Ceramic Bearings Vs Steel Bearings Bicycle Wheels

Geometrically the contact points inner and outer dimensions and thickness between steel and ceramic bearings is the same so they are interchangeable.

Ceramic bearings vs steel bearings bicycle wheels.

Steel bearings are commodity items that are composed of hardened steel balls and a steel inner and outer race. Cost of purchase for ceramic and steel bearings. The first thing that strikes the eye when looking at bicycle bearings is the difference in price between steel bearings and hybrid ceramic bearings. More durable than high quality steel bearings.

How to get the best performance from ceramic bearings ceramic speed. They ceramic bearings do run with less friction which offers a significant advantage in industrial applications running at 20 000 rpm. A ceramic bearing is also harder than steel bearings up to 30 which improves durability and they also don t rust so less maintenance should be. Because ceramic races are more brittle than steel.

How to get the best performance from ceramic bearings ceramic speed. The ceramic balls are often silicon nitride or equivalent. A tiny percentage reduction in friction here can equate to a worthwhile power saving but when you re only turning at 300 rpm as you do on a bicycle a small percentage increase in efficiency will make a negligible change to your power output. Built specifically for road or off road use.

Steel rings and ceramic balls are the gold standard for bicycle wheel bearings. Because ceramic bearings are rounder with a smoother surface and more uniform size friction is reduced and that can contribute to a less energy required to turn the cranks or spin the wheels. You choose your adventure we build the bearings to match. So for safety reasons ceramic wheel bearings on bicycles are in fact almost always hybrid design meaning ceramic balls on steel races.

The folks at enduro bearings argue that for bicycles the materials are far more important than abec ratings and that for most applications abec 3 and 5 are appropriate for all things bicycle. Cracking a race could stop a wheel from turning instantly and no good comes of wheels permanently locking up on a bicycle.