Need new driveside bearings for XT cranks. Considering a Hope Steel or Ceramic replacement as I seem to be going through a few sets of Shimano. Anyone had any experiences of either? Thanks.

Ceramic since September, replacing RF. Too early to tell on longevity, but so far so good. Still super smooth.

As above but on a DH bike and with stainless steel rather than ceramic. About 8 days full on riding in mostly attrocious conditions and so far so good. The key feature I think must be that you can replace the bearings, which has to be a good thing.

Had a ss one in since last april, done maybe 8000 miles and is as was when it went in….compared to a race face one which was totally destroyed in 6 weeks!!

Thanks all, I’ll get one then.

might be worth getting the frame faced if you have been chomping through the shimano ones. I used to get through one about every 3-4 months, frame faced and problem seems to be sorted. Currently on a Hope ceramic since early Oct with no bother, although can’t say I’ve noticed the reduced friction from ceramic bearings

Steel one then 🙂 Frame is faced.. must be the muck here.

I’ve got a brand new (stainless) Hope one finishing on Ebay in about an hour, if anyone’s interested…
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Ceramic since September, replacing RF. Too early to tell on longevity, but so far so good. Still super smooth.

Currently on a Hope ceramic since early Oct with no bother

I’ve been running a Shimano bog standard XT for about the same time. S’funny, people go through brake pads in a couple of months, replace tyres at gawd knows what cost every summer and winter, and yet £30 on a couple of bearings every what? 6 months or so seems to be beyond the pail…