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Like many here, I find myself servicing or swapping 17287 bearings more often than any other. My particular 9nes are in Hope freehubs, but it's not exclusive.
I'm also running some (very) old Ti-Glide hubs and almost never touch the 6001 bearing which is 12288.
So, I got to thinking, if you could get someone to make steel axles to a tight enough tolerance and a little effort to retain end caps in hubs, maybe an extra o-ring, then bearings would last like they used to.
Would it really add an off putting amount of weight or inconvenience?
Just me then? Thought I could have been on to something.
I guess they are easy /quick to replace, so not something to worry about ?
Well yeah, but that's not how progress works. Lighter, stiffer, easier to use, more standards, more stuff, more expensive....less durable.
I have a mate that kills axles so he got one made up in steel.
And, yes, I had to change a destroyed Pro4 inner freehub bearing at the weekend. Couldn’t get the race off on the end so had to swap freehub.
If you have smaller balls they are less durable.
See ISIS vs square taper bottom brackets.
Oh, I have some Ti-Glides on HED Jet Carbon TT rims. Years old, but not used any more.
17287 is a lot of bearings to change. I'd probably give up at about the 1000 mark.