Current HTII bottom bracket (Shimano LX) dead so looking for replacement.
Have seen the Hope stainless and ceramic bb's at £50 and £70 respectively.
They're lovely but expensive – is the ceramic worth the £ over the stainless?

Or should I get XTR from CRC for £40 instead?
Or something else entirely?

I have an XT external BB, works perfectly fine and is V. smooth. I don't know if it is worth buying a Hope BB but given the fact that THIS ONE is half the price, I know where i would put my money!

XT would be my advice too, they just seem to work. Deore is cheaper but the sealing isn't great (I'm told this year's Depre is a previous year's XT, don't know if that's true)

Oh, or the Pace RC80?

You'd be hard pushed to beat this:

bearing upgrade

I'll be using that route next.

Easy to replace the bearing if you have a vice, hammer and punch. Took me ten minutes to swap a set over yesterday, I think a pair of bearings cost me £6.

Liking the idea of bearing replacement rather than a whole new bb – thanks :o)

Tried RF X-type (don't bother) XTR, XT etc. No standard BB's last me long when it's gets to the winter.I've done all the bearing replacement thing which is cheaper than a new BB and only takes 10 mins or so.

Tried a Hope ceramic last summer and still going strong (and smooth) after a winters worth of abuse. The new BB shell looks very nice too. I reccomend trying one.

I've both the SS and ceramic Hopes, tbh I don't really notice the difference between the two, but even if it was only 0.5%, its still 0.5% of free-ness.
And both have easily outlasted previous Shimano ones, and still spin smooth. If you've the cash go ceramic.