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My two year old Tiagra BB and 1 year old Ultegra (on a bike which has recently been getting very muddy and frequently hosed) are starting to feel a bit rough.
Will have a go at re-greasing them but understand it's tricky to remove both seals so you can't flush all the old grease out.
Standard replacement options seem to be Hope, Gusset EXT-24 or maybe a Wheels manufacturing angular contact Enduro bearing BB?
Not a fan of BBs with bearings directly on axle though, can you just put some copper anti-seize between the bearing and axle? I hate having to smack the crank out with a big hammer and lump of wood when the axle seizes to the bearing.
I'm not averse to just getting Shimano again to be honest, I think I get my money's worth, just wondered if there was something easier to serviced or better sealed...
Ta
I've got Hope on one bike which has lasted really well, it's on my commuter bike so has seem all kinds of crap conditions.
I've also got a Ultegra level Shimano one on another bike that has also done really well, and is substantially cheaper.
I think if I was to buy again I'd get Shimano as they're cheap and HT2 is easy to replace if/when they do go grouchy.
Yeah, at £20 a shot from Merlin a couple of replacement Ultegra BBs was a no-brainer.
But in the interests of 'mend and make do' is it still possible to send my old ones away to have new bearings fitted? I was sure one of the suppliers used to offer that as a service but can't find it on Google. BETD?
I cannot see how that could be cheaper
@13thfloormonk I've used this. Does a good job of replacing bearings in HT2. The original size aren't the easiest to get hold of but you can use the more common size with a sight workaround and also the size that fits the axle directly if you so wish.
I cannot see how that could be cheaper
It probably wouldn't be, even if I bought the tool 0range5 linked to, but it would be less wasteful than binning a couple of BBs just because the bearings needed swapped. I had just assumed the tool would be £££
@cloggy @13thfloormonk that's pretty much why I bought it, also I wondered if I could find someawesome quality bearings to put in the Shimano cups. I really don't like binning stuff, especially when Shimano want you to...
I would just get another Tiagra - perfectly functional
Hope look nicer but seem to work much the same
I have both
Wheels Mfg are nice - have better sealing than standard Shimano, but for £20 it's hard to beat stock Shimano for threaded BBs - Wheels are better for PF41/BB86/90/92
for HT2 I've used Chris King BBs. Even on the commuter. They last forever! and even when they eventually seize after 6 yrs of abuse and no service, CK will service them for about £30 and you can start again.
they're expensive but last for so long and reduie the amount of faffing replacing rubbish ones, they are a no-brainer for me.
Hmm... those Kings are lovely, think I'll reserve that purchase for a future custom build/dream bike scenario...
I have a hope BB that currently stands me at 0.002p a km assuming it died the next time I used it. Seems full off life still though.
but it would be less wasteful than binning a couple of BBs just because the bearings needed swapped
Marginally... most of the cost and most of the environmental impact is in the bearings or delivery to you.
The cups are just a couple of bits of Al alloy. Delivery and transport doesn't really change for bearings vs whole BB
Marginally… most of the cost and most of the environmental impact is in the bearings or delivery to you.
The cups are just a couple of bits of Al alloy. Delivery and transport doesn’t really change for bearings vs whole BB
Yeah true.
Did drilling grease nipples in Hollowtech 2 BBs ever take off? Seem to recall someone doing it but not actually sure how it works, e.g. how does drilling through the shell guarantee grease gets into bearings? Or does it just help shield the bearings by surrounding them in grease?
Did drilling grease nipples in Hollowtech 2 BBs ever take off?
Dunno TBF. When my Hope bearings needed changing I just stuck in a Saint one for £15 (less than the cost of one bearing)
They last a couple of years for us anyway.
A vote for Hope here. A bit steep up front but replaceable bearings swings it for me. Worth noting they have a proprietary tool though, at least they do for the 30mm ones..
A vote for Hope here. A bit steep up front but replaceable bearings swings it for me, as well as being made in the UK. Worth noting they have a proprietary tool though, at least they do for the 30mm ones..
I use the XT BB
Before fitting I remove the seals and stuff as much grease into them as I can. The BB on my old hardtail has been on it for over 5 years. It still is as good as the day I fitted it. The bike used to be ridden all year round come rain or shine. Only gets used for the local loop (straight out of the front door) now so is used infrequently.
Also use the XT on the other bike and has been through 2 winters of absolute slop.
They last forever! and even when they eventually seize after 6 yrs of abuse and no service
Hmm, your version of forever is definitely different to mine!!
Personally I just use Shimano, they're cheap as chips and last more than long enough to justify their small price tag.
I still have Gusset in all of my threaded bikes- if they'd make the tophats available separately that'd make them a superb option but since they don't, they're only very good. But the bearings are a standard size so as long as you don't break the tophats when changing them, they're fully and very cheaply servicable. (and it's actually realistic to clean them and if you're so inclined grease the bearings etc as well as just replacing when worn- though of course, that again means removing the tophats)
Annoying to have a nearly-perfect product let down just by the availability of one cheap part though but like I say, that makes them just good instead.
There's one BIFL BB to rule them all, its key feature to fix alignment issues, increase stiffness and decrease drag is how its two piece precision machined alu cylinder fits together. Otherwise is extremely well made, has non contacting seals and uses the best 6805 bearings you can buy (NTN).
Had Hope and ditched if for HAMBINI's BSA 68, only £247 for 106 grams of alu and stainless steel :() Takes a few days a few days to get em made and shipped. Feels smoother when putting the power down, spins more freely for watt it's worth and uses the best bearings you can buy. Some people report gaining 10 watts, they may be full of shit.
https://www.hambini.com/product/bsa-68mm-shimano-bottom-bracket/
I did not think you could get much better than a Shimano BB until I tried this. This BB makes all of the others look like toys. The remarkable thing is on YouTube, he portraits himself to be some idiotic stupid 5 year old engineer, the reality is very different. This BB has clearly been well designed and made. It is expensive but of you want the very best then this is it. When you get on the gas, you can feel the difference
The old BB is like a fisher price toy compared to this. The workmanship, fit and feel is so much better it nearly made a growing man cry. If you love your bike and engineering buy this. If not. Dont. But you wont regret it if you do!
When I’ve had split cups from Hope, the cup spirals within the threads when tightening and it’s slightly out.
The spin difference is out of this world. I’ve ridden it for about 250km and you can feel the difference, it is way stiffer than the OE Shimano.
This is a precision product and you can see the care and detail that he has taken to do it. I’d buy another one in a flash. I was skeptical as to whether it was worth it in threaded but his products and his service won me over. First class in every respect.
Plus you can buy new tophats which are made from DuPont Delrin and Hambini's customer service is excellent. There's also a BB removal tool you can buy.
Intrigued, but £247 is silly money.
Still, how does the BB fix alignment issues? I'd imagine the centre tube would have to be so stiff that it could somehow force mis-alinged threads/shell back into shape? Surely it couldn't be stiff enough to flex a BB shell?
Yep very expensive relative to other BBs (needs to be with the low volume), but not necessarily compared to other parts and it should last a lifetime so the lifetime cost could be relatively low depending on how often you need to replace the bearings.
Could it help force misaligned frames into alignment? OK I'm not sure, I didn't have an alignment problem but I'm sure he'd give an honest answer if you asked, seems it might help a bit, perhaps get rid of creak and be a little smoother.
I have to say the new gen Shimanos with the smaller OD cup, the one that need the plastic adapter tool to fit, are far better than the old type and better sealed than shielded replaceable bearing types (way better sealed than the King).
I have a pretty good track record of killing BBs fast on my SS (King, Wheels Mfg with a few bearing types in there and orig Shimano) but I just use these now, road or MTB.
@northwind. Sadly the top hat is way too easy to break. Damaged one of mine removing the cranks which ultimately caused that bearing to fail early (the other side is spot on but the BB is now useless and in the recycling box). Sad as otherwise they are good BBs. Shame they don't do a 30mm BSA version.
Hmm, took the plunge (in the knowledge that I had two new Ultegra BBs in the post) and had a go at regreasing my existing ones.
The Ultegra BB on my CX bike was pretty sticky on the non-drive side (I suspect because it's easier to aim a hose at that on, silly me 🙁 ) so I had a go at removing top hat (easy enough to lever out with the curved jaw of a pipe grip) and the oil seal (mangled a little bit but in the scheme of things should be fine).
Blasted with IPA, spun bearings until dry and wiped off with a paper towel. Jammed full of Park grease, refitted. Feels much nicer.
The older Tiagra BB (twice the mileage but all on road and fewer aggressive hosings) barely needed any work but the top hat still popped off fairly easily and the oil seal much more easily as there is a prominent inner edge whereas the Ultegra BB seal was recessed.
Haven't refitted yet as got a call from work so had to rush back in to house and pretend I was still at desk... 😀
Still if the above keeps them spinning for the rest of winter I'll be pleased, saves having to fit brand new BBs then drag them through three more months of grot. Wish I was precise and patient enough to be able to remove top hats and seals without damaging them but as it is I've always been a bit hamfisted so probably won't make this a regular routine...
nixie
Full Member@northwind. Sadly the top hat is way too easy to break. Damaged one of mine removing the cranks which ultimately caused that bearing to fail early
Gotta say I've removed and fitted cranks dozens of times with the EXTs and never damaged a tophat that way. I've broken them while changing bearings/servicing because of the interference fit which is why I mark them down but really removing cranks shouldn't threaten it?
I think I was being cack handed and might have got the crank axle caught on the top hat before giving it a whack with my hand.
I just use XTR or XT's on the mountain bikes. Decent warranty on them with C.R. If they last 2 years for what they cost is a no brainer. If they break (and havent yet), then will get a warranty replacement. In the past used Kings, Hopes etc, but for the money standard Shimano cant be beaten. From a spin test , the XTR is far smoother than the XT .Must admit I wasnt expecting that, but real time riding feels great. As for the road versions, found little difference between Dura ace on one bike and Ultegra on the other, but only done 300 miles on it. Hopefully will loosen up like the XTR one has.
CK are expensive new, but I'd be happy to buy second hand as they run forever. IMO I've saved a fortune by buying once for life rather than buying cheap and replacing often.
^ not doubting your experience there but King BB was a massive disappointment for me. It lasted a whole long distance race without issues which was the reason for investing in it, but back in UK it wouldn't go a winter weekend without filling up with clag and needing purging with the tool. Always the less protected left side that needed the attention. Would be ok on the road bike but sealing isn't up to UK MTB ime. Too much faff.
XTR has lasted really well for me.
I have a hope BB that currently stands me at 0.002p a km assuming it died the next time I used it. Seems full off life still though.
Sounds unlikely! Have you done 3,500,000km? On one BB? (Based on £70 purchase price. Other (higher) prices are available)
I'm dubious on these flashy BB's. I've just replaced SRAM BB's on our winter hardtails. They'd both done about 4 winters with a lot of cleaning but they'd both got movement in them. Katie's RaceFace push fit was feeling a bit rough but not so you could feel it with the crank fitted (carbon crank debunked at both pedal and axle) after 4+ years so put a new Shimano in.
The Hope S/S on my sus bike is now 3 1/2 years old and still running fine.
The top hat seals seem much of a muchness and they're always looking a bit shagged/britle by the time the bearings fail so given a pair of good quality bearings of the right size seem to cost more than an XT BB hard to justify anything else (except for colour highlight pimp value).
At about 34:30 in
Hambini tells the truth (he also mentioned that machining the top hat was the hardest bit)
Not enough!!
Hope for me
Once the bearings go after several years of use drift them out using a socket and press the new ones in using a vice.
Go to yer local bearing supplier for quality replacement bearings
Simples , no fancy tools or skills for that matter required
I've been running an Uberbike stainless steel one for about 4 months. 30 quid, with replacement bearings at 15 quid. It feels really nice, and I reckon if I manage to keep on top of the regressing (making a mental note to do it very soon) it'll last a long time.
the bog standard shimano offering, cheap as chips 7 years (and it wasn't even new when i got it) and still silky smooth on the singlespeed all weather bike.