[Closed] Hope versus Shimano BB's - with numbers

could argue that the xt's first few months were dry and it failed in winter mud. Hope's 1st few months were in winter mud, when it also failed?

Hope ceramics can feel rough but if you clean them out & regrease they are good to go again.

I like your thoroughness - maybe Hope again next (as it'd pretty much be same start point in the year as the xt was) ?

Or how about opening up the new bearings & packing with grease, see what that does ?

Any guides to cleaning out and regreasing (types the man who hasn't used search)?

could argue that the xt's first few months were dry and it failed in winter mud

You could, but given where I live in Scotland, the only substantial dry period either bottom bracket has seen was the spring past enjoyed by the Hope BB.

I think the first shimano ht2 bottom brackets were crap, but they are fine now and at least a match for hope in longevity terms.

Any guides to cleaning out and regreasing

You could, but given where I live in Scotland, the only substantial dry period either bottom bracket has seen was the spring past enjoyed by the Hope BB

*drought ridden

I've never had issue with the Shimano BB's, last 12-18 months, ridden all weather (don't keep mileage figures). No one's yet to convince me that a more expensive Hope BB last 2-3 time as long, when they cost 2-3 times as much.
Really been impressed by the last XTR BB i had fitted (free upgrade from XT by my LBS), which is nice as I 've always been worried that buying anything above the deore BB might just be waste of money - the suspicion being that they were all using the same bearing/seals

XTR BB can be had for around £25 from rosebikes, which is fne by me

Thanks for the responses, especially the link. The Hope maintenance vids are one of the things that keep me buying Hope - I should have known they'd do one for the bottom bracket.

Decision time - go for a bike ride or strip down the bike for the second time this week 8)

(I love bike maintenance - it's a win-win situation!)

(Edit-when I do eventually service it, obviously ASAP, I'll report back on the results).

z1ppy have you compared the XTR closely to another shimano? Seem to remember in another BB thread the suggestion was Deore as a cheaper design, then SLX/XT/XTR were identical bar colour.

Surely bicycle engineers can manufacture a better bottom bracket, or create a better standard bottom bracket dimension than that which we currently have? Personally I think they just love me buying a bottom bracket every 6 months.

Someone's going to say it so it may as well be me: UN72 + square taper cranks. 10 years old, no maintenance and still smooth on its second bike.

I don't find myself held back by its extra weight or lack of stiffness!

Nope not yet M-C, as this is my first foray away from XT's (other than a dodgy Hope one that came with a 2nd hand bike).
When it does die I will be inspecting it & a previous version to see if there is anything obviously different.
I can only say from my experience it hasn't started creak unlike my previous units, and taking the crankset off it feels much better than others I've experienced of the same age.

I had a square taper shimano BB last an unbelievable distance, eventually the bearings wore through the races and it all fell apart. Don't make em like they used to!

you must have some kind of ASD to know the milage on your BB.

as someone mentioned above, cleaning out the hope bb's is a simple job and often gets them back to running super smooth....that generally means the bearings are not shot, jsut a bit of muck around the seal creating a crunchy type noise....

i personally think they are superb, ive cleaned my once since september and its been used in the thickest of muck through winter, a quick clean sometime after xmas and its still running smooth now....

once the xt bb's are shot its game over isnt it? as they are not designed to be taken apart?

+1million for shonky old square taper...

my oldest UN72 is not a UN72, it's a UN71, so must be mid nineties?

and yes it is ridden regularly, and in gloop as well. As above, I've never come back form a ride thinking "gosh darn I wish my cranks and BB were stiffer!" however I have come back from rides on newer kit thinking "well bugger me, how can that be knackered [i]already[/i]!"

I agree they are shonky the square taper on my SS gets far worse abuse and lasts for ever. I am happy to get a year out of an external BB.

I've a Hope regular BB that replaced a XT unit in my Chameleon. (it's my only bike, gets used in Chilterns in all conditions all year, plus trips ). Built the bike in 2008, XT was replaced after a year Cos the Hope one was red...Not been touched since. (not greased, not removed from bike, nuffink) Washed regularly with fairy and hosed down. Spins smooth as...

Just for the record.

OE SLX 1150miles ridden from March 09 to August 10 ridden in all conditions. Non gritty mud.

Wobbly and noisy by the end.

Fairly happy with that considering the life I get from Octalink BBs.

Don't use Hope so can't comment.

Frame has not been faced since purchase. I'm intending to do it depending on how long the XT one lasts in there.

If the hope bearings are shot,just knock them out and replace the bearings(you can get replacements from your local bearing specialist,mine were £2 each)thats the great thing about the cnc masters!

My XT HT11 BB is around 3 years old, done in the region of 2500 miles, all off road and in all seasons. I'm very happy with that, considering I used to kill a UN72 about once a year.

Cleaning behind the contact seals confirms that it is the driveside bearing itself that is failing - see my posts above.