Octalink or ISIS BB ???

My LBS owner recommended the Octalink. The comment was that the Shimano Octalink was smoother than
the ISIS brackets from other companies.

I picked the Octalink but the owner of the LBS was using the ISIS and said it was more than
acceptable.

Apparently they both are fine, it's a manufacturers preference.

"EdDyMeRkX" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:20040127201153.27163.00000928@mb-
m11.aol.com...

Quoted message said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I

have

Quoted message said:

a choice of an octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you

choose and

Quoted message said:

why. Thanks for your input.

"EdDyMeRkX" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I

have

Quoted message said:

a choice of an octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you

choose and

Quoted message said:

why. Thanks for your input.

Although I have 4 sets of Octalink cranks, if I were to have to choose right now, I'd probably go
ISIS. Octalink is on the way out... That new "Bullseye" style crank is on the way in.

My $.02

Mike

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I have a choice of an
octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you choose

and

Quoted message said:

why. Thanks for your input.

ISIS simply because Shimano is probably going to drop support for octalink in the near future.
-------------
Alex

"Alex Rodriguez" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

says...

Quoted message said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I

have

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a choice of an octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you

choose

Quoted message said:

and

Quoted message said:

why. Thanks for your input.

ISIS simply because Shimano is probably going to drop support for octalink in the near future.
-------------
Alex

Even though I chimed in with the same answer above, you can still find square-taper BBs around, as
well as 7400/7401 cranksets, etc. you just have to look harder.

Mike

(EdDyMeRkX) said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I have a choice of an
octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you choose and why. Thanks for your input.

ISIS. The chance of developing backlash in the crank-spindle interface is practically nil, whereas
it is at least theoretically possible with the Shimano design. Also, it's easy to schmutz up the
splines in the crank with the Shimano design.

Thus far I have been pleased with the ISIS BB and brank on one of my bikes. I have a philosophical
issue with it as well. ISIS is an open-source free standard, like the GPL and the GNU/Linux system.
Free (as in speech, but free as in beer is OK too) is good. I'm not a fan of exclusive proprietary
designs in general, but even more so when a freely distributed technology and is as good or better
is available.

eddy-<< I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I have a choice of
an octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you choose and why. >><BR><BR>

ISIS, better design and Octalink is being abandoned by shimano.

pretty cheeky e-mail address BTW...

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

eddy-<< I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset

soon and

Quoted message said:

I have a choice of an octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you

choose and

Quoted message said:

why. >><BR><BR>

ISIS, better design and Octalink is being abandoned by shimano.

pretty cheeky e-mail address BTW...

I didn't even notice that...

Mike

Quoted message said:

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

On 28 Jan 2004 01:11:53 GMT, [email hidden] (EdDyMeRkX) may have

Quoted message said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I have a choice of an
octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you choose and why. Thanks for your input.

Definitely ISIS. You have multiple suppliers for the BB that way. If Shimano doesn't license
Octalink, nobody else can make it...and it looks like they're going to drop it soon, turning all of
the existing Octalink setups into orphans at some point in the future.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Yes, I have a killfile. If I don't respond to something,
it's also possible that I'm busy.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

personally, i think octalink is a better design. and the internal machining inside the spindle of
the dura-ace bb shows the lengths to which shimano go to make it competitive. check in there with a
flashlight some time. impressive.

also, i've only looked briefly, but has anyone seen a pic of a broken octalink spindle? there's
loads for solids on the net, and sheldon's famous isis failure, but any octalinks? it's a factor
worth consideration.

jb

EdDyMeRkX said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I have a choice of an
octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you choose and why. Thanks for your input.

Werehatrack said:

(EdDyMeRkX) may have said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I have a choice of an
octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you choose and why. Thanks for your input.

Definitely ISIS. You have multiple suppliers for the BB that way. If Shimano doesn't license
Octalink, nobody else can make it...and it looks like they're going to drop it soon, turning all
of the existing Octalink setups into orphans at some point in the future.

does anyone /know/ this to be fact? as pointed out earlier in this thread, shimano still sell their
famous un72, and how long is it since octalink came out? also, fsa have recently licenced the
octalink design. if i were them, i'd have checked into continuing support for my licence and
wouldn't be re-tooling unless my shimano contract was crystal clear on continuation for a reasonable
pay-back period.

- not saying you're wrong, i just want to filter the rumor. any shimano folks available to answer???

jb

jim beam <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Werehatrack said:

(EdDyMeRkX) may have said:

I am going to purchase a FSA Team Issue Carbon Triple crankset soon and I have a choice of an
octalink or ISIS type bottom bracket. What would you choose and why. Thanks for your input.

Definitely ISIS. You have multiple suppliers for the BB that way. If Shimano doesn't license
Octalink, nobody else can make it...and it looks like they're going to drop it soon, turning all
of the existing Octalink setups into orphans at some point in the future.

does anyone /know/ this to be fact? as pointed out earlier in this thread, shimano still sell
their famous un72, and how long is it since octalink came out? also, fsa have recently licenced
the octalink design. if i were them, i'd have checked into continuing support for my licence and
wouldn't be re-tooling unless my shimano contract was crystal clear on continuation for a
reasonable pay-back period.

- not saying you're wrong, i just want to filter the rumor. any shimano folks available to
answer???

jb

Dear Jim,

The fact that my bottom bracket is Octalink and that I recently bought a spare strongly suggests
that it will not only soon be discontinued, but possibly subject to a massive recall.

Glumly,

Eeyore

Not to be a wise guy, but who are you and why does your paranoia have any credibility.

Shimano's entire line is based on the Octalink design. Other than their new Dura-ace design, they
have a strong resign to continue with their Octalink system.

It is patented.

It is proprietory

If you want Octalink, you own Shimano.

Let the rumours role, as it seems that rumors are all I am hearing. Quote one article or reference
one site that notes this other than this newsgroup.

"MGS" <[email hidden](remove the remove)> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Not to be a wise guy, but who are you and why does your paranoia have any credibility.

Shimano's entire line is based on the Octalink design. Other than their new Dura-ace design, they
have a strong resign to continue with their Octalink system.

It is patented.

It is proprietory

If you want Octalink, you own Shimano.

Let the rumours role, as it seems that rumors are all I am hearing. Quote one article or reference
one site that notes this other than this newsgroup.

Dear MGS,

You mustn't take Eeyore quite so seriously, even if your spelling resembles mine.

Winnie the Pooh

P.S. I hear Christopher Robin rides Campy.

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Carl Fogel) said:

"MGS" <[email hidden](remove the remove)> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Not to be a wise guy, but who are you and why does your paranoia have any credibility.

Shimano's entire line is based on the Octalink design. Other than their new Dura-ace design,
they have a strong resign to continue with their Octalink system.

Quoted message said:

Dear MGS,

You mustn't take Eeyore quite so seriously, even if your spelling resembles mine.

Winnie the Pooh

P.S. I hear Christopher Robin rides Campy.

Given his age, location, and general yearning for simplicity, I've always seen him as a singlespeed
rider. Not fixie, though.

Or maybe a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub,
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

Ryan Cousineau <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Carl

Fogel) said:

"MGS" <[email hidden](remove the remove)> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Not to be a wise guy, but who are you and why does your paranoia have any credibility.

Shimano's entire line is based on the Octalink design. Other than their new Dura-ace design,
they have a strong resign to continue with their Octalink system.

Quoted message said:

Dear MGS,

You mustn't take Eeyore quite so seriously, even if your spelling resembles mine.

Winnie the Pooh

P.S. I hear Christopher Robin rides Campy.

Given his age, location, and general yearning for simplicity, I've always seen him as a
singlespeed rider. Not fixie, though.

Or maybe a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub,

Dear Ryan,

Whatever Christopher Robin rides, I see training wheels.

Carl Fogel

In article <[email hidden]>,

Werehatrack said:

jim beam may have said:

ok, ask wayne whether they'll continue producing decent quality octalink spindles like they do
un72's. we know they're bringing out the new stuff.

I doubt that they'll stop making the BBs as long as there's significant demand, although it would
not surprise me if the number of choices in that area was trimmed. Cranks, though, have already
started to diminish in selection in the current lineup, and that trend is unlikely to change.

I have no dog in this hunt, but BBs are cheap enough that if your crank needs replacement, shelling
out for a BB is no big deal. Therefore, it's pretty reasonable to curtail crank availability while
still producing lots of BBs.

Quoted message said:

I haven't looked, when did Octalink first appear? Are we approaching the expiration of the patent?
If so, that would explain their progressive shift to the Next Big Thing.

I keep wondering when they're going to decide that the old English BB shell is just going to have
to go away in favor of something they have invented and controlled. (If they did it, of course,
they'd be oh-so-genteel about licensing the *shell* design for a tiny pittance to every bike
builder who agreed not to put anything but a Shimano crank on their bikes...)

One reason Octalink is going away is because it was an engineering dog. It solved some problems with
square tapers, but created others. If it wasn't a problem group, it probably would have propagated
into Tiagra and Deore just as those groups now have 9 speeds.

The engineering types whose opinions here are worth the name 'expert' have been pretty happy with
the Dura-Ace/XTR/XT BB and crank design, suggesting it's a winner. It doesn't affect me much,
because I'm not hard on cranks, but for the strong riders and the long-distance riders, a tough,
lightweight approach to the BB and cranks is a good thing.

Ironically, Shimano has shown no interest in changing either BB or rear axle specs, but there are
movements among mountain bike and component makers to do both. The ISIS people have proposed an
oversized BB shell spec, and larger rear axles are being seen on many new designs. Instead,
Shimano's latest and greatest stuff is specifically conservative here: the new BB system is designed
for a standard-diameter BB (well, many of them 🙂, and the Saint group resisted pressure to go for
an oversize axle, even as some bike makers called for it to do so (Shimano says it's plenty strong
as is. I say the ability of serious huckers to break stuff cannot be compensated for by any design.

hopelessly behind the times in 8-speed square-taper land,
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club