I've got Race Face Deus cranks. The bearings are external and the axle is big and hollow – X-type. Can I put a Hope in there (as the Race Face bearings were rubbish) and if so, what is the Hope variant called please?

Thanks

Hope/shimano/fsa are all compatible with RaceFace

My choice is a Hope ceramic

i don't own any external bearing systems but i'm guessing you could just replace the bearings and reuse the cups, ceramic being blingle, you just need the ref number off the bearing

Phil Wood has a shiny one: http://www.philwood.com/products/bottom-brackets/outboard-bb/

I wondered about that, but it says don't disassemble

They often do, but you often can.

Ok, I'm up for taking it apart. So' I'll need a special spanner I guess – which fits in the little indents – or is it hand tight? No, can't be surely?

Hi Karin,
The plastic end caps that (dont) protect the bearings are very difficult to remove without deforming them so much that they are not re-usable. They are like top hats, sort of, and clip in behind the bearings.
Try hot water to soften them before removing. I have never succeeded in not splitting them.
You will need the slotted BB tool first off, then they should be snug with that. Most X type BB users have the tool as they are impossible to replace otherwise.

Ok, I'm up for taking it apart.

Job for a bikeshop really unless you've already got the specific (and expensive) tool…

Bearings are replaceable though, and pretty much anything should be better than the original Raceaface bearings as they are known to be a bit poor.

If you decide to replace the whole BB (as often this is cheaper/more effective in the long run) then anything designed to work with Shimano external bearing BB's (known as HT2, or Hollowtech2) will work.

So yes, that means Hope BB's will work too, but IMO there are better and cheaper alternatives to the Hope BB's.

IMO there are better and cheaper alternatives to the Hope BB's.

Excellent.

um. What are they Maverick boy?

for £23 (ish) you can send it to BETD who will disassemble it, fit (the excellent) enduro bearings, and send it back to you.

so nearly a third of the price of the hope one, and you use less of the world's valuable non-renewable resources in doing so… 8)

http://www.hopegb.com/page_mep_force_58.html

i think this shows you how to regrease it. which is often all they need.

Sounds as if there is a potentially high grief factor involved here. Thanks for all suggestions. What I think I will do is find out where my local bike shop is and see if they can sort it. That will leave me free to swap the rims on my Chameleon (Airnimal, not S Cruz) on Saturday, and ride the 5 on Sunday with lovely smooooooooooth new bearings (and, hopefully, with a route properly loaded onto my new Garmin Dakota 20).

Excellent link thomthumb

eviljoe, never had an issue with Shimano's BB's myself, which are a lot cheaper than Hope. People I know who have used Hope BB's have not had them last any longer at all.

Shame that replacement bearings and the tools to replace them are so expensive though, making it cheaper just to buy a new BB each time!

May I also suggest that you get your BB shell width measured, and then faced to the min. width suggested by Race-Face(0.25mm under)if necessary.Race-Face cranks don't have a user adjustable pre-load like Shimano, relying on the frame width being perfect,anything even fractionally oversize will preload the bearings and cause premature wear.Oh, and avoid the jetwash too, they definitely dont like those either.

Thanks everyone. Have just ordered a Hope BB and tool. When the bearings wear I will buy the bearing tool and then I will just be able to get new bearings each time. Thanks for all input, much appreciated.