You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Just about to push the button on some seven-quid Deores to replace a couple of sets of heavily worn jockey wheels. Use is for a mix of on and off-road in the Peak, where it's generally abrasive enough to kill the actual resin body before the bearings/bushings expire.
Any coherent reason why I should spend more on a higher grade Shimano set. Or any recommendations for aftermarket sets that work significantly better? I've used Hope before and while they're nice and the bearings seem to last well, they're stupidly expensive for what they are and, ime, get noisy as they wear.
Thoughts/suggestions appreciated.
I've used Tacx and BBB - they work really well, and seem better than OEM. The Tacx are on my Commuter with 8 speed XT rear Mech, and they need no maintenance other than cleaning, but wear out due to the mud from the canal and tracks. I don't touch the bearings much at all as they aren't subjected to a drowning, unlike....
The BBB are on the Full Sus, and they've lasted well, bearings seem good, but I do re-grease them as they regularly after they have had a good plunge on very wet rides.
Deore just run on bushings, so are simple, and will just need cleaning out.
I got those BBB Aluboys last time around,they run really nice,but at twice the price not sure how they would do in aggressive slop.
bbb with bearings for about 10 quid here - a bit of a no brainer. defo work better for longer (maintenance??) than the deore bushing type
12 speed SLX mech, on a ride my chain kept jumping off between the jockey wheel and cage, literally every gear change or bump after re setting it, but had been fine the ride before, on inspection the centre bush had worn the jockey wheel increased the jw ID by couple of mm in around 1500 miles of use, £17 for a set of XT ones from my LBS and it’s been fine since, I wouldn’t bother with metal but definitely want bearings, not bushes.
I'd just go with the cheap Shimano ones, will go a bit wobbly but will never seize.
I've had more expensive supposedly better jockey wheels with bearings seize up.
Cheap shimano are ok but the better xt level ones don't go as wobbly, but like all bearing ones need a regular repack. Alu ones are not any better, they just look pretty. I usually go for the xt ones if available.
9,10,11 speed - it probably doesn't matter too much.
12 speed - go for better ones with bearings.
Jockey wheels on my Sram mechs seem to seize regularly at the bearing but the Shimano ones just wear the teeth and usually last longer.
I fitted some new 12 speed SLX jockeys about half a dozen rides before last year's Jennride - the top one had, unknown to me, corroded/semi-seized before I even got to the start line, and I had to put up with a high pitch squeak all the way around. No idea if I just got a bad set, or whether they are just badly sealed/wear quickly.
Ta for all the input. I've used the BBB ones before as well, I'll get another couple of sets and see how they go.
My vintage road bikes are running bushes, but Ultegra and Dura Ace, with ceramic bushings. They just last with an occasional clean and grease. They don't get the abuse MTB's get at all.
I've found the BBB jockey's better than the SRAM ! 10 speed SRAM has a plate over the bearing, which does nothing more than trap dirt between the plate and the bearing seal. Even with regularly maintained bearings, get enough dirt in their and the grit wears off the seal ! The BBB just use a small spacer, so nothing trapped against the seals.
Last jockey wheels I put on a bike were the uber bike alloy ones.
They have lasted well, better than Shimano ones.
I use nukeproof jockey wheels, bought in the sale for £13 don't think I'd pay full price for them though, I was impressed with the first set, holding up well and bearings are good so bought another 2 sets when they were cheap.