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My BB51 has died, should I replace it with the same deore or upgrade it to XT? What benefits are there with the XT? Is it serviceable?
Many thanks.
they're both crap.
gusset ext24, or uberbike.
Hope - Nothing else matters.
My XT BBs last ages...I've got one that's about three years old and still going strong.
Deore units aren't nearly as durable, usually these die within a year for me.
XTR from Rose bikes, cheap & last well IME, so never bothered with any others. Though as their currenty out of stock, I'd look into ahwhiles suggestions. Never been convinced by any BB that cost 3 times as much, last 3 times as long.
No shimano BB is officially serviceable, but there are ways to change bearings.
XT gives decent lifespan for me, Deore generally works out more or less competitive on cost (ie the last one I had cost about 1/3d as much as XT and lasted about 1/3d as long) so not a bad option for a bike that's not used much but annoying otherwise. Oh and don't put them on a really hard use bike, i killed one in exactly 6 hours on the dh bike, dents in the races.
Gusset EXT24 lasts a little better than XT but is also easily serviced- all strips down easily if you want to clean it, and takes standard bearings. Better than Hope in that regard.
Hope currently at 3 & 4 years easily 4-6x the Shimano offerings.
XTR has lighter seals - what a great idea
I killed a Deore in less than 6 months. XTR was still going strong when the bike got stolen on Monday… that was roughly two and a half years.
Hope for £50ish from wiggle ATM.