Advice needed! Got myself a new bike last May, quite high spec, XT flavour and above, and I’ve already had 1 BB swapped under warranty (nice chaps swapped the whole front end of the drive train too!). Thing is, the 2nd BB has started creaking now, so my question is (are)
Can you re-grease external BB bearings or are they sealed, and if so, do I need the “special’ tool
Do I pursue the warranty angle again (bearing in mind that they had my bike for month for the initial warranty swap!)
Do I bin the supplied BB and replace it with an aftermarket one, I’m thinking Hope Stainless BB, as I live about 500yds from the factory!

Thanks for the advice!

Shimano XT BB?

No, think its Truvatix gigapipe?

Not sure without looking!

I just replied on the other BB thread, I have read that lots of people are removing the bearings and buying new from engineering supplies shops and just putting new bearings in their old cups, maybe its possible for the Truvativ too, would need to get your old bearings out, the size is etched onto them.

Cheers Tinsy,

I’d guess I’d need the BB removal tool for that yes? Sorry, I’m skilled in the use of a mouse, not spanners!

I guess its more for the mechanically minded, but at about £7 for new bearings I will be investing in a BB tool when mine starts grinding.

Also in answer to the original question, yes you can flip the seals off a sealed bearing and grease them up, again you would need to dismantle it.

Thanks for that Tinsy,

S’pose a tenner for a BB tool IS cheaper that a new BB….. Mmmmmm, but it’d look sooo sexy in anodised blue! Mebbe later!

BTW Does anyone do a quality replacement for Truvativ external BBs? Got one on a new-ish tandem and it’s creaking after 200 miles. ( Knew I should have stuck to square taper, bah humbug 😉 )