I installed a Hope PF46 myself using the Hope installation tool and the bearing disintegrated during a cycle trip in 2018. I put this down to my own mistake of not facing the Niner steel frame before I pressed the cups in. I then had the local bike shop face the frame and install a whole new PF46 BB. This has been running well, but when I went to service the bike recently and removed the cranks, the non drive side bearing cannot be turned by hand and the drive side was very stiff.
I managed to remove the drive side bearing intact and what I noticed is that having removed it, the bearings spins completely freely.
This was what I noticed too when I installed the bearings first time. They span freely and smooth before installation, but after installation they were stiff to turn.
Anyone else noticed this problem once you pressed the bearings into the cups?
As I am swapping over to an XT c/set I have now decided to give the wheels manufacturing BB a try instead of the Hope one.
I've had a funny issue with one of these where there was incessant clicking. The bearings don't go as tight as you suggest but they certainly don't spin freely when in vs out so it's not just you.
There's also a small burr in my BB shell that I think is the actual cause of the click but I've not yet worked out how to remove it without risking messing up the fit.
