procelain bearings - Anybody riding these?
09-06-06, 05:37 PM
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procelain bearings - Anybody riding these?
No doubt they're faster, ...no doubt they're expensive.
I'm wondering if they've found their way into the general population much yet.
I'm wondering if they've found their way into the general population much yet.
09-06-06, 05:42 PM
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I think the OP was trying to say "Ceramic."
Porcelain bearings are no longer available because the toilet industry's purchasing volume really pushed the small companies out of the market.
Porcelain bearings are no longer available because the toilet industry's purchasing volume really pushed the small companies out of the market.
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09-06-06, 11:14 PM
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Yeah, right, ...ceramic.
09-07-06, 07:29 AM
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https://www.google.com/search?sourcei...elain+bearings
ya, I know...someone was trying to be funny...or rude..
ya, I know...someone was trying to be funny...or rude..
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09-07-06, 11:09 AM
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I seem to remember reading that ceramic bearings are supposed to have a nice long life and be more hardy in regards to water and gunk. So they sound fantastic! Fewer repairs and less maintenance is a bigger boon than lowered friction, IMO...
09-07-06, 11:36 AM
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Ceramic bearings and bushings are used in all kinds of pumps where water intrusion is a problem. Often, the water is the lubricant for the bearing. They're also touted as being great for very high speed or high heat applications. Really not applicable for bicycles other than to give us yet one more OCP thing to lust after.
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09-07-06, 01:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Biggziff
Really not applicable for bicycles other than to give us yet one more OCP thing to lust after.
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09-07-06, 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by jimx200
And I have prayed to the Porcelain God.........never again.
09-07-06, 04:20 PM
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Ceramic bearings are far superior in several ways to metal. My understanding has been that most Pros at the high end use them. Here are the reasons to my understanding.
- They are far more durable than metal and usually will pulverize any bits of debris that happen to get into the track.
- They are far more heat resistant than metal.
- Due to both of the previous points they are also far more likely to keep a spherical shape. And it seems, as I remember it, that they can more readily be manufactured closer to perfect sphere than can metal bearings.
- Due to the nature of all of this hubs with ceramic bearings will actually roll faster as they age, where metal bearings become pocked and mishapened over time.
My understanding is that this is a significant enough advantage that anyone who has used them in their wheel set frequently is likely to be greatly discouraged in going back to metal. But that the cost of them has made them unpractical for anyone without very high-end funding.
Reason I'm asking is that I'd heard that they were coming down in cost.
- They are far more durable than metal and usually will pulverize any bits of debris that happen to get into the track.
- They are far more heat resistant than metal.
- Due to both of the previous points they are also far more likely to keep a spherical shape. And it seems, as I remember it, that they can more readily be manufactured closer to perfect sphere than can metal bearings.
- Due to the nature of all of this hubs with ceramic bearings will actually roll faster as they age, where metal bearings become pocked and mishapened over time.
My understanding is that this is a significant enough advantage that anyone who has used them in their wheel set frequently is likely to be greatly discouraged in going back to metal. But that the cost of them has made them unpractical for anyone without very high-end funding.
Reason I'm asking is that I'd heard that they were coming down in cost.
09-07-06, 04:26 PM
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I'm just a previous customer. They offer ceramic bearings in wheels and cranksets... https://www.superflycycles.com/servlet/StoreFront
09-07-06, 04:32 PM
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I bet they are lighter too 
Whilst you could put them in any wheelset, if the bearing cone & race is still made from metal, it can stilll suffer pitting and wear. With a ceramic ball that is so much harder than the raceway than a steel ball, contamination is perhaps more likely to cause race & cone damage. The latter point is why I prefer cartridge bearing hubs - one can replace all bearing surfaces in the hub, something not possible with many cup& cone designs.
Ed
Whilst you could put them in any wheelset, if the bearing cone & race is still made from metal, it can stilll suffer pitting and wear. With a ceramic ball that is so much harder than the raceway than a steel ball, contamination is perhaps more likely to cause race & cone damage. The latter point is why I prefer cartridge bearing hubs - one can replace all bearing surfaces in the hub, something not possible with many cup& cone designs.
Ed
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09-07-06, 04:38 PM
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Ceramic bearings are also great for extreme applications such as riding in bad weather, mountain biking and cyclocross where bearings wear out quickly. Ceramic bearings will still smooth longer and last much longer than conventional bearings which easily justify their price.
So so far we've just one guy though aye?
09-07-06, 06:05 PM
#21
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The only problem is ceramic bearings can't handle as high of loads or shock as steel bearings...
09-07-06, 07:30 PM
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The really funny thing is you can buy 100 sets of regular bearings for the price of one ceramic set. Good game. We're done here.
