Second XT external BB in 12 months, so looking for something better

What d’ya reckon?

My Kings have been going strong for a good 18 months now.

XT’s lasted me about 9 months.

You will need to use the grease tool if you want your King to last a long time though.

Hope and CK both seem to last up here in muddy scotland-land.

Personally use Hope Ceramic ones – no reason for ceramic other than thats what we had in stock when i needed one.

Got some CK in end of last week super cheap so may change depending on Santa giving me folding presents…

king.

Got some CK in end of last week super cheap

So you having a sale then? 😉

we don’t do sales.

you do however, as a STW user have a discount code to use of STWTBC.

Whether you choose to use this is up to you.

(Plus it is cheaper than a sale ever would be anyways. ;-))

Have had 2yrs out of my hope ceramic one. Still smooth as the day i bought it.

thebikechain.

The correct answer should be.

We had a sale yesterday.
We’ll also be having a sale tomorrow when we’re not open. 😆

The Bike Chain what does that discount code equate to?

The Phil Wood one looks good

Could you buy a cheap Superstar BB rip out the bearings and install some Hope replacement ceramic bearings?

Would work out about £20 cheaper if the bearings are £26 each and the BB is £20?

Is it possible?

STWTB = 5% off web price
There is another one for Premier Members as well that you need to be a Premier member to get.

How much is the King grease gun?

So a Bike Chain King would work out to £76. Not bad I suppose, but depends on the grease gun cost.

A stainless steel Hope is £60

thebikechain – Member
STWTBC = 5% off web price

T. FIFY

What does

T. FIFY

mean?

There, Fixed it for you.

The code was wrong.

I’ve just bought a Wheels Manufacturing one to try, got in with the 10% off from CRC and in Black it was only £36. Looks well made and the bearings are super smooth.

Not fitted it yet so can’t comment on longevity. Although my LBS talks highly of them.

Nige, Have you tried prising open the XT one and regreasing it, that just worked with my Raceface one.

There, Fixed it for you.
The code was wrong.

Thankyou! Online ignorance clearly displayed!

I googled it, no idea before.

Second XT external BB in 12 months, so looking for something better

Square taper obviously.
UN74 and Middleburn RS8s.

Mr Tall – did manage to open the last XT bearings and regreasing gave another couple of months service, but this one will not open…?

I have square taper & MB’s on another bike, but just yesterday removal stripped the retainer thread – MB’s are temperamental

andrewh – Member

Second XT external BB in 12 months, so looking for something better

Square taper obviously.
UN74 and Middleburn RS8s.

Close but no cigar. ROYCE and Middleburn RS8 square taper. TEN years with no bearing change!

10 years 😯 How aften do you ride?

King for me, the LBS has a grease gun, I call in now and then for a 2 minute pump through….maintains the warranty that way 😀

king for me aswell.

got them on both my mtb and commuter and have the grease gun as well so i can regularily keep them full of grease and running smoothly.

King, then Hope, then XT then as an absolute last resort if my arm was up my back Raceface.

My 2 Kings are still top notch. They can be regreased without the tool; instructions are provided with the BB.

PACE do their own King type external BB at less the cost of King. When I say King type I mean that they do the BB (£70) and they do a tool (£15) that plugs onto a compatible grease gun (£15) to enable you to squirt grease through the bearing.

I have no idea if they are any good though. CRC have them at the moment with a small discount.

King – was what I thought 2 years ago when I bought mine, has now developed serious play in the drive side cup, guess I’ll be testing the 5 year warranty then. Bugger!

EDIT: found the receipt purchased 14 months ago from winstanleys, even more cheesed off

Hope ceramic for 2 years now, just works.

@ bonesetter, about once every 10 years! 😉

In reality this b/b has been used loads and transferred from bike to bike. I don’t ever jetwash my bike. Also I don’t jump so the Ti axle is fine for me. I’ve never really see the need for ISIS or X type bb’s.

Shimano’s UN72 was legendary. Incredible value and performance. The Royce is just a lighter, better engineered, better qualtiy and serviceable version.

I like the idea of your Royce/sq taper – I too have a Phil sq taper with servicable bearings. The Phil’s didn’t last long I have to say in my HT I used over last winter, plus the Middleburns have to said are a faff.

The XT crankset this BB is for is 4 years old and has been in as many bikes, it’s just so easy to maintain when anything needs doing, lighter and stiffer than the ‘burns.. etc