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Apart from around a tenner in price, is there any real, discernible difference between these two bottom brackets in terms of performance, longevity and weight? I've always gone XT in the past, but it seems like it might be a good place to save a bit of dosh by downgrading, especially when I need two BBs. Anyone know any different? Ta.
Both as good or crap as each other. Invest in a hope and save over time
For the prices Rose Bikes charge for a XT BB (£17ish) its gonna have a similar lifespan as hope. Its about a 1/4 of the price of Hope and I doubt Hope will last 4 times longer.
I'd avoid Deore as the sealing isn't quite as good as XT. I think my current XT one is nearly 3 years old now.
My experience and others have hope at 4 to 5 times as long as shimano. Over 2 years here.
i must be doing something wrong, my bb's only last about 6 months whichever manufacturer i use.
hmmm, maybe i should spend more time here and less time actually riding 😉
I am with anotherstan on this, does not matter which brand/level I buy, I still get through 2 a year. I stick with the Deore ones these days. Shimano also come with the uberGreen grease, which has magic properties.
uberGreen grease, which has magic properties.
You mean shitmagnetgrease?
HT2 BBs tend to die prematurely by people overdoing the preload.
Shimano also come with the uberGreen grease, which has magic properties.
Rightly or wrongly I have the belief that this grease is the greatest grease ever, probably because you can't buy it anywhere. I know this is not rational, but I am sticking with it. I also know I am not alone in the view.
Agree with you on the preload comment however, I learned this the hard way.
You can buy the green Shimano grease no probs [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24446 ]http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24446[/url]
You can buy the green Shimano grease no probs http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24446
You have genuinely just made my day! Purchase made!
current XT one is nearly 3 years old
Is that hollowtech 2? I thought their lifespan was measured in days not years.
I had a Deore one, last about 6 months, and for three of those I worried it was going to seize every ride. XTR one is still as smooth as anything a year down the line, really impressed for £35 given the shit I ride in.
my deore BB went awol fairly quickly and was replaced by a cheap XTR from Rose which has been on two bikes and is still going strong in exactly the same conditions as the Deore. It doesn't even cost much more so no argument really
I just replace the bearings in shimano BBs with cheap ones ~£5 will get you 4 bearings which should see you through 12 months with a bit of effort vs £15 every ~6 months for a whole new BB? Save where you can that's my moto...
My hope BB was largely untouched for 2.5 years and the bearing replacement after that was easy, not bad VFM either when you work it out... Still going strong.
My Deore BB was goosed after one lap of CyB Beast.
I keep seeing things like this... my XT lasted from late 2005 to about a fortnight ago. Replaced with a Deore (and a new Deore chainset), so will see how that lasts! Done 3 or 4 rides so far without catastrophe though, and in the real claggy stuff too.
How tight should the bb be? If you can over tighten with that little plastic thing then they need to invent a different way of doing it. My cranks spin freely with no chain on,I'm assuming that's ok.
on the plastic preload nut, hand tight with one of these does the trick.
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/ice-toolz-bottom-bracket-tool
my deore lasted a year btw, replaced with same as it was only 14 quid.
I've had an XT for almost 2years and about 6000 miles, probably more. I don't gorilla the pre-load though.
I have an SLX on another bike but only been running that maybe 7 months. They both seem the same in terms of feel, of course time will tell.
You can buy the green Shimano grease no probs http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24446You have genuinely just made my day! Purchase made!
Ok, so can someone tell me the difference between the "workshop grease" featured above, and the Shimano Dura-ace "special grease" the tech docs tell me to use in my hubs?
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Buy one with ceramic bearings (or after-fit some) and they will last for years. Hope ceramic 5 years and counting so far...
Just replaced my xt bb, two years and lot of miles.