# Lube for ceramic bearings?



## gibbons (Nov 9, 2002)

I didn't install the C-clip on my Campagnolo Super Dooper Record 11 crankset. The tiny open holes to accept the clip let dirt in the cup, right into the ceramic bearings. I am going to have to flush them out with solvent to clean them. What do I used to re-lube them? The original lube looked more like an oil than grease... anything magic needed?

By the way, I found a source for $25 ceramics, Abec-3 rated. They also had the $100 model, which has ceramic races too. Cool, they look like plastic. But I wonder how that inner race would react to getting tapped onto the crank shaft's interference fit?


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/co...grease-you-using-ceramic-bearings-239762.html


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## gibbons (Nov 9, 2002)

Thanks for reading my post and sending the link, but I can't tell if it had an embedded answer or you were letting me know it's a flamable question! 

There's something different about lubes for ceramics. As I said, the Campy ceramics came with something more like an oil. But their steel bearings have a cloudy-clear looking grease. If I give my ceramic crank a flick spin, it will twirl effortlessly like a wheel. If I did the same thing with my other cranks, they go a couple of revs and stop. Is the drag on the other designs actually insignificant? I dunno, but I have to believe it all adds up. My Schwinn stingray weighed 38 pounds, had old steel bearings, and fat heavy tires. It sure was harder to pedal a decent speed. 

Oh, yeah, I have some purple Mobile 1 synthetic grease I used to used on bikes. Until I learned. I used it to grease the cables on my sons bike. When the temperature was cold, his shifting got stiff and sloppy. We removed the cables, cleaned them, and put them back with Slick Honey, and problem solved! If viscosity makes a noticeable difference there, I'm guessing it could elsewhere. I use synthetics in my cars' gearboxes. Yep, they shift a lot better when cold. 

My dealer says that FSA has a special ceramic lube, but he's out. Someone thinks there's a difference...


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## jwp3476 (Jun 22, 2010)

Boca Bearings has a ceramic lube.


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Ha -- that link suggests both an embedded answer AND a flammable question. A cursory search of Google indicates that this is a subject that comes up a lot on various bike forums.

A lot of companies make a "special ceramic grease"...so that they can separate you from additional monies. The general consensus is that here is nothing magical about ceramic bearings that requires a special grease or fairy-dust additives, but listen: it's YOUR bike and YOUR bearings. If it makes you feel better to use ceramic grease, by all means do so.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Special grease*



gibbons said:


> There's something different about lubes for ceramics. As I said, the Campy ceramics came with something more like an oil. But their steel bearings have a cloudy-clear looking grease. If I give my ceramic crank a flick spin, it will twirl effortlessly like a wheel. If I did the same thing with my other cranks, they go a couple of revs and stop. Is the drag on the other designs actually insignificant?


They put the oil in there because people are all hopped up about lower friction with ceramic bearings and so they can't put grease in the bearings - people will do the spin test like you did and reach the same false conclusions. Yes, oil is a tiny bit faster than grease, just as new grease is a tiny bit slower than old grease. This will only be meaningful at the highest levels of competition when seconds per hour make the difference between winning and losing a time trial. But grease is a much better lube for bearings under bicycling conditions. You just don't want to go with something really stiff.


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## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

gibbons said:


> I didn't install the C-clip on my Campagnolo Super Dooper Record 11 crankset. The tiny open holes to accept the clip let dirt in the cup, right into the ceramic bearings. I am going to have to flush them out with solvent to clean them. What do I used to re-lube them? The original lube looked more like an oil than grease... anything magic needed?
> 
> By the way, I found a source for $25 ceramics, Abec-3 rated. They also had the $100 model, which has ceramic races too. Cool, they look like plastic. But I wonder how that inner race would react to getting tapped onto the crank shaft's interference fit?


That clip is there for a reason, why wouldn't you use it?


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## gibbons (Nov 9, 2002)

I haven't used it because it's just a hassle to install and remove. All it does is retain the drive-side of the crank during installation. I'm pretty careful and don't expect to pop the crank off onto the ground. I think a dab of silicon would solve the hole issue.


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## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

gibbons said:


> I haven't used it because it's just a hassle to install and remove. All it does is retain the drive-side of the crank during installation. I'm pretty careful and don't expect to pop the crank off onto the ground. I think a dab of silicon would solve the hole issue.


It prevents uneven loading of the bearing on the drive side, it is not there simply for retention, C40 has discussed this, if you do a search you will see his comments regarding this.


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## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

Is lube necessary for ceramic bearings? We are so accustomed to lubing things, lubrication, everything we do, we lube. Lube helps prevent rust, roll easier, dissipate heat, and makes steel bearings last longer. None of these may apply to ceramic bearings. We may need to rethink lubing ceramic bearings, they may not need any lube, not even a thin film of oil. Lube attracts dirt. If the ceramic bearings roll so easy, they last a long time, they have a very high heat tolerance, they roll so easy, they don't get as hot as steel, then why lube them and slow them down?


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## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

right on.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Lube necessity?*



lawrence said:


> Is lube necessary for ceramic bearings?


You might want to ask that question of the makers of gas turbines, jet engines, and similar applications where ceramic bearings are appropriately in use. They all lube the bearings. Maybe you know better?

BTW, in bicycling applications there have been LOTS of reports of very short life for ceramic bearings. Just saying.


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## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

I don't know better, I was posting the question, do we need to lube ceramic bearings?



Kerry Irons said:


> You might want to ask that question of the makers of gas turbines, jet engines, and similar applications where ceramic bearings are appropriately in use. They all lube the bearings. Maybe you know better?
> 
> BTW, in bicycling applications there have been LOTS of reports of very short life for ceramic bearings. Just saying.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

lawrence said:


> I don't know better, I was posting the question, do we need to lube ceramic bearings?


And Kerry was posting his answer in his own inimitable fashion - giving not only the answer, but the reasoning and the opportunity to think it through on your own. 

To translate:

Yes.


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## Kontact (Apr 1, 2011)

Assemble your bottom bracket correctly. You actually don't know better than Campy about how it works. The clip is there for more than assembly.

If you're going to spend the ridiculous sum for ceramic bearings, get the lube specified or recommended by the manufacturer of the BB. Failing that, a quality ceramic bicycle grease by a trusted brand, like Finish Line, Pedro's, etc. Not high temperature jet bearing lube, not the cheapest lube you can stuff in there, not general bicycle grease. The appropriate product for the application.


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Kerry Irons said:


> BTW, in bicycling applications there have been LOTS of reports of very short life for ceramic bearings. Just saying.


Kerry, is there any indication as to why ceramic bearings have short lives in bicycling applications? Are they not spinning fast enough to be happy?


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## Frankie13 (Feb 11, 2007)

I use Bones speed cream racing formula lubricant for my Campagnolo Cult ceramic crank bearings. 
Don't use grease!

www.bonesbearings.com


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## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

I don't have ceramic bearings nor have I worked out of my home garage on anybody's bike that has ceramic bearings. I use exclusively synthetic grease. I have TriFlow Synthetic Grease and Pedro's SynLube. Both are like creams. The Pedro's SynLube looks like a hand cream, it's got a little stickiness to it but nothing like grease and it's very thin. My guess 0 or 1. I love it. I wonder how the Bones compares? Is there a thickness # on the Bones?



Frankie13 said:


> I use Bones speed cream racing formula lubricant for my Campagnolo Cult ceramic crank bearings.
> Don't use grease!
> 
> Bones Skateboard Bearings


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Ceramic bearing life*



SilverStar said:


> Kerry, is there any indication as to why ceramic bearings have short lives in bicycling applications? Are they not spinning fast enough to be happy?


I'm only guessing, but I would assume that ceramics require tighter tolerances than steel bearings because they are brittle. It may be that bicycles are not built to that required tolerance. Also, a lot of "ceramic" bearings have only ceramic balls while the races (cups and cones) are steel. Being so much harder than the races, the bearings could easily damage the races if tolerances are not good enough or if contamination gets into the bearings. A small piece of grit could be a big issue (this is another reason to use a lube - to keep the grit away from the bearing track).


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## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

I'm not Kerry but when I inquired about ceramic wheel bearings to a builder, I was told, the races have to be harder in a ceramic wheel than with steel bearings otherwise the races will wear fast. Maybe what you are referring to are the steel races being worn rather than the ceramic bearings? I have no experience with ceramic bearings and am making an inquiry.



Kerry Irons said:


> I'm only guessing, but I would assume that ceramics require tighter tolerances than steel bearings because they are brittle. It may be that bicycles are not built to that required tolerance. Also, a lot of "ceramic" bearings have only ceramic balls while the races (cups and cones) are steel. Being so much harder than the races, the bearings could easily damage the races if tolerances are not good enough or if contamination gets into the bearings. A small piece of grit could be a big issue (this is another reason to use a lube - to keep the grit away from the bearing track).


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## RickyRitalin (Dec 16, 2005)

*Campagnolo Grease for Campagnolo Bearings (both steel and ceramic)*



lawrence said:


> I'm not Kerry but when I inquired about ceramic wheel bearings to a builder, I was told, the races have to be harder in a ceramic wheel than with steel bearings otherwise the races will wear fast. Maybe what you are referring to are the steel races being worn rather than the ceramic bearings? I have no experience with ceramic bearings and am making an inquiry.


I'm not Kerry, either. However, I think it would be wise to use Campagnolo's OEM white lithium based grease (product number LB-100, about $35 for a 100g tube) for your Campy crankset with ceramic bearings. Campy states the lube is made for ceramic bearings. I agree with the previous comments that the retention clip serves a purpose for the functioning crank. Unfortunately, your bearings may not survive the grit introduced into them. Have no fear, the bearings can be replaced. Albeit, at a price.


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## goodboyr (Apr 19, 2006)

You know you are talking to somebody through a 5 year old internet time machine....don't you?


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## RickyRitalin (Dec 16, 2005)

Yep. My bad. Thought I was a Schleck there for awhile.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

Wouldn't your tire rolling resistance and your aerodynamic profile be way more of a factor than what grease is in the bearings of a crankset?


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