Got a wretched job to do

Looking for a bit of a pointer.
Have been landed with bottom bracket that needs replacing. Of course it would be neither ISIS, Square taper or HT2. What we have been presented with is a HT1. Now I could send him off to the LBS but that would mean loss of face.
Had a look on CRC for a tool and replacement BB but seem to have failed. Anyone know where i might be able to get one mail order?
Thanks in advance

It is XTR or XT and below …..

As for a tool – is it the old 8 prong lockring style tool required or just a spline drive like a squaretaper one – they did both over the years depending on spec

AS for removing the cranks – an ISIS plug and standard crank extractor should do the trick

es51 is the replacement for deore / lx / and possibly XT versions no idea where to find an XTR one – the splines are slightly different … and folks have forced them onto the cheaper BBS and trashed the splines

fyi the bb system was octalink back then – the hollowtech refers to the crank construction

do yuou mean octalink v1?

http://sheldonbrown.com/bbsize.html

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/splined-bottom-brackets-dept22_pg1/

or v2 ES range?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/splined-es-bottom-brackets-dept786_pg1/

It’s an Octalink, right? Should be the same BB tool as for square-taper, shouldn’t it?

good link to sheldon that stoner

indeed. RIP the genius.

PS cheers of the email uphill

Cheers chaps. A cursory glance at the thing sent me running for cover as I knew I had nothing to fit the eight external spine holes. A quick look again tells me if I whip off the cranks I should she the internal splines for the Square Taper tool.
Got to take the offspring to Cubs and will have a proper look, ie take of the arms, when I come back.

Stoner. No problem. Did that make sense ref the sizes?

think so, yes. as it happens though I may have access to a broken eco fan from a friend in the pub to raid for parts.

I’m quite relieved actually.

From the thread title I was thinking you had to put your dog/cat/goldfish/baby robin/kitten down at the vets today… Having three pets in the house its not something I’m going to take well if the time comes….

So, good luck with the wretched BB !

I still have an Octolink BB, it refuses to die.

Its deffo the same tool as used for square taper BBs

Nothing to be afraid of, it was the norm before this new fangled external BB thing came out a few years ago!

‘A few years ago’. You mean 10?

I think that Octalink is great and I still use them on my bikes. As others have said you should be able to use the same tool as you would for a square taper unit. If the cranks don’t have self-extracting bolts you’ll need a top hat tool (stops the crank puller going up the centre of the axle and gives it something to push against) and a crank puller.

You might find replacement BBs on ebay (XTs and the like); failing that Octalink isn’t dead, bus AFAIK it’s now only use with Acera kit and the BBs are cheaper versions with resin adapters.

Chain Reaction has some ES51s (which I think might be the Acera ones) or some really cheap ES 30s.

If I remember rightly mountain bike and road bike Octalink systems weren’t compatible (I think, but could be wrong, that v1 was road and v2 was mountain bike; CRC have both).

v1 was XTR ULTEGRA and DURAACE

v2 was anything below that

need a top hat tool

or a five pence piece 🙂

Fair enough; v1 and v2 weren’t compatible though were they so he’ll need to match up the BB with the cranks.

I’ve got a barely used octalink BB here that you can have for cheap, drop me a line if interested. Email in profile.

🙂

If you’ve not done one before then a few tips:

Use a QR skewer to hold the BB tool in the splines and then use a large wrench with a socket on the BB tool to undo it. People often resort to clamping the BB tool in a vice and using the frame to turn it for leverage. The BB axle should have a hole down the middle to put the QR through. When it’s free remove/back off the QR to let it undo.

Get some penetrating oil in there.

Turn it the right way to undo!

I thought you had to put a bike down.
Just an octolink, that’s a relief.

The offending article is now removed. How stupid do I feel. Just a square taper derivative in the end. Bearings still feel smooth but there is just a tiny bit of play. I guess it is on its way out.

So the issue we are now looking at is which of the following 3 options are going to be best:

A) Clean up the threads, apply a little grease and hope that stops the creaking till it goes in catastrophic fashion. With the caveat that it is on its way out.

B) Waste hours hunting down a replacement BB-ES71 113mm or fit a cheap one from CRC.

C) Tell him to put his short arms into his deep pockets and get an SLX and get with the 21st Century. (says the man with two bikes with Square taper BBs)

##EDIT### Found one on CRC for $30. plus $10 for postage. Seems like false economy as the rings look like they may well need replacement in the medium term.

octalink was great. lasted better than isis and longer than HTII. shame it had to die.

I’d go for Option A myself, and tbh I’ve never known one to fail catastrophically, they just get progressively wobblier over time. Having said that, you don’t need an ES-71, anything will do. ES-30s and 25s are only about a tenner on CRC.

i would fit a new es30 or there abouts

if its creaking and has play , chances are its the play thats causing the creaking ….

My GF’s got a 2004 stumpy with an octalink that’s a bit creaky. Can it be swapped for an external BB (& Crankset, obviously)?

THERE you go.

All sorted, no faffing & misty-eyed Antiques Roadshow type romantiscising over old technology kept to a minimum.

Pretty sure I have a virtually unused ES71 113mm if you want it.