Hope Pro II Bearings

I can’t help but think Hope have gone back a stage with the Pro II bearings compared to the old XC hubs.

Having only lasted 6 months of very average use my rear wheel bearings have gone. Taking the hub appart now reveals the smallest of bearings in the freehub, it’s hardly suprising they have worn out so soon. There seems to be next to no seal between the freehub body and hub shell which has meant water has clearly sat inside the ratchet area and rotted the bearings. I virtually never hose my bike down so I certainly haven’t been forcing water unnaturally into that area.

A service kit of 5 bearings is £23 from Chain reaction, yet all 5 bearings from a bearing shop cost me £9.19.

The new style pawls are great though, no more fridge-suck moments there. I guess it may be worth investing in the specific Hope tools if I’m going to be bashing in new bearings every few months 🙁

I’d be very interested to hear other people’s experiences of Pro 2 hubs also as I’m looking at replacing the stock Bontrager hubs on my Trek Fuel EX soon. The reason for this is because those are crap at keeping water and mud out and I figured it might save me money in the long run if I got Pro 2’s on instead, which I thought were more ‘weather-proof’?!

No problems here, 18 months no issues.

I’m looking at getting some new wheels made and Pro 2 hubs are on my list because of the cartridge bearings but I’m a little worried about stories of the free hub body getting chewed up by the rear cassette.