Square tapper replacement bottom bracket - advice, pls.

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 02:10:00 GMT, [email hidden] (BigBen)

Quoted message said:

If I were in Shimano's shoes, now apparently no "big" manufacturer
makes square tapper bb s, I much just as well stop making square
tapper bb s after a few years of launching the Octalink

Actually, Shimano still makes loads of square-taper cranks and BB
units; far more than they make (in raw numbers) of all other types, in
fact. There is no danger that they will stop doing so, either.
That's because the commodity-level (Alivio and cheaper) cranks are
what is used on the vast majority of bikes made, not the
performance-level stuff. In addition, the Octalink is apparently
being phased out as Hollowtech II filters down to the lower-priced
performance groups. I would bet that the Octalink vanishes and
becomes an unpleasant memory long before Shimano contemplates halting
production of square-taper BBs. In point of fact, while the
Hollowtech II cranks are their glitz and glamour items, the square
taper is (and will remain) their major product; it's the
commodity-level stuff that contributes the majority of the company's
bottom line, I'm sure.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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Werehatrack said:

Actually, Shimano still makes loads of square-taper cranks and BB
units; far more than they make (in raw numbers) of all other types, in
fact. There is no danger that they will stop doing so, either.

Wasn't aware of that.

Quoted message said:

That's because the commodity-level (Alivio and cheaper) cranks are
what is used on the vast majority of bikes made, not the
performance-level stuff.

Other than a few grams heavier, is n Alivio square tapper hub any
worst than a Deore one?

Quoted message said:

In addition, the Octalink is apparently
being phased out as Hollowtech II filters down to the lower-priced
performance groups. I would bet that the Octalink vanishes and
becomes an unpleasant memory long before Shimano contemplates halting

thought Hollowtech II had just to do with how cranks are made, not b.
brackets...

regards,
jbr

Quoted message said:

99% of the bikes being sold in the world use square taper BBs. This has
been the case now for 50 years. In 10 years it will still probably be the
case, and "standards" such as ISIS and Octalink will have come and gone.

Interetsing view: what makes you think that Isis and octalink won't
last long?

Quoted message said:

Heavier? depends on how much you want to pay. A Campagnolo Record BB comes
in at 190 grams. Titanium spindle models have been made at less than 150
grams. The square taper design does not inherently mean that it has to be
heavier.

My point was, assuming I could not get a good spec square tapper hub,
only entry level ones.

Glad to know I won't need to worry about loosing my cranks - I accept
brakes pads as a consumable, but not cranks :-P

thank you,
jbr

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In article <[email hidden]>,

BigBen said:

Quoted message said:

99% of the bikes being sold in the world use square taper BBs. This has
been the case now for 50 years. In 10 years it will still probably be the
case, and "standards" such as ISIS and Octalink will have come and gone.

Interetsing view: what makes you think that Isis and octalink won't
last long?

_ They are both essentially already abandoned by the high end
market in favor of two piece cranks with external bearings.
You'll still probably be able to get BB's for both for some
years to come, but you won't see new cranks made to those
standards.

_ Booker C. Bense

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On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:19:40 GMT, [email hidden] (BigBen)

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 02:59:38 GMT, Werehatrack
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That's because the commodity-level (Alivio and cheaper) cranks are
what is used on the vast majority of bikes made, not the
performance-level stuff.

Other than a few grams heavier, is n Alivio square tapper hub any
worst than a Deore one?

The differences that matter most to me are in the ramping and pinning
features, and precision of tooth formation of the sprockets. The
cranks themselves are well made, though not always as stiff or as
strong as their pricier counterparts. As you get into the lowest end
of the Shimano line (Acera and Tourney), I think you'll find that the
product is definitely not designed with the long-term user in mind;
the sprockets are riveted or swaged in place, for one thing.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In addition, the Octalink is apparently
being phased out as Hollowtech II filters down to the lower-priced
performance groups. I would bet that the Octalink vanishes and
becomes an unpleasant memory long before Shimano contemplates halting

thought Hollowtech II had just to do with how cranks are made, not b.
brackets...

The original Hollowtech was a crank arm design feature; the cranks
became lighter when Shimano found a way to make them hollow.
Confusingly, they then applied the Hollowtech name with a II
designation to their tech which produced a large hollow integrated
axle running in outboard bearings. Octalink also used a hollow axle,
but that design had problems; it has been replaced by Hollowtech II in
all but the Deore line in Shimano's mountain bike brands, and I
believe I've seen reports to the effect that even Deore will get a
Hollowtech II BB next year. I doubt that the H-II BB will filter down
below the Deore level, though, for the same reason that Octalink
didn't.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Werehatrack said:

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:19:40 GMT, [email hidden] (BigBen)

Quoted message said:

Other than a few grams heavier, is n Alivio square tapper hub any
worst than a Deore one?

The differences that matter most to me are in the ramping and pinning
features, and precision of tooth formation of the sprockets. The

I was just refering to the diferences of b.brackets. Would an Alivio
bb roll any worse than, say, a UN-7x bb??

Booker C. Bense said:

_ They are both essentially already abandoned by the high end
market in favor of two piece cranks with external bearings.
You'll still probably be able to get BB's for both for some
years to come, but you won't see new cranks made to those
standards.

Thanks for the insight!

jbr