# Ceramic Bearings or Not



## tenacean (Jul 7, 2007)

Ok...I'd like the thoughts out there...

I'm in the market for a new wheelset. I've done my research on factory vs hand built but I'm getting different opinions concerning ceramic bearings. My bias is that it makes intuitive sense that ceramic bearings make a difference....I feel c-bearings would be more precise and demonstrate less friction...especially when heat comes into play vs steel bearings...but...I have no data...so...

I ask:

a) DO they make a difference in wheel performance compared to steel? and...
b) Are they more durable than steel bearings?

Thoughts out there?


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

I have a bridge for sale...


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## ssauter (Aug 1, 2007)

Ceramic bearings are a prime example of how well marketing works. Ceramic hybrid bearings tend to be less durable for several reasons. One, the ceramic balls are many times harder than the races they run on and there for increase the wear on the steel races because of the reduced contact patch the the ceramic ball has. This is why you are starting to see ceramic hybrid bearings with harder steels to try and combat this.Two, certain ceramics do not perform well when it comes to impacts. I have heard of plenty of cases were people have destroyed their ceramic balls for no apparent reason after a relatively short time. In terms of reduced rolling resistance, most calculations show a difference of a fraction of a watt. Most of the difference you feel when you spin a ceramic bearing by hand is the non-contact seals and low viscosity grease they use to enhance the feeling that these bearings really do have a performance advantage. If you like bling, go with ceramic. If you want to save money and inprove durability of your bearings, go with a good quality stainless bearing. (Phil wood bearings are a good example.)


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

The only real difference between ceramic and steel bearings is placebo. There is no real difference between the two except for that ceramics have a much shorter wear lift. You would be much better off saving that extra money and putting it elsewhere in the build.


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## rruff (Feb 28, 2006)

tenacean said:


> I feel c-bearings would be more precise and demonstrate less friction...especially when heat comes into play vs steel bearings...but...I have no data...so..


That is why they were designed for very high RPM applications. Bicycles don't run at high RPM.

All else being equal, ceramic hybrids might save you 0.1W. Not worth it for most people. Just make sure your bearings are decent and properly adjusted and lubricated and you will be good.


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## Indyfan (Mar 30, 2004)

Another thing to consider if you go ahead and install ceramic bearings is the service interval - they typically require grease replacement (or replacement in many applications) much sooner. Especially in wetter climates. I'm in central MO and we have a rider or two that decided to try them. We've replaced hub bearings and serviced BB bearings a lot sooner than the same customers needed it previously with the same wheel/original steel cartridges and cranks. Also, don't go with any but the best. The first set we installed in one customer's wheels were bargain basement and they lasted accordingly.

Let me sign off by saying that I don't know any mechanic that uses them...

Bob


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## MCF (Oct 12, 2006)

How many hubs used by custom builders do NOT have ceramic bearings? I am not saying I want ceramic bearings or think that bikes are a good application for ceramic bearings, but it seems like the majority of 'non-mass produced' hubs promote ceramic bearings as an advantage.


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## tenacean (Jul 7, 2007)

Great replies so far! Thank you...

I don't mean to hijack my own thread but this thread is a result of frustration in spending quite a bit of money on a custom or factory wheelset and yet you can't get quality data to make an informed choice.

I rode a factory Easton wheelset for 4 years that have been absolutely amazing and truly bulletproof. Now that I'm building out another bike for different purposes I'm looking at factory wheels AND custom wheels...and I find it daunting.

I find it interesting that while the custom folks complain about factory wheels and their components and that "ceramics" is a function of "marketing"....they do the exact same type of "marketing" on these forums...you simply support what you understand and sell.

If you have all the R&D of the mass companies...well...of course you'll tout what you've discovered and know and subsequently sell...I can't imagine that Campy or Shimano or even Easton will put out a product that will consistently fail and/or perform poorly...that's just poor business they can't afford...and they certainly are putting out ceramic products...CULT, USB, and so forth.

The same goes for custom builders...they're no better than factory folks in the end with less or no marketing budget...ya promote what you sell...if they don't have the information from R&D then they're naturally trying to keep up..hence, they'll still sell stock that's probably behind the tech curve until they have more consistent access to the most current tech...it's human business/nature.

This reminds me of the brawl over frames...carbon fiber vs. steel vs aluminum...in the past when it came to factories vs custom builders...all have merit but I can remember the custom folks putting down carbon fiber and still do...and for good business reasons that isn't any different than a factory...'it's because you promote what you know and/or have access to and sell.

Look, high tech ceramics are in computers for a reason...precision + much less friction = much less heat = blazing speed. So, I have a hard time understanding how ceramics (no, it's not about flower vases)...wouldn't do the same thing in a bicycle.

My issue is this as a high $$ spending consumer...nobody seems to have empirical evidence to prove the case one way or the other...yet...if you see reviews of reluctant riders...they are coming around to ceramic bearings more and more...but again...that's not empirical and it could be a placebo thing.

Just sayin' that I'm a spending consumer that is frustrated by both camps...the custom folks and the mass folks.

Keep on postin'...the more info. we get from people who have these products the better until we can get real quantitative data.


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## MCF (Oct 12, 2006)

Ceramic bearings on bicycles is a waste. They are NOT high RPM or high temperature. If you have one or the other or both, then yes, ceramics may make sense. They are not necessary and have less durability when compared to less expensive and more durable steel bearings. If you want ceramic so you can tell people you have ceramic, then get them, but don't expect them to help you ride any harder, faster, or further. Saying that, if there was a hub that you must have and it happens to have ceramic, I would not necessarily not get it because it has ceramic bearings.


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## dave2pvd (Oct 15, 2007)

To compare bearings, compare their ABEC Ratings. High-quality bearing races have high ABEC ratings. Quality balls are also graded (did I just write that? ). For example, Zipp's current standard for their 88/108 hubs is ABEC 5 races, with Grade 10 balls. That's extremely high for a hub.

IMO, ceramic bearings are a total waste of money. Comparing a high-quality ceramic bearing to a high-quality steel one (each with the same ratings) will show zero difference in friction. As others have said, grease and particularly seals are what make the friction numbers different. One of the reasons ceramic bearings need to be repacked with grease frequently is because their seals tend more towards the 'dust cover' variety.

This is not like the aluminum vs carbon frame argument. Both of those materials are appropriately used in frame building by many different manufacturers. Ceramic races and/or balls in a bicycle hub = inappropriate application.


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## Mark Kelly (Oct 27, 2009)

tenacean said:


> r...nobody seems to have empirical evidence to prove the case one way or the other...yet...


I have.

I ran a test measuring the power consumption of the various styles of bearing used in jockey wheels in loaded and unloaded conditions.

There is no measureable advantage to ceramic bearings in this application. I tested jockey wheels becaue IMO it's the bearing location which was most likely to make a difference (highest rotation speed).

The result probably also applies to wheel bearings: although they run slower and with higher overall load, the load bearing capacity of the larger bearings is higher.


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## dave2pvd (Oct 15, 2007)

Mark Kelly said:


> I have.
> 
> I ran a test measuring the power consumption of the various styles of bearing used in jockey wheels in loaded and unloaded conditions.
> 
> ...


Mark,

How did you measure the power consumption of the individual bearings? I am very interested to know how such a small variation can be accurately determined.

Thanks!


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## luca.grigo (Apr 29, 2010)

Zen Cyclery said:


> *The only real difference between ceramic and steel bearings is placebo.* There is no real difference between the two except for that ceramics have a much shorter wear lift. You would be much better off saving that extra money and putting it elsewhere in the build.


:thumbsup:


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## ergott (Feb 26, 2006)

tenacean said:


> I find it interesting that while the custom folks complain about factory wheels and their components and that "ceramics" is a function of "marketing"....they do the exact same type of "marketing" on these forums...you simply support what you understand and sell.


Sorry, but I'm calling bullshit.

Who says that wheelbuilders don't have access to ceramics? I routinely recommend that people skip DT 190 hubs in favor of their 240s. I've put ceramic bearings in hubs before. I have access to the best bearing on the market. I still think that they are not a smart monetary investment. As mentioned above the tolerances of the balls and races (bearing bores on cartridge bearing hubs) are far more important.

If you don't think I "understand" what I'm talking about with regards to bearings or the many wheel options out there (the ones I can make or the ones I can buy with a SKU) that's your problem. I know my **** and I'm telling you that ceramic bearings are a waste of money.

-Eric


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

Mark Kelly said:


> I have.
> 
> I ran a test measuring the power consumption of the various styles of bearing used in jockey wheels in loaded and unloaded conditions.
> 
> ...


:nonod: For real? How in the world can you even really measure this? Let alone come to any accurate conclusion that of all things jockey wheels/bearings are a high-load component compared to anything else on the bike? IMO if anything is a high-load bearing area it's the bb first and foremost. OMG....


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Not !


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## jmlapoint (Sep 4, 2008)

Costly and hi-maintenance for no improvement in performance.


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## a_avery007 (Jul 1, 2008)

aLl hYpE


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## ssauter (Aug 1, 2007)

tenacean said:


> Great replies so far! Thank you...
> Look, high tech ceramics are in computers for a reason...precision + much less friction = much less heat = blazing speed. So, I have a hard time understanding how ceramics (no, it's not about flower vases)...wouldn't do the same thing in a bicycle.
> 
> 
> ...


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## rruff (Feb 28, 2006)

tenacean said:


> If you have all the R&D of the mass companies...well...of course you'll tout what you've discovered and know and subsequently sell...I can't imagine that Campy or Shimano or even Easton will put out a product that will consistently fail and/or perform poorly...that's just poor business they can't afford...and they certainly are putting out ceramic products...CULT, USB, and so forth.


I think you underestimate the motive of large companies to tout all sorts of stuff. Not because it is really better... just new and different. Often it is different and inferior. This is marketing 101. 

If you can convince the public that ceramics are desirable, then you have something new to sell. Unless they are significantly worse, no one will notice. 

There ~1W of power loss in set of good steel wheel bearings... and most of this is seal and grease friction. There just isn't much to gain with better balls.


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## rruff (Feb 28, 2006)

ergott said:


> Who says that wheelbuilders don't have access to ceramics?


Thanks... I forgot to mention that. I could be up-selling people to ceramics all the time, but when they ask I tell them to save their money.


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## Mark Kelly (Oct 27, 2009)

dave2pvd said:


> Mark,
> 
> How did you measure the power consumption of the individual bearings? I am very interested to know how such a small variation can be accurately determined.
> 
> Thanks!


By running the bearings on a small DC motor (a high precision unit from Maxon in Switzerland) and measuring the electrical characteristics of the motor. I did this for the various bearings in loaded and unloaded conditions. I posted the raw figures on BikeTechReview a few months ago.

I design specialist motor drives for turntables so I am quite familiar with the techniques required, with one of my drives I can get better than 0.1% speed accuracy. For this experiment the error bars (mostly due to commutation noise) are about 5%.

In the interest of scientific accuracy, I guess I should modify "no measureable difference" to "less than 5% difference". For the price involved, I'd want more than 5%.


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## dave2pvd (Oct 15, 2007)

Mark Kelly said:


> By running the bearings on a small DC motor (a high precision unit from Maxon in Switzerland) and measuring the electrical characteristics of the motor. I did this for the various bearings in loaded and unloaded conditions. I posted the raw figures on BikeTechReview a few months ago.
> 
> I design specialist motor drives for turntables so I am quite familiar with the techniques required, with one of my drives I can get better than 0.1% speed accuracy. For this experiment the error bars (mostly due to commutation noise) are about 5%.
> 
> In the interest of scientific accuracy, I guess I should modify "no measureable difference" to "less than 5% difference". For the price involved, I'd want more than 5%.


Gotcha. Were you measuring motor current to deduce torque?

So the results showed a variation that was less than the estimated error?

Were all the samples new? I.e. new grease?

Thanks for the response.


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## Mark Kelly (Oct 27, 2009)

dave2pvd said:


> Gotcha. Were you measuring motor current to deduce torque?
> 
> So the results showed a variation that was less than the estimated error?
> 
> ...


Yes, yes and yes.

Edit to the above: both the steel ball bearing jockey wheels (Tacx) and the ceramic bal bearing jockey wheel (Token) were brand new, but I ran them on the measurement rig for long enough to check whether running them in made a difference and it didn't. The plain bearing jockey wheels (Campagnolo) were well used but newly serviced and greased with high quality synthetic grease.


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## Cableguy (Jun 6, 2010)

Yep ceramic bearings are pretty much all hype... however, Zipp's ceramic bearing is the exception with it's patented aero design boasting new dimple technology that actually *pushes* the wheel as it turns. Hype tunnel tests have shown these specially engineered bearings to shave off 40 seconds during a typical 40km time trial!* 

*Tests were done with abnormally high cadence values of 52,000. Results will vary. Hopefully you're not reading this.


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## dave2pvd (Oct 15, 2007)

tenacean said:


> a) DO they make a difference in wheel performance compared to steel? and...
> b) Are they more durable than steel bearings?


Here my answer:

a) No. As far as performance in terms of energy loss goes, 4 variables make a difference: seal design, bearing rating/grade, amount/age/type of grease and appropriateness of the bearing set in question. Weight is not a factor for a part like this.

b) Maybe. They can be more corrosion resistant - assuming ceramic balls and races. So perhaps quality ceramic bearing will last longer. However, ceramics may have remarkable hardness, but this may come at a price: it can be brittle. How well will ceramic components stand up to shock load?


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

Cableguy said:


> Yep ceramic bearings are pretty much all hype... however, Zipp's ceramic bearing is the exception with it's patented aero design boasting new dimple technology that actually *pushes* the wheel as it turns. Hype tunnel tests have shown these specially engineered bearings to shave off 40 seconds during a typical 40km time trial!*
> 
> *Tests were done with abnormally high cadence values of 52,000. Results will vary. Hopefully you're not reading this.


So I should be able to pick up a bit by taking some golf balls and peeling them then using a hot glue gun to attach them to my D-A wheelset?


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

The whole jockey wheel thing cracks me up. Rarely do they spin faster than 725 rpm (725rpm x 11 teeth ~= 150 rpm x 53 teeth of crank) and there is very little load on them. The load on them is determined by the tensioning spring in the rear derailleur, not how much force is being applied to the pedals. What are the jockey wheels themselves made of? Plastic. If there was any appreciable load on them they would have to be a durable material.

I was a fool and bought an Enduro Zero bottom bracket. I think at the end of this year I will be replacing it with a standard Dura-Ace BB. My first Enduro Zero failed with about 3 months. The warranty replacement has lasted a year and a half (5k-6k miles) but is feeling gritty when spinning the crank unloaded. I am not impressed.

I think I am happy that I got a close out set of 2008 Easton EA90's before they "upgraded" to ceramic for 2009.


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

ergott said:


> Sorry, but I'm calling bullshit.
> *As mentioned above the tolerances of the balls and races (bearing bores on cartridge bearing hubs) are far more important*.
> 
> If you don't think I "understand" what I'm talking about with regards to bearings or the many wheel options out there (the ones I can make or the ones I can buy with a SKU) that's your problem. I know my **** and I'm telling you that ceramic bearings are a waste of money.
> ...


I had this conversation a couple weeks ago with a friend of mine, a mechanical engineer. Before he got his degree he was a gear head all his life, school was a breeze for him and all it basically taught him was the science behind what he already learned himself rebuilding cars, bikes, lawnmowers, or whatever else he could get his hands on. 

We were on the topic of hubs, bearings, and ceramics. He said basically an exact quote of what "*ergott*" just mentioned above (in bold). He said ceramics are great, if you can spin a cadence faster than Superman, otherwise the net benefit is just not there. I think Zen is right, it's placebo for most of the cycling industry, it's a perceived benefit far more than it is a measurable benefit.

If the OP wants to blow his money that's his business, but I think could spend on something besides ceramics to improve his ride.


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

been200mph said:


> So I should be able to pick up a bit by taking some golf balls and peeling them then using a hot glue gun to attach them to my D-A wheelset?


Exactly! This should shave approx. 45.5939338 seconds off a 50k TT!


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

Here's an interesting take on ceramic. This guy is not using ceramic, instead he's apparently using good grade steel bearings along with a high quality grease. He's moved this technology into his hub designs. Any merit to this? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UTvr1WcOT4


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

Interesting that Team Sky, specifically Wiggo, are using full ceramic bearings for BB and jockeys (http://ultimateceramicbearings.co.uk/), but not for wheels. For wheels, they're using Dura-Ace hubs with standard loose bearing. And removing the bearing seals entirely for short TT stages. Given British performance cycling's minimal gains philosophy under Brailsford, you'd think there must be something in it for them to be using it.


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## rruff (Feb 28, 2006)

Weav said:


> Here's an interesting take on ceramic. This guy is not using ceramic, instead he's apparently using good grade steel bearings along with a high quality grease. He's moved this technology into his hub designs. Any merit to this?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UTvr1WcOT4


Ease of spinning with no load is a result of
-light seals
-light grease
-excellent alignment

For most of us only the last one is a good thing... the others will result in reduced life.


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## louise (May 24, 2010)

I think almost all of the posters here just don't get it.

Clearly the OP needs ceramic bearings as they will help him reach new levels of performance.

And you have to agree with the OP that companies like Shimano and SRAM and Campagnolo would not invest in these products, let alone sell them, if there was not a HUGE and noticeable difference.

I agree with the OP, you should definitely buy ceramic bearings. The difference is huge, you will notice it with every pedal stroke.

Report back on how fabulous they are, please.


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## dave2pvd (Oct 15, 2007)

louise said:


> I think almost all of the posters here just don't get it.
> 
> Clearly the OP needs ceramic bearings as they will help him reach new levels of performance.
> 
> ...


Wow. Just wow. Not a single sentence without [SARCASM]....[/SARCASM]. Good stuff.


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## temoore (Mar 9, 2004)

*CULT Bearings*

How about anyone's take on the newer Campy CULT bearings:
http://www.campagnolo.com/jsp/en/newsdetail/newsid_61_newscatid_3.jsp
The hype on these is that the bearing races are made of a special steel that allows the bearings to only require light oil for lubrication. They offer these in for hubs and bb.


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## rruff (Feb 28, 2006)

louise said:


> I agree with the OP, you should definitely buy ceramic bearings. The difference is huge, you will notice it with every pedal stroke.


I remember that when ceramics first become popular, Bicycling had some installed and reported that they could ride 1 gear higher in all conditions... wow! That is a serious speed boost!

Or maybe not if you just pedal slower in that higher gear. 

Regarding the Cult bearings, if they work as advertised there is a small fraction of a watt to be gained there. Also, does this describe you?

"This solution incredibly increases the smoothness of ceramic ball bearings and will delight those *for whom racing is a way of life*."


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## temoore (Mar 9, 2004)

rruff said:


> Regarding the Cult bearings, if they work as advertised there is a small fraction of a watt to be gained there. Also, does this describe you?
> 
> "This solution incredibly increases the smoothness of ceramic ball bearings and will delight those *for whom racing is a way of life*."


Only in the sense that I am often "racing around with my head cutoff". 
My rationalization was that when I built my knew bike this last month, I was doing so with campy 11. Originally thought I would use record. The difference between record and chorus was almost $550 and 4.5 oz. I bought the chorus group (Ribble) and am selling the new crankset. Bought the super record crank with CULT, found a good price on the CULT bearing kit for my campy Eurus wheels. Ended up spending about the same as with the record, back to a few oz difference in weight due to the super record crank/bb cups. As my frame is titanium with lifetime guarantee, and I am 62 YO, I am calling this my last bike build, hoping it will serve me well to the end of my cycling life.
While it may not give me any more efficiency, it is fun to watch the front wheel spin, stop, reverse direction, and so forth for a few cycles fooling me into thinking there is less friction. Since I did the build and all related work myself, I did not have any labor charges. Rationalization is a great thing!


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

Zen Cyclery said:


> Exactly! This should shave approx. 45.5939336 seconds off a 50k TT!


Fixed it for you :wink: :wink:


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Lubrication*



temoore said:


> How about anyone's take on the newer Campy CULT bearings: The hype on these is that the bearing races are made of a special steel that allows the bearings to only require light oil for lubrication. They offer these in for hubs and bb.


You need to consider all of the functions of grease in a bearing system. Yes, it provides lubrication, but it also provides a means for "holding" grit particles that contaminate the system. They get pushed into the grease from the bearing track and so are largely removed from the bearing/race. Oil cannot do this task nearly as well. Campy's top hubs have long had an "oil hole" so that oil could be added directly for events like track racing and road time trials in dry weather. This results in the lowest rolling resistance possible. However, if there is any chance of contamination entering the bearing system, grease is used for the above reason.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

jmlapoint said:


> Costly and hi-maintenance for no improvement in performance.


are you talking about my ex-wife ?


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## temoore (Mar 9, 2004)

Kerry Irons said:


> You need to consider all of the functions of grease in a bearing system. Yes, it provides lubrication, but it also provides a means for "holding" grit particles that contaminate the system. They get pushed into the grease from the bearing track and so are largely removed from the bearing/race. Oil cannot do this task nearly as well. Campy's top hubs have long had an "oil hole" so that oil could be added directly for events like track racing and road time trials in dry weather. This results in the lowest rolling resistance possible. However, if there is any chance of contamination entering the bearing system, grease is used for the above reason.


So, should I ignore the campy recommendation of using just light oil?


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## Amfoto1 (Feb 16, 2010)

I agree with the flood of responses that ceramic bearings are mostly hype and a marketing ploy to separate you from more of your money for very little real world return. 

If prices were equal or nearly equal, I do like the feel of ceramic bearings in wheels and bottom brackets. Done right, they'll spin forever.

However a high quality steel bearing can do nearly as well. And currently that's at a much, much lower price. 

Ceramic bearings in a headset or rear derailleur jockey wheels are pretty much a waste of money. There's likely no benefit what-so-ever.


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

Too many get sucked in by hype and marketing of cycling magazines and e-zines.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Do what you like*



temoore said:


> So, should I ignore the campy recommendation of using just light oil?


You can do whatever you want. I just explained why grease has advantages over oil. You didn't say that light oil was recommended, you said that the hype was that "bearings only require light oil for lubrication." That is a separate topic than the function of grease.


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## temoore (Mar 9, 2004)

Kerry Irons said:


> You can do whatever you want. I just explained why grease has advantages over oil. You didn't say that light oil was recommended, you said that the hype was that "bearings only require light oil for lubrication." That is a separate topic than the function of grease.


This is from the Campy site:
"These bearing must be lubricated with oil alone." 
Time will tell.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Translation*



temoore said:


> This is from the Campy site:
> "These bearing must be lubricated with oil alone."
> Time will tell.


I'm guessing this is a translation issue. There is no rational reason why a bearing in low load, low speed service would have to use oil instead of grease.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

NoPain said:


> My answer is definitely: it depends!


Great. Looks like this is finally settled.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

tenacean said:


> I can't imagine that Campy or Shimano or even Easton will put out a product that will consistently fail and/or perform poorly...that's just poor business they can't afford


Zipp consistently puts out crab hubs that fail. Previous generation EA90 wheels were famous for having their nipples fail. People put out crap products all the time. Mavic had an electronic group that probably cost a lot to develop that failed miserably.

But this is not about failed products, it's about what people will buy, even if it's useless. People will buy ceramic bearings, but that doesn't mean there is any real significant gain in performance. If you replace your whole bike with ceramics (jockey wheels, BB, wheel hubs) you may get an extra 3W out of it. Is it worth it to you? You can decide.



> Look, high tech ceramics are in computers for a reason...precision + much less friction = much less heat = blazing speed. So, I have a hard time understanding how ceramics (no, it's not about flower vases)...wouldn't do the same thing in a bicycle.


Computers have ball bearings? What model of computer do you have?!

On a serious note, you can't compare ceramics used in computers to a bicycle application. For starts computers use ceramics for their semiconductor properties not as a bearing. Not to mention high end processors put out a ton of heat. By your logic you can say well why aren't CPUs using carbon fiber? Because it has no use in that application, carbon fiber is not a good semiconductor.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

deleted


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Great. Looks like this is finally settled.


I just realized this is like a dead thread from 2010 and now regret commenting on it.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Ceramic bearings are so 2010.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

tenacean said:


> Ok...I'd like the thoughts out there...
> 
> I'm in the market for a new wheelset. I've done my research on factory vs hand built but I'm getting different opinions concerning ceramic bearings. My bias is that it makes intuitive sense that ceramic bearings make a difference....I feel c-bearings would be more precise and demonstrate less friction...especially when heat comes into play vs steel bearings...but...I have no data...so...
> 
> ...


Ceramic bearings shine in applications where a great deal of heat is produced. Bikes are not an application that merits the additional cost. Well made steel bearings work wonderfully here, there's no need to look elsewhere.


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