so, to sum up.. the expensive, high end brands use CAGED BALL BEARINGS.

so do "CARTRIDGE" BEARINGS, as bike folks love to call them.

A very interesting twist to this thread!

next up... Integrated, CARTRIDGE Bearings for headsets. ... all the rage... with itsy bitsy, undersized balls in cages, and barely enough grease to keep them from rusting, let alone act as long term lube.

i've seen open cage headsets outlast the bikes they're in, with just an occasional re-lube... cart. headset bearings barely last one season in CX bikes.

start popping those tiny seals and counting... they mostly suck.

Search: Dynamic contact stiffness characteristic analysis of angular contact ball bearings under combined external loads.

tiny balls cause insanely high contact pressures.... and ball to ball contact causes some serious friction, at twice the rotational speeds.

the real problem is a lack of routine re-lubes, using a grease with low flow-back properties. and bad adjustment in either direction, not having a ball or two less.