The bearings in my wheels have gone so I need replacements – seen full sets for front and rear on fleabay for £9.99, am I just looking at replacing them again in 6 months? I suspect it’s a prime case of buy cheap, pay twice. Other sets seem to come in at about £25+ Plus, do I need the proper Hope tools or can I bodge it?

Cheers

I used Kaesae (KaTec)’s bearings, they seem just as good as Hope tbh and I like to keep him in tinfoil hats 😉

I suspect it’s a prime case of buy cheap, pay twice.

Correct. If you don’t mind changing them every few months then fair dos, but personally I’d rather get branded bearings such as Hope’s own (which are INA-FAG anyway) or SKFs rather than some no-name Chinese crap.

If you know what you’re about then it’s quite possible to change the bearings with an ordinary hammer and a drift of some sort to knock the old ones out, then use an old socket and a soft mallet to knock the new ones in.

Excellent, I’ll buy the better ones then – and get the mallet out! 😀

You can bodge it without the tools, however they do make it easier. Also worth getting the free hub seal insertion tool.

While there is a thread about hope bearings has anyone foudn a decent source of stainless bearings for a (non evo) pro 2’s? I know the front cna just use evo bearings but am thinking of trying stainless bearings on my rear at the next change if I can find some decent ones.

Trailbright sell reasonably priced stainless bearings… How good they are, I can’t comment- I just fitted a set of their cheapo ceramics and they seem initially good but ask me again in 6 months 😉

Yeah its worth getting the tools – i think i managed to get the lot for around £40 – compared to my LBS that were going to charge £70 for a hub re-build – i figured even if i only use the tools once i was still up.

it is possible to bodge the tools though – there is a good vid on youtube