Octalink vs ISIS longevity



R

RS

Guest
Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .
 
> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .


Could be a bearing quality, not size, issue. I've got an FSA Ti ISIS bb,
which is really dumb (I weigh 173 and spend most of my time climbing &
sprinting), and after 15k miles, it's still quiet and as smooth as the day I
installed it. I really thought it would be a one-season bb.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
 
RS wrote:
> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .
>

no, octalink cartridge last very well. good seals, good bearings.
 
On Feb 16, 8:04 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
> RS wrote:
> > Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> > couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> > admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> > ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> > brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .

>
> no, octalink cartridge last very well.


Did you mean "no Octalink cartridges lasts very well"?

> good seals, good bearings.
 
Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> On Feb 16, 8:04 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
>> RS wrote:
>>> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
>>> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
>>> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
>>> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
>>> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .

>> no, octalink cartridge last very well.

>
> Did you mean "no Octalink cartridges lasts very well"?


negative. octalink cartridge last just great. i've had one on my
winter commuter for about 15k miles. smooth as silk.

>
>> good seals, good bearings.

>
 
On Feb 16, 8:40 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> > On Feb 16, 8:04 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> RS wrote:
> >>> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> >>> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> >>> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> >>> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> >>> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .
> >> no, octalink cartridge last very well.

>
> > Did you mean "no Octalink cartridge lasts very well"?

>
> negative. octalink cartridge last just great. i've had one on my
> winter commuter for about 15k miles. smooth as silk.
>
>


I was just joshing ya, jim.


>
>
>
> >> good seals, good bearings.- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -
 
Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> On Feb 16, 8:40 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>>> On Feb 16, 8:04 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> RS wrote:
>>>>> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
>>>>> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
>>>>> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
>>>>> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
>>>>> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .
>>>> no, octalink cartridge last very well.
>>> Did you mean "no Octalink cartridge lasts very well"?

>> negative. octalink cartridge last just great. i've had one on my
>> winter commuter for about 15k miles. smooth as silk.
>>
>>

>
> I was just joshing ya, jim.


i have no sense of humor.

>
>
>>
>>
>>>> good seals, good bearings.- Hide quoted text -

>> - Show quoted text -

>
>
 
On Feb 16, 8:54 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> > On Feb 16, 8:40 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> >>> On Feb 16, 8:04 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>> RS wrote:
> >>>>> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> >>>>> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> >>>>> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> >>>>> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> >>>>> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .
> >>>> no, octalink cartridge last very well.
> >>> Did you mean "no Octalink cartridge lasts very well"?
> >> negative. octalink cartridge last just great. i've had one on my
> >> winter commuter for about 15k miles. smooth as silk.

>
> > I was just joshing ya, jim.

>
> i have no sense of humor.
>


Do to.
 
On Feb 16, 9:40 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> > Did you mean "no Octalink cartridges lasts very well"?

>
> negative. octalink cartridge last just great. i've had one on my
> winter commuter for about 15k miles. smooth as silk.



Wow, that's great. How much do you weigh if I may ask?
Mine are spin masters so far. My LBS really did me right w/ used DA
crank and Ultegra octalink BB
parts and install for $100. Made my bike feel 10x its value before
hand, and I was starting to get
discouraged too. No more, sky's the limit now.
 
ddog wrote:
> On Feb 16, 9:40 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>>> Did you mean "no Octalink cartridges lasts very well"?

>> negative. octalink cartridge last just great. i've had one on my
>> winter commuter for about 15k miles. smooth as silk.

>
>
> Wow, that's great. How much do you weigh if I may ask?


#205

> Mine are spin masters so far. My LBS really did me right w/ used DA
> crank and Ultegra octalink BB
> parts and install for $100. Made my bike feel 10x its value before
> hand, and I was starting to get
> discouraged too. No more, sky's the limit now.
>
>
 
On Feb 16, 8:07 pm, RS <[email protected]> wrote:
> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .


Can't speak to ISIS, but when I "upgraded" from 7 speed to 9 speed, my
Ultegra 6500 Octalink BB seized up after only 5,000 mi. Glad I bought
several for about $28 each at Nashbar. Anyway, someone paid me twice
that much on eBay for my old, used steel Dura Ace 7400 BB with over
25,000 mi. on it. Of course, that one was still running smooth as
silk, barely broken in...sigh.
 
jim beam wrote:
> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>> On Feb 16, 8:40 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>>>> On Feb 16, 8:04 pm, jim beam <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>> RS wrote:
>>>>>> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem.
>>>>>> I've had a
>>>>>> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
>>>>>> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size
>>>>>> spindle as
>>>>>> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
>>>>>> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to
>>>>>> all . .
>>>>> no, octalink cartridge last very well.
>>>> Did you mean "no Octalink cartridge lasts very well"?
>>> negative. octalink cartridge last just great. i've had one on my
>>> winter commuter for about 15k miles. smooth as silk.
>>>
>>>

>>
>> I was just joshing ya, jim.

>
> i have no sense of humor.
>


Nor credibility.

Greg
 
On Feb 16, 5:07 pm, RS <[email protected]> wrote:
> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .


Pardon my interruption (I use tapered square till the Ultra-link
arrived) but how does the spindle interface influence the bearings?
 
On Feb 17, 12:43 am, "G.T." <[email protected]> wrote:
> jim beam wrote:
> > Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> >> I was just joshing ya, jim.

>
> > i have no sense of humor.

>
> Nor credibility.


Everyone is different and is misunderstood by a segment of the
population no matter how hard they try to please everyone.
But I find Jim extremely bright, to the point, and always helpful. To
me, his posts are the most credible of all so far and there
are very many credible experts who post here with many influencing
biases and fields of particular expertise.
Of course you may be kidding, which is hard without visual cues (ha-
ha, lol, :)) unless its an inside joke to him personally.
But absolute rules in any context are often absolutely wrong given the
wide range human variability, especially in gifted persons
personalities.

imo
 
On 2007-02-17, ddog <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 17, 12:43 am, "G.T." <[email protected]> wrote:
>> jim beam wrote:
>> > Ozark Bicycle wrote:
>> >> I was just joshing ya, jim.

>>
>> > i have no sense of humor.

>>
>> Nor credibility.

>
> Everyone is different and is misunderstood by a segment of the
> population no matter how hard they try to please everyone.
> But I find Jim extremely bright, to the point, and always helpful.


Spot on ddog. I was going to say something similar myself, but you've
put it very well.

If G.T. really wants to suggest he lacks credibility he should point
when he last said something misleading or wrong that he didn't
acknowledge or correct. Losing sophistic quibbles doesn't count.

> To me, his posts are the most credible of all so far and there are
> very many credible experts who post here with many influencing biases
> and fields of particular expertise.


Exactly. No disrespect to anyone else, but jim beam is right up there
with CF and JB in my Scorefile.
 
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 17:07:00 -0800, RS wrote:

> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .


I've had an Octalink BB in my road bike for a couple of years with no
bearing problems.

Matt O.
 
On Feb 17, 12:17 am, "Chris M" <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Feb 16, 5:07 pm, RS <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> > couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> > admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> > ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> > brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .

>
> Pardon my interruption (I use tapered square till the Ultra-link
> arrived) but how does the spindle interface influence the bearings?


It doesn't but the OD of the spindle, in an attept to make things
lighter, makes bearings smaller, affecting longevity.
 
On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 18:04:31 -0800, jim beam wrote:

> RS wrote:
>> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
>> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
>> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
>> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
>> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .
>>

> no, octalink cartridge last very well. good seals, good bearings.


You said in another thread that Shimano's needle/roller bearings account for
the durability of its octalink cartridges. But since then we've learned that
only the Dura Ace bb (i.e., not a cartridge) uses those bearings. So the
question remains, in what way are Shimano's ball bearings better than those
in Isis bb's?
 
> On Feb 16, 5:07 pm, RS <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
>> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
>> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
>> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
>> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .


Chris M wrote:
> Pardon my interruption (I use tapered square till the Ultra-link
> arrived) but how does the spindle interface influence the bearings?


The spindle diameter is larger. The space between it and the frame shell
then is smaller. This restricts the bearing size.

From that experience, crank designers moved the bearing outside.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
 
RS wrote:
> Many have described ISIS as a solution looking for a problem. I've had a
> couple of ISIS BB go crunchy fairly quickly (500-1000) miles but
> admittedly they were low end. Octalink BB have the same size spindle as
> ISIS, so there is the same limited room for bearings. Do Octalink
> brackets share the same shortcomings as ISIS seem to? thanks to all . .
>

I haven't destroyed an Octalink one yet, and I get through the standard
Shimano cartridges very quickly. However, the LH crank really does
loosen in use, as Jobst has pointed out.