Originally Posted by
Panthers007
Hollowtech is not like Octalink at all - or ISIS for that matter. Octalink has an 8-veined axle-bolt that meshes with another 8-veined center-hole in the cranks. They will be sold as 'Octalink' so people know what kind of BB they are for use with. Octalink's mechanism is a metal pipe that runs through the BB-shell that is a sealed mechanism.
The Hollowtech design has 2 sealed-bearings that rotate outside the BB-shell, and a hollow tube that fits through the BB-shell. The cranks are 2-peice cranks that have the axle already attached. This makes Hollowtech lighter in weight, easy to install, and very stiff.
So each design must be used with components that are made for the specific design. Each one is different and can't be used with a dissimilar component. Regards being superior - that war rages on and I won't enlist. I have all 3 designs on various machines.
Careful there. Hollowtech
II is not Octalink. The Octalink bottom bracket
was sold to use on Hollowtech cranks in a more conventional crank arm/bottom bracket system that is similar to but not the same as ISIS. Hollowtech is Shimano's way of making a crank arm that is hollow and lighter than conventionally forge cranks. Confusing, ain't it?
