Enduro ABEC 5 bearing for a Hope rear hub?

[bagpuss]

The rear sealed bearings {some of them} are shot it in my Hope rear road hub . Rather than skimp on the job I am going to replace the lot, ie in the free body as well. I have been recommended Enduro ABEC 5 bearings for a replacement .Are they any good? I have read for and against them on various web sites .
Comments welcome please as to their performance.
Also can I remove the old ones and refit new ones without the proper Hope tools ?
The hub is built onto a rim.
All ideas, comment, would be apprecited

 

[davidj]

Re:

I did the swap without the tools, using sockets etc. Luckily I had some spare bearings to replace the ones I mucked up!

If you want your wheel to spin like new I would get the tools, if you are prepared to accept OK just use sockets (you may get "like new" then again you might get OK like me).

Can't help with the bearing choice, but next time I will buy Hope branded ones - and the tool. Till then I pull the end caps/freehub off my replacement hoops (no point having hope hubs if they are just OK, so I bought new wheels!) regularly and apply a new smear of grease to help keep water out.

 

[mattr]

SKF are the best value for money in my experience. And stock fit on some very high end hubs.
Enduro bearings are very expensive for what they are. And fairly unreliable.

If you want top quality, find NTN bearings.

You can get SKF from any bearing factors for a few quid each.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Personally I've replaced many a hope bearing and haven't needed the official tools. If you have a socket set, you will hopefully have one the right size to mate with the outer edge of the bearing you are fitting. Don't be tempted to use anything other than the outer edge of the bearing as you'll ruin the bearing or at best, damage it and shorten its life.

You can press them in most of the way by hand/vice, so only need to tap it the last few mms. A good sturdy tap will do it, you'll hear the sound change once the bearing is seated.

As for bearings, get as good as you can, or buy lots of cheap ones and be prepared to replace frequently.

My opinion, for what it's worth is that hope branded bearings are over priced and you can get better for less. Bearings with more fill and better quality, water resistant grease are what I go for, you can always add more grease yourself by popping the rubber seals off and topping up. Not sure ceramics are worth the extra ££.

 

[drcarlos]

SKF are the best value for money in my experience. And stock fit on some very high end hubs.
Enduro bearings are very expensive for what they are. And fairly unreliable.

If you want top quality, find NTN bearings.

You can get SKF from any bearing factors for a few quid each.

SKF are top quality, we've used them on the race mowers for years and these things take some punishment. FAG, RHP and NSK are also top quality too. NTN would appear to reside in the same group and I'd not have a problem using them either. The main problem I found was the regular bearing suppliers stocking the odd sizes used in hubs, yes they can get them special order but as they don't carry them in stock getting a decent price comparison is hard and you are left at the mercy of going back to the phone for a price.

Carl.

 

[mattr]

Yeah, think the latest hope hubs have an oddball in them, 17 something something rings a bell. Might need to try one of the larger mail order bearing places.

 

[Andy B]

Kinetic bike bearings are good value for money, fitted plenty of them

Enduro bearings are used frequently in the workshop I work in & haven’t had any issues with them, I’ve fitted hundreds of them to our customers bikes

As above the right tools make for an easy job that doesn’t risk making a mess of your new bearings

Sockets and a vice are acceptable for an ok job, but when you work in the cycle trade ok isn’t good enough

 

[jonnyboy666]

Re:

same as above with Andy,

i stock the bog standard stuff and then Enduro, i also keep the genuine Hope ones for most of their hubs, obvs the tools are the best way to fit them as opposed to sockets etc, the Hope tools are essentially just drivers to hammer them in although i prefer a proper bearing press which means using the wheels manufacturing press it's takes about 10 minutes if that to do a rear hub. that said i get why you're unlikely to by a press for this not that often done job!

if you were local to me i'd say pop down, i don't take the piss with prices on doing a set of those

 

[xerxes]

Re:

Could you use some threaded rod and some nuts in combination with the right size sockets in place of a propper press?

 

[mattr]

Yes, that's how i've done it in the past.