Ceramic Bearings Vs Steel Bearings Cycling

Most sealed ceramic bearings are actually hybrid ceramic bearings which combine a steel race with ceramic ball bearings.

Ceramic bearings vs steel bearings cycling.

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 required. On a bicycle which is considered a low speed application compared to a formula 1 car or motorcycle engine for example the ball bearing material itself steel or ceramic has little to no effect on the friction of the bearing assembly. Ceramic deals with heat better so. Cutting to the chase on ceramic bearings on a bicycle.

Ceramic bearings in my opinion are just not worth it. This article to try to assist with this fun little area. Steel bearings are commodity items that are composed of hardened steel balls and a steel inner and outer race. On the one hand much of the cycling public associates bearing upgrades with going ceramic and on the other hand there is a healthy chunk of cyclists from all demographics who believe ceramic bearings are just marketing hype and a waste of money.

This is mostly due to the additional time spent to perfect a quality ceramic ball. Most cycling bearings feature a steel race though some do use a ceramic race which we will briefly touch on later. Cost of purchase for ceramic and steel bearings. Sorry for strangling the hype.

From the numerous articles i have read it appears at face value that the ceramic bearings and races can handle the torque and pressure better than the standard sealed steel bearing bbs. In our higher end cult bearings ceramic balls and races lighter lubrication is needed so they roll much quicker with less drag than standard steel bearings. This discourse holds true not only for the bearings of skateboards and longboards but also for motorcycle and bicycle bearings. The ceramic balls are often silicon nitride or equivalent.

Geometrically the contact points inner and outer dimensions and thickness between steel and ceramic bearings is the same so they are interchangeable. A top class set of steel bearings as compared to a much promoted ceramic bearing is just as high performing. Next there is the lubricant. Lubricants vary greatly in viscosity thickness finding varying points in a trade off between bearing protection and lower friction.

The first thing that strikes the eye when looking at bicycle bearings is the difference in price between steel bearings and hybrid ceramic bearings.