Just pulled my old bike from the shed (2010 giant tallon 0) I want to upgrade the bike with new forks ,brakes and bb. Just noticed the bb is octalink. Can i just remove and fit something decent or do i have to stick with octalink. Sorry if it’s a numpty question but i don’t do any work on bikes .

you will have to stick with the octalink interface. other brands might have the same interface as octalink but might not….. either buy a new octalink bb or find some better cranks

You can move away from octalink but only if you change the cranks too…
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And Octalink and rubbish are not the same thing, if your cranks are still in good nick stick with it. From ’99 to ’03 XTR was OCtalink, and I have a ’99 Dura-Ace one in my time-trial bike still going strong. It’s other things, like bearing and seal quality, which will decide if it’s any good. The interface itself was great.
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Not mine but found this on fleabay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Dura-Ace-BB-7700-Road-Bike-68-109-mm-Octalink-Bottom-Bracket-w-o-seals-/310556832759?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item484ea133f7 it’s the one I’m running in the TT bike and it’s great (check axle length for your cranks, just measure your old one). Plenty of LX ones on there too £20+.

“new forks ,brakes and bb”
If it was once a decent fork, a fork service?
If the brakes were once good, a brake bleed?
If the BB is still smoothish I’d be running it until its rough/has noticable play. If you want to drop weight off the bike then when you need new chainrings/casette/chain and ideally the BB on its way out too, then I’d get new cranks then

Forks are rockshox tora air with 100mm travel, Brakes are giant root brakes, Forks i could live with but the brakes are total pants. BB is running smooth , infact the bike has done less than 50 miles since new.Its been in the shed for over a 18 months. I was thinking of doing some up grades and getting some knowledge at the same time. If i mess the bike up it’s no big deal as it’s just a shed dweller.

Octalink is fine, and although it’s on my road training bike it is my oldest longest running BB, about 4 years.
Thousands and thousands of miles. That’s a Dura Ace version.

Only done 50 miles since new?

Ride it and replace / upgrade when bits get knackered.

I agree the brakes need changed, giant brakes were awful. But keep the BB and cranks, no need to change at all.

I’ve been running octolink until about a fortnight ago. The only issue is the cranks come lose sometimes. Whack a bit of thread lock on though and they should be ok.