Just bought a shiny new Hope Ceramic BB for a GXP XX1 crank to go in the new frame build, V2 Bronson.
I’d appreciate any info on how to keep it running sweet & how long you generally get out of them, though I understand a lot has to do with how much you ride & how you maintain your bike etc, I bought it after reading about issues with sram OE ceramic bb’s and failing prematurely.

Cheers Mark

Fit the spacer, fit the BB, fi the crank and ride, 2 1/2 years and I’ve done nothing to mine and it’s done a lot of riding.

edit on Hope SS ones, the ones in the other bikes lasted really well.

is the consensus that these are up to the job? My sram BB is pretty much shot after 8 muddy rides so I’d be interested in getting a hope one if they are more durable.

Have had a Hope Ceramic BB fitted to my Ibis for over 3 years. It is the only bearing on the bike which has not needed to be replaced and is still as smooth as when first fitted. If the bearings do go you can get replacements.

When you fit the spacer does it stop the non-drive side bearing from rotating or have I bugged up my new Hope bottom bracket?

http://www.hopetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BBinstructions.pdf
http://www.hopetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/B.BracketTruvativ.pdf

@mikewsmith Yes seen those and pressed the spacers in as per the 2nd one using a hammer and the Hope BB tool/drift. No the bearing doesn’t rotate so I’m wondering if that’s deliberate or if I’ve hit the spacer to hard?

Looked at the relevant video http://www.hopetech.com/how-to-videos/ but still not sure if it’scorrect or not, anyone fitted one and can advise me?

Think I squeezed mine in gently with a vice…

No the bearing doesn’t rotate so I’m wondering if that’s deliberate or if I’ve hit the spacer to hard?

Bearings generally are designed to turn, doesn’t sound good

I do wonder if those having issues with the sram BBs are doing them up to the correct torque in the first place. When I first got mine I tightened the crank like a shimano setup, and sure enough, play within a few weeks. But if you do the correct spec (50nm is basically as much force as you can put through a normal 8mm allen key – if the center of your foot is 10cm along an allen key, you need to press down with 50kg of force. stand on it and press with most of your bodyweight and you will get it pretty good if you don’t have a torque wrench) it stays sweet for years. Due to the design you’re not pretensioning the bearing, and there is no real risk of crushing it

im gonna have to save up for one of these because my sram bb is toast after a month :/

@mikewsmith Yes I think it’s wrecked, will try removing the spacer and reapplying.

So can anyone clarify the exact assembly please? I got the inserts too of CRC do they press inside the bearings to reduce the ID to 24mm to suit the shaft dia?

Away at work so haven’t got the BB in front of me to check out.

Cheers Mark

I’ve managed to recover my bottom bracket by driving the bearing out, I have the BB tools from Hope so I have the correct drift. I then reassembled BUT i added the inside spacer first and then added the out er spacer and it all spins sweetly now. Fitting is easy with the hope tools but you need to take care to not trap the outer dust shield as that’s what was binding in my case. HTH

5lab – it not an issue of play in the BB, the sealing of the bearings is just not up to the job. GXP ceramic BB (the red one) needs the bearings regreased after every 30 hours which is a PITA. Especially a pain for me after greasing it and then having my BB go on the first climb of my first enduro last March.

The hope one with GXP converter has been painless ever since. We now have all four 1×11 bikes running on them and no problems since.

Re fitting the converters, I just used a long large socket to gently tap them into place, I didn’t need a special fitting tool. Provided you don’t hammer it in too hard, it’s a doddle.

As above, you’re supposed to press the spacers in not belt them in.

My Ceramic is 7 years old now and has been on my cross race bike for 3 seasons then on my winter road training bike for approx 20k miles too.

When i watched the Hope video it looked like he used a fair bit of force but as ^ you don’t need to more than just tap them in especially on the outer as if you use to much force it binds!