Originally Posted by
asc99c
Fantastic, I hadn't realised even the sealed bearings were a replaceable cartridge. Although looking for my hub on the Shimano website I'm sure it's an FH-M8000 which isn't sealed bearings anyway.
We need to clarify some terminology. Better Shimano hubs (such as XT) are well sealed against dirt and water intrusion. Better sealed than any other hubs I have, and I have many wheelsets featuring some very expensive hubs.
if you operate your bike in water, or use a pressure washer to clean it, water will get into the hub, causing early failure.
Shimano hubs use ball and cone construction, as opposed to standard cartridge bearings. It is possible to make either a well or a poorly sealed hub with either bearing type.
Actually, some of the worst hubs I've owned have used cartridge bearings.