The journey from small guy to teenager...

[millemille]

But the fact is the application and duty cycle of roller/ball cartridge bearings used in MTB rear suspension is about as bad as you can get for a bearing.

Limited arc of movement, significant variation in loading, no possibility of race procession to move the loaded zone around, too small for the application, challenging operating environment etc.

Best you can do is postpone the inevitable....

[v8-powered]

I use Fuchs Renolit MP3 (now called GP3).

In a previous role as a consultant I specialised in tribology and spent a fair bit of time at both SKF and Timken looking at the condition of used train axle bearings to determine whether they could be allowed to run to higher mileages before overhaul/replacement.

Anyway, I was at Timken's place in Northampton looking at my bearings when a pallet of used bearings was delivered for overhaul and these things looked they'd been dug out of a peat bog after being buried for centuries.

"What are they off?" I asked.

"The trans Siberian express"

"Why on earth are they bothering to send them back, they've got to be fucked?"

Nope, absolutely immaculate inside. The grease Timken used at build was the Fuchs Renolit MP3 and that was as good a recommendation as I needed....

Takes me back to my times of GM/RT2030 Levels 1&2 with Deryck Shead.

[Count Steer]

I use Fuchs Renolit MP3 (now called GP3).

In a previous role as a consultant I specialised in tribology and spent a fair bit of time at both SKF and Timken looking at the condition of used train axle bearings to determine whether they could be allowed to run to higher mileages before overhaul/replacement.

Slight railway lubricant diversion...I worked one summer holiday at a v large sewage processing place in Yorkshire (it was big enough to have it's own steam loco, 'Nellie'). They used to extract lanolin grease from the sewage (from the wool industry), it was the thickest, gunkiest grease I'd ever had the misfortune to get smeared on a pair of jeans.

They sold the stuff to BR for greasing rolling stock - but the trade died out with the wool industry.

[millemille]

I use Fuchs Renolit MP3 (now called GP3).

In a previous role as a consultant I specialised in tribology and spent a fair bit of time at both SKF and Timken looking at the condition of used train axle bearings to determine whether they could be allowed to run to higher mileages before overhaul/replacement.

Slight railway lubricant diversion...I worked one summer holiday at a v large sewage processing place in Yorkshire (it was big enough to have it's own steam loco, 'Nellie'). They used to extract lanolin grease from the sewage (from the wool industry), it was the thickest, gunkiest grease I'd ever had the misfortune to get smeared on a pair of jeans.

They sold the stuff to BR for greasing rolling stock - but the trade died out with the wool industry.

I'll see your lanolin and raise you Crater grease.

Anyone who has ever had the misfortune to come into contact with crater still wakes up screaming in the middle of the night....

[weeksy]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404552118846 ... R6zF-Z_oYg

Bought.

[Count Steer]

I use Fuchs Renolit MP3 (now called GP3).

In a previous role as a consultant I specialised in tribology and spent a fair bit of time at both SKF and Timken looking at the condition of used train axle bearings to determine whether they could be allowed to run to higher mileages before overhaul/replacement.

Slight railway lubricant diversion...I worked one summer holiday at a v large sewage processing place in Yorkshire (it was big enough to have it's own steam loco, 'Nellie'). They used to extract lanolin grease from the sewage (from the wool industry), it was the thickest, gunkiest grease I'd ever had the misfortune to get smeared on a pair of jeans.

They sold the stuff to BR for greasing rolling stock - but the trade died out with the wool industry.

I'll see your lanolin and raise you Crater grease.

Anyone who has ever had the misfortune to come into contact with crater still wakes up screaming in the middle of the night....

It's not cheap either!

[weeksy]

NBD....

After a long-ongoing debate with sponsor we've ordered this.

dmrCYAN by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

sect2 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

One of the aims/goals for winter is for the boy to work on skills in terms of jumping, pumping, cornering, tabling (look it up ) , basically skills/technique training over winter. So with that in mind, things like the local pump track, skate park, then places like Adrenaline Alley (indoor skate/jump park) will give us the chance to get both a good bit of a workout as well as working on the skills side of things when the trails are a mud-slop-mess.

[Taff]

Whyte's manual says to pack the outside of the bearings with lithium grease which keeps the crap away from the bearings

[MingtheMerciless]

@millemille , purchased, I'll see how that lasts on the Trek's BB.

[weeksy]

[Mr Moofo]

Still sponsored by Privateer next year?

[weeksy]

No idea matey, that's Katy's job to deal with. But I'm pretty sure DMR are onboard for next year again. Hence getting their DJ bike.

[Skub]

No body armour employed? Even for those sticky out elbows?

[weeksy]

Chest/back/knees. It's what the cool kids do. Well, so they tell me

[Mr Moofo]

Chest/back/knees. It's what the cool kids do. Well, so they tell me

Let me tell him about how much it hurts to factor the ball joint of the humerus
Wear shoulder stuff !

( BTW breaking you elbow really , really hurts as well)

[weeksy]

Chest/back/knees. It's what the cool kids do. Well, so they tell me

Let me tell him about how much it hurts to factor the ball joint of the humerus
Wear shoulder stuff !

( BTW breaking you elbow really , really hurts as well)

Playtime, that stuff.

Uplift/race full armour.

It may change back now as a lot of it was down to the heat factor from full armour, which is likely to be more welcomed now. But the full jacket really is very warm in summer

[weeksy]

IMG-20231019-WA0003 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG-20231019-WA0002 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG-20231019-WA0004 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG-20231019-WA0001 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[weeksy]

How to turn a horrific job into an absolutely effortless job.

I'm not sure exactly where this piece of alu came from but it's the absolutely perfect diameter for the job. So trimmed 2 lengths
IMG_20231019_152317 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20231019_151134 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_20231019_151123 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Presses both sides in at the same time, really smoothly and nice..

The bearings in there were the cheaper Blue Seal type rather than the Enduro bearings which have now gone in there. But they'll get stripped and re-packed and kept as spares for now. I'm sure Trek make a tool for this job, but i can't see how it'll be any better at the job than my home-made version.

[crust]

Are they XT660 fork spacers?

[weeksy]

IMG_20231020_152413 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr