Shimano XT/SLX HTII bottom bracket review

We’re not sure what exactly Shimano have done, as they won’t tell us, but there’s no doubt that recent HollowTech II bottom brackets are lasting far better than previous ones – the current versions are now regularly lasting more than six months of hard use.

This puts them way ahead of Race Face and non-compatible but competing Truvativ and FSA units. Recent Shimano price upheavals have stabilised at a reasonable level too, so you’d have to be a high-mileage hooligan to justify anything more expensive than XT/SLX.