Longest lasting X-Type BB

stay away from raceface bb

stay away from raceface bb

This was true 3-4 years ago. Their BB's have been solid for a while now. Last as long as anything from Shimano/SRAM in my experience.

This was true 3-4 years ago. Their BB's have been solid for a while now. Last as long as anything from Shimano/SRAM in my experience.

Based on how long my current shimano has lasted that's not saying much!

I think I may just order up some enduro bearings and press them in myself!

Based on how long my current shimano has lasted that's not saying much!

I think I may just order up some enduro bearings and press them in myself!

Yeah I usually get a year or year and a half out of RF or Shimano BB's…Guess it depends on how much you ride in the slop.

This was true 3-4 years ago. Their BB's have been solid for a while now. Last as long as anything from Shimano/SRAM in my experience.

I got less than a year out of the RF BB that came on my 2011 bike. The XT replacement is doing fine 12 months on (time to strip down and check out all the bearings though). I have no reason to go back to Raceface BBs but would try CK or Hope - if I didn't have a spare Shimano sitting on the shelf.

Cheers Ben

I've had the opposite experience with Shimano BBs… lasted two months until the bearings seized… RF fared better… you can always put in new bearings if they shit the bed.

I've had the opposite experience with Shimano BBs… lasted two months until the bearings seized… RF fared better… you can always put in new bearings if they shit the bed.

Well there you go. The bike nerd in me want CK or Hope which are comparable in price - but at 4 x the cost of XT it's hard to rationalise (and I am a very rational bloke [just don't ask my wife]).

Cheers Ben

My longest lasting was a 2006 Dura Ace BB which survived a season of XC guiding in Whistler and then on until….probably now still as it went with my DMR that I sold last year. The bearings were wider than MTB ones but the BB worked fine if I removed one plastic spacer.

Likely the best designed and longest lasting bb on the market is the Enduro XD-15. Spendy but well designed, darn near impervious to contaminants and easily rebuilt.

I got 4 years out of my xtr bb,It was less than $50 to replace it.I get about 6months out of the Sram bb"s

Has anyone used a XD15?

The concept of the angular contact bearing in a x-type bb is interesting.

The bearings were wider than MTB ones but the BB worked fine if I removed one plastic spacer.

so you just forwent one of the bb shell spacers and it worked with mtb cranks - how was the chainline? i've had a da bb sitting in the parts bin for years, would love to put it to use as i imagine it'd be quite durable, but still running octalink on my road bike

Likely the best designed and longest lasting bb on the market is the Enduro XD-15. Spendy but well designed, darn near impervious to contaminants and easily rebuilt.

Only comes in 68/73mm size though… at least I can't find mention of a 83mm tube option.

My Chris King is going back for warranty (after 4 years)… I will be upgrading the Hope BB on my DH bike to ceramic bearings..

Only comes in 68/73mm size though… at least I can't find mention of a 83mm tube option.

My Chris King is going back for warranty (after 4 years)… I will be upgrading the Hope BB on my DH bike to ceramic bearings..

Could you not just use a tube off a old 83mm BB?