Originally Posted by
TurtleRacer
So I did some reading on bearings, and I spoke with a mechanical engineer who works in machining - ceramic bearings are advantageous in high load, high temperature settings - neither of which apply to cycling. Also, bearings come in grades- and a higher grade bearing will perform better than a lower grade bearing in a bike (regardless of material). From what I read full ceramic bearings are superior (ceramic bearings and races) but they are not common since the races can fracture when being used in press-fit applications.
TLDR: it's not just the material used, but the fabrication matters as well. Just like frame construction trumps materials.
Ball (bearing) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ABEC scale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thanks for the update, but I guess it comes down the definition high loads. I have destroyed BB and rear wheel bearings on almost an annual basis, so I would suspect my bike bearings are subject to high loads. I have found the steel bearings in Shimano Dura Ace hubs hold up quite well to my loads, but many others don't. On the other hand, Shimano Dura Ace BB bearings don't last a year for me. I have found the same to be true for SRAM, FSA, and Trutativ steel BBs. I have had much better success with ceramic BBs. Now none of the may apply riders in the <220lb range, but it is an indication of the overall limit of the system.