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I've just had the suspension bearings replaced on my Stumpjumper Evo, after 11 months of ownership. However in that time I've ridden it for four weeks of big mountain riding in the Alps and 8 bike park days back here, as well as fairly regular local rides and rides in the Peaks/Yorkshire/Wales/Long Mynd etc.
Previously I've waited until I can feel the bearings tip from side to side on compression of the suspension. On this occasion I'd felt that the rear end was wandering a bit even after I'd replaced the wheelset, and because I needed a new bottom bracket I decided to get the bearings done as well. The mechanic has told me that they were on their way out.
Out of interest, my question to you, STW, is how often do you replace your suspension bearings? Is it when you feel a bit of flex, or do you wait for it to clunk? Perhaps you do them on a schedule?
The obvious answer being "when they need it".
I'd estimate i've changed 15-20 in the past 12 months, but that's over a multitude of bikes. The usual thing is removing bolts and seeing if they move freely, which i'll check once a month. With the other being 'does it make any creaky noises'
Currently.... i think i'm 100% on 4/5 but i think the Privateer needs a pivot bearing which you've just reminded me to check this afternoon.
Depends on use - I've hardly touched the FS since October, but everything got a good check and grease as we had a wet riding weekend, so it needed doing. GXP BB's have a habit of seizing if not looked after.
We've got a long weekend on the bikes from tomorrow - 80 miles off road so I'll probably do all the bearings/grease next week.
The obvious answer being “when they need it”.
That's always been my philosophy too, although looking online, some people seem to advocate regular replacement whether they need it or not.
I do them when I feel play or they're not spinning freely
I check mine every 3-4 months and replace if needed. Or if there's play in the frame or a lot of creaking!
erm, never! My Stumpy is 6 years old and on its original bearings!
When there's excessive side to side play in the rear wheel, although I'm finding I have to remove and regrease the main pivot pretty regularly these days or enjoy hideous clicking and creaking.
My single pivot bikes only seem to need it every couple of years.
Four bar bikes I've had, the little ones at the back only seem to last a year.
I check them every so often and will replace if needed but typically just do em all at once yearly.
Privateer swapped... there was 3 !!!! which kinda surprised me... big boogers too, 6002.
My single pivot bikes only seem to need it every couple of years.
Four bar bikes I’ve had, the little ones at the back only seem to last a year.
This.
Orange - Bearings last for ever. Checked my 18month old Stage Evo when I did its overdue one year strip and rebuild and the bearings were like brand new.
Previous Santa Cruz they generally lasted pretty well and very cleverly are only installed in the linkages, not the frame. Only slight stiffness after 1 year - but you get FOC replacements in the post for the bikes life. Brilliant.
Before that - a variety of other bikes, Giant, Specialized, Transtion etc with linkages and bearings down by the BB or the rear axle, they never ever lasted more than 6 months and replacements were regular.
Retired Bikes:
Scott Ransom Eride, 610 miles and the bearings were falling apart (along with the rest of the bike)
Privateer 161, 853miles (In covid, so lots of local pedalling) and they probably wanted doing, but sent the frame back.
Current Bikes
Geometron G1, 2400miles, its on its 2nd set of main pivot and chainstay beearings
Kenevo SL, 2900miles, had a full set of bearings at 2200miles
Stumpy, 2500miles, no bearing changes (although only does XC miles)
As you can see its not clear cut and would say that the better quality bikes as you would expect, have a far better sucess rate with bearing life.
I use Pro bike garage to monitor the miles each bike does and have reminders for service intervals and checking frame bearings periodically (think I have it set at 100hrs riding time). The miles quickly rack up when I'm doing 4500miles a year!!
some people seem to advocate regular replacement whether they need it or not.
Sort of makes sense from a preventative maintenance perspective I guess, but I can't help thinking that removal and installation repeatedly can't be good for the frame?
I check mine regularly for free movement and make sure they're not creaking or knocking, I've routinely (every 6 months or so) cleaned them out and re-greased them, I've only replaced the bearings in the Enduro once and it's five years old now...
Is it easy to change bearings?
Is it easy to change bearings?
That was going to be my follow up question. I think the answer is yes, sometimes, but occasionally it can be a right PITA.
I consider it a bike shop job, but then I have funny gravity in my garage and find bike maintenance to be very stressful.
Is it easy to change bearings?
Yes/No/Maybe
It can be as easy as wheeling your bike into a bike shop and handing over your credit card, and wheeling it back out again when they've done the work for you. Some bikes have bearings that are easy for the home mechanic to access and with the right tools (and sometimes even with jury rigged or the wrong tools) can be easy and straight forward to push out the old bearings and press in shiny new ones.
Some manufacturers OTOH put double blind bearings in the back of their chain-stays just becasue they hate you.
I bought my Santa Cruz Blur in 2003. It's still on the original bearings 🙂
I bought my Santa Cruz Blur in 2003. It’s still on the original bearings 🙂
I believe you actually have to ride it for the bearings to wear out and require replacement... 😉
A previous carbon Camber Spesh, about every 6 months, the replacement Cotic Flaremax has had one set in 5 years & 5,000 miles.
Now on a Spesh Kenevo SL ebike, and after 8 months & 1400 miles everything is still moving smoothly.
I don't do it myself anymore, LBS job.
I've got my G1 frame serviced yearly since getting it and after 2+ years of solid year round use they've only have to change half of the frame bearings last month, since having it from new! Pretty insane if you ask me.
Just done mine on the Ebike after a year, probably well into the 1000’s of km. Packed them when it was brand new and they all seemed ok, driveside main pivot was worst ( standard) bur cleaned out and regreased and seems fine.
What I do-
clean dirt off,
sharp knife to remove seal,
blast with compressed air,
WD40 and spin bearing with drill,
repeat,
blast out wd40,
repack with needle nose grease gun so you can squeeze it in past the outer bearing side
check seal is flat, put back on,
clean any covers and bolts, reinstall with loctite and a torque wrench.
Just changed my occam after nearly 3 years, most weren't that bad but was a bit creaky. Needs a special tool for one as well so a LBS job
Check them when the shock is out for a 50h service.
Four bar bikes I’ve had, the little ones at the back only seem to last a year.
Do those matter much? Asking as they only move a tiny bit but are a bit difficult to check and do on my bike. My current approach is to not check them, but to do them whenever the main pivots need doing.
Do those matter much?
NOt in terms of what they do or how they feel.... but can in terms of creakiness.
I can't say though i've ever got on a bike and 'noticed' a new bearing i've fitted, no bike has ever to me, felt any different after changing. Even when the bearing i removed was pretty much solid. Headsets or BBs of course, but frame/pivots, nah.
Do those matter much
They will if seized and turning in the bore of the frame.
The amount some of you guys are changing bearings suggests you need to lay off the pressure washing a bit...
Either that or check frame alignment.
I can’t understand why you would take bearings out to check if they are worn.
surly it’s a feel thing ie wobbly or stiff / creaky back end.
Some bikes appear to be much more prone than others to eating bearings. I would imagine e-bikes are the best ?
Depends how hard it is to change them.
Nice easy bearings get changed at the slightest hint of roughness.
Evil bastard tiny chainstay bearings get the seals picked off, flushed out and re packed with grease until I can no longer procrastinate or there’s play in the back end.
I miss Turners with bushings and Zerks.
Oh and yeah, clean the bike less. Bearings last longer.
Orange – Bearings last for ever. Checked my 18month old Stage Evo when I did its overdue one year strip and rebuild and the bearings were like brand new.
I put new bearings in the S4 I got from you after a year or so. Don't think it really needed them but I was chasing a creak at the time.
I prevented myself having to do them again by replacing it with a Stage Evo frame this year 😀
The amount some of you guys are changing bearings suggests you need to lay off the pressure washing a bit…
Either that or check frame alignment.
I'm sure some people are probably blasting the grease out, but IIRC you ride a Geometron? I bet Nicolai have pretty decent sealing compared to the Nukeproof, Transition and Spesh alu frames that I found particularly bad (and were never pressure washed).
I do reckon something was a bit off with the NP frame though, the way it went through rear shock bushings as well.
I think threads like these probably don't help people to 'not' change their bearings. You get someone on here saying "My bearings are knackered after 9 months" and loads of folks read it who are thinking "Well, my bearings haven't been changed and my bike is 3 years old" and the very next thing they're doing is checking eBay for a bearing set/press, and pricing out a bearing kit from their bike manufacturer.
Never. My mate does mine 🙂 He also has all the bearing removing/installation tools.
My Giga needed new main bearings after two months/one extremely wet Gap ride. Hotlines were good enough to send me a whole bearing kit. They needed doing again after another 1500km/18 months/mixed conditions riding. The rest of the bearings are fine tho.
Ibis are a pain even tho they are in the 'rocker' so you're not pulling them out the frame, they are 'non servicable' and you have to buy a whole new rocker which now 2pure have gone bust isn't very easy. You can get them out, but it's not much fun.
Anyway I get mine done either before we're doing a big trip or there's a clonk/squeak that clearly means something has gone square.
you ride a Geometron? I bet Nicolai have pretty decent sealing
I do. But we also have three Spech's in the garage which although needing bearing changes more frequently than the Geometrons are still no where near as bad as some people's bikes.
TBF the Geometrons have really good extra sealing caps on all the bearings and are built to last rather than to be light.
My Megatowers had one bearing in the lower vpp in the last 4 years the rest as as day one almost .. I have to say proberbly the best design as no bearing is pressed into a frame and vpps are 10 minutes jobs to strip from the frame and grease and clean . Once every 6-8 weeks its an 40 minute job to do and pack with marine grease.
I check them during each winter when the full sus doesn't get ridden. If there's play or they feel rough they get changed.
Some frames are easy to do. My old Whyte was easy to work on but my old Specialized was tricky to get the drop out bearings out.
When there's play.
Approx 5000miles on my Czar.
Some manufacturers OTOH put double blind bearings in the back of their chain-stays just becasue they hate you.
Oh how true!
Specialized support group anyone?
I did my Camber Evo (2015) for the first time earlier in the year. There wasn't much play and a number of them were still fine. Caveat, where I ride it most isn't grit or peat bog. For the first few years it was a summer/dry day and trips away bike and I rode a HT/SS as well. Now it's my main bike so don't expect it will be so long until another set!
Santa cruz. 5 years? Then it was only as they were free. Didnt need to do it...
With the new bearing in, the back end is noticeably stiffer, even though there hadn’t been any rocking or clunking.
I’ve used a bike specific muc-off jet wash on it twice, it does get hosed down regularly. However it’s been ridden in atrocious conditions a few times, hucked to flat regularly, and smashed through many many alpine rock gardens. I also think the shock and fork problems, along with the rear hub bearings going probably haven’t helped with longevity.
Never, apparently! Had my Cotic Flare 5 years and only just got new bearings... I'd not felt anything untoward but thought I ought to check them so took the shock out, cycled the back end up and down and the main pivot feels a bit grumbly, though no discernible play.
Still haven't got around to fitting them though, I really ought to do it at the same time as this rear mech cable replacement.
Once in 9 years so far! Last time was was almost 3 years ago, so I might give them an "early" look over soon.