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Shimano's parts support is an abomination. And the failure of factories and shops to provide properly adjusted bearings is also an abomination. So much wasted kit. I believe maintenance is virtually unnecessary except if there's a great deal of wet riding, but proper adjustment is crucial. Pisses me off hard, because 'proper' is a pretty wide window. Bearings can happily survive quite a bit of preload, but nothing like the ridiculous amounts you often see from the factory. They hate no preload though, let alone a rattle.
It's a massive pain in the arse how many zillions of varieties of cones exist, but if you have access to enough spares, you can often make something NQR work, almost as often with compromised sealing.
Kimmo
Fair comment - but you get my drift.
Enduro seem to focus on the needs of cyclists in their choice of seal types.
Unfortunately I've seen so many wrecked XTR / Dura Ace, and Campagnolo cup'n'cone bearings (and by defintion hubs and BBs) due to lack of timely maintanance that I've lost faith - not in the system, but the real world events that effect them. If only Shimano made spare parts available ... But 'till then a quick'n'dirty cartridge is the better way forward 99% of the time IMHO.