either my apelike swinging the wrong way has knackered it all or it was on too tight. Now to find a longer handle

Now to find a longer handle

dont forget a hammer 😀

Soak BB / frame area with loads of penetrating lube, ideally for 24hrs. Put the tool in a vice, mount frame to tool, use a QR and washers to keep it in place, use frame as lever. Got a properly seized bb out of my winter bike that way. Went with a scary cracking noise as the corrosion lost it’s grip!

The loft ladder hook did the trick. After all that, the LBS sold me a dummy and it seems the BB could have stayed put

Bit late now but I always remember it by thinking which way the pedals turn, it loosens in the direction you pedal, otherwise you’d be tightening it all the time when you pedalled* and it would never come out.

*possibly not but its an easy way to remember.