Originally Posted by jstream

Here's the big difference. Auto wheel bearings are of a different design altogether - they are not ball bearings. They probably have around 1000 times more surface area than bike bearings and can use a grease so heavy that you couldn't turn a bike wheel. Plus there are more bearings in the auto wheel than the bike wheel. Your bike wheel bearings have a total contact patch of about 2mm. That being said, servicing a bike wheel is sooooo easy what's to stop us from doing it several times a year? It takes what?... about 20 minutes max to take apart, clean, inspect, lube, and re-assemble?