The load rating of the stainless bearings is a lot less than a 'normal' hardened steel bearing and I've noticed that whilst the bearings don't self destruct from water ingress, they do wear out, usually after a year to two years depending on which one (the one on the drive side of the hub body usually goes first) I've also had the outermost of the two wee bearings in the freehub totally disintegrate (Pro 3 evo) on several occasions. You get a fair bit of flex on a hope hub (particularly a 197 one!) and this doesn't help. SKF's are fine but the two freehub bearings in a pro 4 are custom sized for hope. I think enduro do them but enduro bearings are rubbish so this isn't gaining you anything.

Never had any experience of ceramic bearings but I can't help feeling that the load rating will be even less than the stainless ones....

Talking about Hope hubs...


Broken springs.
I was a bit surprised and nervous when I found this just a few days before leaving for Iceland. Thankfully I found some springs in my former fatbike's hub. But also there, one was broken.
Both Pro 4 hubs. Up 'till then I've never had an issue with Hope hubs...

All my bikes were on Hope hubs. 3 years ago I started using DT hubs as I got them cheaper than Hope, DT being a Swiss brand there's less between me and the manufacturer and they are lighter than Hope hubs (I think...) aaand... I started to dislike the noise (still have to listen to the Pro 4 on my everyday bike which is also an off road touring bike and ssp - lots of coasting ffs).
Their (DT's) ratchet design is a easier to replace and less likely to fail.
That said, I had a reputation in the service departement for the regular destruction of DT rear shocks for Scott bikes. Still, I fully trust their hubs to be very reliable. Yet I can't comment on the bearings (they're still fine) - nothing is comparable to all season UK biking... when it comes to hub bearings; what's good for two years in Switzerland is good for half a year in the UK.

To further the case against ceramics I’ve just noticed that the bearings in my hope bottom bracket are shot as well, these have seen about 15 months use and have been regular maintained by poping the seals and flushing followed by repacking.

Anyone remember what size they are?

Anyone remember what size they are?

Isn't there something odd about the sizing? Non standard?

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:19 pm

Anyone remember what size they are?

Isn't there something odd about the sizing? Non standard?

It seems so - the usual HTII bearings have an internal bore of 25mm and require a 0.5mm shim to allow the use of a 24mm spindle. The Hope bearings have an internal bore of 24mm so don't need the shim. No idea why Shimano didn't just go for a 25mm spindle.

Looks like you have to go the Hope (actually INA) route.

Mine is the 30mm, Hope use INA bearings? At least your getting quality bearings for your money.

Bearing update, hub and BB bearings arrived while I was at work. Got to it straight away and discovered that the race in the inner free hub bearing had cracked and there was a sizeable chunk missing!
The balls were still just about retained but lots of play, probably a source of the poor indexing I’ve had.
The other discovery was that the main bearings were original, I’d only changed the free hub ones, so actually not bad life 2year plus

Replaced the full set and it’s all nice again, BB bearings also changed. The slight downside was finding that my race face carbon cranks have again developed play in the pedal insert.. Arse!