Been using these for only 4 months and got play in them already. Very disappointed…

Previously I used the XT job that came with the bike – lasted 9 months then replaced that with Deore which also lasted 9 months.

Bad luck? bad weather? or, just crap? Anyone else got any experience of these?

For all the moaning about ISIS I still managed 8 months out of my old RF Signature unit.

Running Hope SS here – 22 months out of 1 still running smooth. Other one is only 15 months old but buttery smooth both with plenty of riding in all conditions

I cant help with your actual question as I have not tried an expensive fixes BUT:-
Do you still have your 2 old BB’s?
Carefully remove the plastic top hat to reveal the bearing, you should be able to tap the bearing out with care, take the dimensions etched into the side of the bearing and drop onto ebay for another pair. Cost you about a fiver per BB. Voila 2 perfect BB’s, should last you a while.

If you really want to get into it, you can lift the seal off the new bearings and pack with waterproof grease.

There may be a small differnce between XT & Deore, not sure what way around it is but I think 1 may have 1mm wider bearings.

EDIT, so the enduro bearing are just an expensive version of the bearing only?

Good and bad stories on previous threads about enduro bearings. A mate and I bought a few sets a few years ago all of which lasted far far better than the bearings they replaced; most bikes long since sold on but the set that is still on my wife’s singlespeed is still going fine after four years and all the dirtiest rides of three winters.

However you are not the first to find them lasting far far less either, I recall lots of people on the last couple of threads about this complaining of lifespans shorter than shimano ones. TBH complete shimano bb’s are so cheap from rose bikes that if you buy a few sets between mates for the postage, it is much better value to replace the whole thing than to spend £20 on just the bearings.

I’ve never heard anything good about Enduro BB-bearings. I tend to get about 1-2yrs out of XT BBs, which I’m ok with. I still have a 6yr-old, smooth-running UN54 that lives outdoors 24/7 though.

My enduro ones outlasted original xt ones. Hope bearings are true same dimensions as enduro I believe.

Two winters out of my BB Enduros so far, well really only one bearing as I changed the non-drive side one. It should do this winter too. I take the outer cover off and clean/regrease every 4/6 months or so.

Tinsy,

Deore and XT are not identical – however Deore will fit in the XT cups and lasts just as long as XT – probably weighs a fraction more. That’s what I did first time round.

The Enduro cartridge is aftermarket and uses larger balls ‘cos it dispenses with the top hat. Having bought into the “they will last longer ‘cos they are biggerer and betterer than Shimano hype I now find that Mr Shimano still knows a thing or two that Enduro apparently do not.

Deore is circa £13 for a complete unit and Enduro getting on for nearly twice that.

Blackmount, I did say there was a difference between the Deore & XT, I think its the width of bearing/depth of cup, but I only picked that up off here, I have only bought them for XT.

Thanks for the info on how the Enduro bearings work, I would think my comment about lifting the seal & packing with waterproof grease will be even more valid with the additional seal/barrier of the top hat removed.

Do the Enduro bearings have the dimensions on the side, maybe you could try eBay for a ghetto set, & do it on the cheap?

HT2 isnt perfect but at least its cheap & simple to keep running.

I found the Enduros to be far pickier about proper installation than the cheapo bearings I’d previously used to refurb BBs. The NDS on the first set of Enduros I installed failed after about 3-4 months, but then after a *really* careful pressing in the replacement has lasted over a year.

But there again so have the bargain cheapo (as in under 2 quid each) 6805’s that I’ve been running in other BBs, just packed them with grease on installation and they’re still smooth as a smooth thing with butter on.

Oh and FWIW I doubt you’d find the Enduro bearings from normal suppliers – think they’re a bespoke size or something.

Yeah they are bespoke – not like Shimano make it easy to copy after all ;-)Jut bugs me that they have come up with a design which means most users will need to junk a perfectly serviceable pair of cups just to replace the cartridge bearings.

Tinsy – XT uses a different seal / top hat arrangement to Deore (got to be some difference for the extra £££)but essentially they are the same animal.

Unless you are really ham fisted I cant see how the pressing makes any difference.

My Enduros rubbish- shortest lived BB I’ve ever had, and I’ve owned isoflows. Total waste of money.

Deore does last a fair bit less well than XT in my experience- fine in the dry, but not so good in the wet.

If you want a third way- Gamut’s EXT24 BB lasts a little better than Shimano (a fair bit better, if you give it a little TLC from time to time) and the bearings are standard size and easily removed.