Ceramic Bearings Vs Steel Bearings Bicycle Wheels

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.

Ceramic bearings vs steel bearings bicycle wheels.

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. Steel rings and ceramic balls are the gold standard for bicycle wheel bearings. Cost of purchase for ceramic and steel 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. The first thing that strikes the eye when looking at bicycle bearings is the difference in price between steel bearings and hybrid ceramic bearings. 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. Because ceramic races are more brittle than steel.

How to get the best performance from ceramic bearings ceramic speed. This is mostly due to the additional time spent to perfect a quality ceramic ball. The ceramic balls are often silicon nitride or equivalent. So for safety reasons ceramic wheel bearings on bicycles are in fact almost always hybrid design meaning ceramic balls on steel races.

How to get the best performance from ceramic bearings ceramic speed. The advantages of steel are not the only argument against ceramic bearings. You choose your adventure we build the bearings to match. Built specifically for road or off road use.

More durable than high quality steel bearings. Cracking a race could stop a wheel from turning instantly and no good comes of wheels permanently locking up on a bicycle.