The new Hope external bottom bracket looks like another Lancashire longevity winner. Sick of short-lived external bottom brackets on their own bikes, Hope have taken all they know about wheel seals and bearings (which is a hell of a lot) and put it into this new bottom bracket
Upscaled versions of Hope's legendary Pro 2 and 3 hub labyrinth seals stop shit getting in from outside, with O-ring seals on the internal alloy tube too.
Behind these are custom stainless steel units from INA (who do all Hope’s bearings) with even smoother, longer running ceramic options (£95) and Truvativ-compatible versions available soon. Full installation instructions are laser etched onto the cups and sleeve, and they come in a wide range of anodised colours.
We’ve had our sample running since November through a seriously wet and nasty northern winter – easily enough to kill most other external BBs. The Hope is still spinning silk smooth with no hint of pop, grind or grumble.
While the initial price might seem high compared to other disposable units, the bearings are easily replaceable when they do eventually wear out. We'll be back with a long-term test to see exactly how long that takes – we reckon it’ll be a fair while yet though.
