definatly in the there shite camp.
I have got them with bikes distroyed them in very little time and then switched to hope.

Got a one year old XT rear that is rolling fine

May check the grease but to be honest, there’s no play or stiffness

If you can lock up a nut they’re easier to maintain than any hope hub

My old (20yr) GT has stx hubs which I am yet to open up, now I know how to do it, I’m too scared.
But, they roll fine, so I think I might just leave them.
My Pinnacle needed the bearings doing weekly.

the 475* rear hub on my commuter is approaching 7000km, i had a look inside a couple of months ago, it’s fine. it’s been used in all sorts of weather, and the last half-mile to work is a muddy, gritty stream for 4months of the year.

(*cheapest of the cheap, ‘lower’ than deore)

stay away from the jet washer, learn how to adjust the cones, rebuild them every couple of years, and they’ll last more or less forever.

In the north west of England I wouldn’t even contemplate running them.

I seemed to manage with Shimano hubs for 10 years in exactly the same place you live now. I also remember having to get Hope bearings replaced after just a few wet rides. My current Pro 3s suggest that not a lot has changed…

A few people have said it before on this thread but I’m going to repeat.

The bearings in the hubs are ALWAYS adjusted too tight from factory. Adjust ’em properly and put a ton of grease in and cup & cone should last you as long as they ever did in the past.

… still not going to defend them too hard though, cartridge is better, preventative maintenance sucks.

Thanks all for your comments.

I may just buy a donor hub then, at least I’ll have a spare freehub body, cones and axle that way too.

ta

“Front hub’s £26 vs £10.80 for Hope… But £36 for a rear vs the price of 5 bearings looks much better “

or free if you strip it and clean it before it spackered .