Just picked up a frame which has a 46mm press-fit BB shell… This is a first for me as all my previous bikes have been traditional threaded BBs.
Looking into which BB to order and it seems to be very confusing!
The consensus of opinion seems to be that the SRAM BBs are not great (no surprise there).
Looks like Shimano is not an option for my shell size (I think?).
Hope make one which looks great, but is of course v pricey…

With the old BBs it always made sense to use the Shimano ones which you could pick up for around £25 and were quick and easy to fit, even if they didn’t last amazingly well, so that was what I always did as seemed most cost effective.
With this pressfit stuff it seems like changing them is more difficult, so maybe it’s better now to splash out on the Hope stuff…
What is the singletrackworld consensus of opinion on this?

Also axle sizes: Looks like I can choose either 30mm or 24mm if I go with SRAM cranks (which I want to), and the Hope BB is available in either axle size, so which one is preferable?
I guess 30mm is theoretically stiffer, but I don’t care about that as either will be stiff enough for me. Any other benefits?

wheels mfg are decent and cheaper than Hope. Available for 30mm or 24mm axles.

Thanks – will check those out.

Do people manage to install these things without the official tools, or is that a bad idea?

I use a bearing press, yes.

I’m sure some people just whack them in, and they may also try to convince you it is not a bad idea.

Hope PF30s need a special tool. Wheels just need a standard bearing press.