Don't like the idea of hope ones with the bearings running directly on the cranks.

Shimano laster about 6 months

Superstar about 6 rides

Are Acros a good bet? Don't do much riding in mud if I can help it but could be tempted if someone else was picking up the bearing tab for 2 years 🙂

Thought about king as they're not much more than acros (~£85 vs £60) and gaurenteeed for longer, but another £45 for the greasing tool? And in 5 years we'll all have moved onto a new 'standard' anyway!

My Hope stainless one is 2.5 years old and still doing nicely. I know you said you don't want Hope but there you go.

You could try servicing your current BB. Not much to lose:

HTII bearing replace

Superstar shells take standard bearings, replacing yours with ebay cheapies is worth a try for the ~£6 it will cost you. The plastic top hat seal things wear out eventually.

I'm planning on giving that a go with my other superstar one (they take normal sized bearings) for some reason I went and bought a second one after only a handfull of rides on the first assuming that was enough to prove the nay sayers wrong 🙁

edit: posted at the same time asabove.

Wonder if trout or anyone else on here with a lathe fancies knocking out some metal spacers to replace the plastic ones? There must be a market surely?

I get about 6 months out of unbranded bearings. I have 4 sets of superstar shells now . Top tip for the plastic bits is use a butter knife or similar thin slightly flexible tool to lever the plastic bit off, not screwdrivers.

Anyone know a bearing shop in Reading or nearby?

Apparently there's one in Woodley nr Reading if that's any good, but I can't find it on http://www.yell.co.uk.. But a couple of others cropped up:

Rotary Motion
Monks Mead House, Bath Rd, Hare Hatch, Reading, Berkshire RG10 9SA, 0118 989 0000

Brammer UK Ltd
Unit 11-12, The Micro Centre, Gillette Way, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0LR, 0118 987 4222

I found the best way to make a Shimano HTII BB last forever is to buy some expensive Enduro bearings and a fitting tool at the same time and put them away in the spares cupboard so they're ready and waiting. Using this method, my Shimano BB has lasted well over two years now.

Surely if you are getting metal spacers made up then it will be the same as the hope running directly on the cranks?

i've got a brand new unused [still with green packing grease] shimano xt BB spare – in calcot if that helps, give us a tenner and it's yours….

Superstar Aerozine SKF – 12 months of use, followed by 4 months of inactivity which is what normally kills them and still no probs

mattp, I'd have it if TINAS doesn't want it, and you'd be prepared to post for me.

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=353&utm_source=Superstar+Components+Newsletter&utm_campaign=c13bb16a81-Super+HD+Roller+Bearing+Bottom+Bracket&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=c13bb16a81&mc_eid=277e7bb5bc

This one. 5 Year warranty for £45

Agree with m_t_b, that new SS one looks good.

yea, but the 5 year gaurentee covers everything, except the bearings, which is odd for a component that is on the face of it, a bearing.

E-mailed superstar, figure if I can get money back on the current pile of knackered BB's I can put the money into justifying an acros one. If not then I'll stick some deasent bearings in the superstar shells.

"5 Year warranty for £45"

Best of luck claiming on it. As it says in the discription, "Only neglect will kill it", if it dies he's going to say it's due to neglect.

p.s.

And surely big needle bearings and robust seals are going to be very very dragy?

After the last few components from them I dont think I'll be going back to superstar.

Northwind.

Just don't mention fitting it with a rock and you'll be fine.

Oh, I didn't mean that as especially a criticism of Superstar, I've used a few of their parts and always been very happy with them. It's just the standard get-out for warranty claims and it'll be so easy for them to take advantage of it here.