So before looking for steel or ceramic skateboard bearings it s first important to know the pros and cons of the two.
Ceramic bearings vs steel bearings longboard.
Ceramic bearings vs steel.
Steel bearings are.
Electrically non conductive if you have an electric motor that is controlled by a variable frequency drive it is important that you use an electrically non conductive bearing.
Lighter and smoother to spin hence offer more speed compared to steel bearings.
Initially the enduro bearing has lower friction at around 600km of use the ceramic bearing has worn a track into the comparatively soft steel races and the bearing friction starts to increase dramatically.
One of the major advantage of steel bearings especially when you compare it to those constructed out of steel is the fact that they can resist corrosion and rust.
Ceramic bearings vs steel bearings ceramic materials offer superior corrosion and heat resistance higher dimensional stability and lower density which facilitates high speed.
However take note that there are certain applications that require you to use bearings constructed out of ceramic material.
The battle between steel and ceramic bearings can get heated every now and again and it is still on going.
No easily affected by dirt and moisture hence less maintenance.
Truly knowing the best longboard bearings requires study and research and not simply relying on marketing hype.
It takes weeks for a kogel ball to sit in a tumbler and be.
The different elements balls retainers and closures can change a bit.
Heat and rust resistant hence longer lifespan.
Harder and more durable over a long period of time.
The graph below shows a comparison between two steel bearings skf and ntn and a ceramic bearing enduro.
Optimization is possible for the disparity that exists between these parts.
Cost of purchase for ceramic and steel bearings.
There is still a heated discussion even until now between ceramic and steel bearings.
This is mostly due to the additional time spent to perfect a quality ceramic ball.
Things don t slide or roll.
Ceramics are known for heat reduction making them able to spin fast at higher speeds but generally the ceramic ball bearings are encased in a steel outer inner race.
Ceramic balls are less prone to expansion than steel balls which means bearings with ceramic balls will be more precise than steel bearings and produce less vibration.