Mark42

Other day I called around to get a typical 9 ball cage bearing for a Schwinn bottom bracket. Its used by dozens of department store bikes. All the LBS told me they would have to order the bearings. The balls are 1/4", so I call the local hardware store and they have loose bb's. So I figure I'll just replace the cage with loose bbs and see how things go. Turns out I get to hardware store and they are sold out if the 1/4" size. So I head to the LBS who told me they didn't have what I needed just to see if they have any cage bearings with 1/4" bb and I'll just pop them out of the cage. Guy get a big box, opens the lid, and there are the cage bearings I need. $1.38 each. I was going to say something about him telling me an hour ago he didn't have them and had to order them, but I decided to be nice and say nothing.
Too lazy to go look in a box of cage bearings to see if he had what I needed. What are you going to do?

Fastfingaz

I think I would have told him about it,,, not with a bad attitude or angry way more of joking with him had you going all over town looking cuss an hour before he told you he didn't have them ,,, what's wrong witcha,,

jay ray

I think the balls have to be case-hardened and made to a tight tolerance. I wouldn't use BB's except as a last resort.

CliffordK

I've encountered something similar in the past, with the bike shops deciding they won't sell parts for half of the bikes on the road.

Then they complain that people are choosing to buy parts on the internet rather than shopping at local shops. But, I also realize that it is difficult for a shop to stock everything.

It is a bit funny the shop actually had the parts you needed, just didn't know it.

If the cages are intact, I've thought about just popping the balls out of a cage and replacing.

EnjoyinTheRide

I had a very similar scenario a few months back. I was in need of two sets of 5/16 x9 caged. I wanted them to replace the cheap bearings that were in the bike....(Footnote). Most people complain about "cheap bearings" when it comes to particularly box store bikes. That is true however the real problem with those are not the bearings but rather the cages..They are made of extremely thin metal and if they are two tight or two loose they will fail quickly....

Anyway I called my lbs (a very reputable one) and I told them I needed two sets. They told me I should physically bring them in so they can make sure they get the exact ones. They also told me these are pretty common bearings 5/16 x9 so they should have them. I brought them in. The guy looked in the box of bearings and pulled out two sets of 5/16 x 10. He realized they would not work, he looks in again and says "Ill have to order those I can have them here tomorrow no problem. I said no problem go for it, as I was leaving he called me back, Lol. He looked in another drawer and found one set of 5/16x9 that were part of a complete hub kit. He pulled them out and sold just the bearings to me....They did order the others, I picked them up no problem.

I think its best to actually bring them into a lbs because they do need to match up right and I could see wrong information being passed over the phone.....Lol or you can do like the lbs and buy a bag of them online

Retro Grouch 

Unfortunately, the economics for that sort of sale don't work out very well.

Tape2012

+1, the LBS doesn't make any money selling you a bearing if they aren't installing it.

While BBs look round, they are not precision ground and would do more harm than good.

Nermal

BB may designate a size. Maybe not bearings, but is a distinct size of shotgun pellet.

Rowan

I can see your argument, but the problem with it is... if the shop doesn't have that most basic of items that, in the long run, doesn't take up much in the way of inventory dollars or space, then I would just go elsewhere. It goes against the grain a little bit to hear of bike shops giving off discounts all over the place (ie, reducing their margins and profit), yet complain about the one-minute cost of selling a set of ball bearings at, what? $2? That's $120 an hour!

If you want really good quality bearings at a reasonable price and from people who want to serve you, go to a bearing specialist business.

f4rrest

I bet more than half the callers never show up, so the LBS worker is likely wasting time running off to dig up parts for an unlikely $2 sale - instead of focusing on real customers in the store at the moment.

The buyer shows a commitment to the transaction by showing up in person. People on the phone are flakes.

HerrKaLeun

Like with many things, you first look on the Internet and as an absolute last resort go to a local store.
First, you yourself take more time to research and prices are better. I bought a 100-pack of BB Grade 25 for a few $. did they really charge over a dollar for a single " ball"?

I once needed a cone for my old quando hubs. Since I couldn't find them online first i went to LBS. They told me they don't have them. then back at home i re-measured and decided to try the shimano cones sold by wheelsmanufacturing and chose the one that fit the measurements. And they worked. I'm just a noob... couldn't the mechanic have had the same knowledge? I assume they have to wing it like that all day. i also would have hoped an LBS has some cones laying around since it is a fairly common wear item.

in today's world of internet the only niche local stores have are expertise (they can look at the part you bring in and measure it etc.) and the chance of having it in stock. If they don't meet either of the criteria, what's the point of them existing? for the few people who don't have internet?

02Giant 

BB's = Ball Bearings

coffeesnob

bb's can have dents in them. I would think the small balls would be made of tool steel and through hardened as opposed to case hardened.

Mark42

The loose balls are case hardened for bearing use. That is what they are for. Just a pain to install them. Have to use a lot of grease, and add a few more balls to make up for no cage. Like bearings used to be 20 years ago.

Mark42

It was $1.38 for each cage bearing containing 9 bb.

CrankyOne

BB is the pellet or shot size = 0.18" IIRC. Also available in F, T, B, BBB, BBBB, and other sizes

Mark42

Remember these are machine grade ball bearings that are available at the hardware store. They are probably a higher grade than the bb in a typical cage bearing used in a bottom bracket. A bottom bracket only gets max 300 to 400 foot pounds stress at max, probably most average is about 160 or 180 foot lbs. tops. ( because most crank arms are less than one foot in length) Bottom bracket bearings just have to work, not be state of the art. So don't waste money upgrading a bottom bracket from cage bearing to sealed bearing cartridge unless you regularly trash cage bearings. Its just a matter of money and status.
FYI I use marine grease in the bottom bracket open cage bearings. Marine grease is more resistant to water than regular grease or even white lithium grease. Walmart and the local marina will sell a small tub of marine grease for about $9. Enough to repack all bearings on your bike for the rest of your life. Nothing is totally water proof, but marine grease is a good place to start. I know. I have 3 boats.

Mark42

As many folks have said, the store won't make money unless they install the bearing. But remember that the store has to build a good client base. Today I buy bearings, tomorrow I bring in a bike for a frame adjustment or rim truing. The shop charges $75 for a body to bike adjustment. Bring in your bike and they project you on the screen and make adjustments to the proper angles accordingly.i That is how they make their daily bread. They are not selling 5 or 6 $2000 bikes daily. Just the way it is.

Mark42

BTW, has anyone posting about the quality of loose BB ever worked on a farm???? There are tons of use for loose BB'/s. The hardware store has balls that will take tons of pressure from hay trailers, cow "hooks" and many other other devices that have bearings sealed by a simple rubber gasket. That is where these loose ball bearings come from . We need them to fix tractors, hay trailers, etc.
Since I moved from the country to the suburbs, many things I take for granted are lost on the locals. So shoot me.

ironwood

If I repack a bottom bracket that has caged bearings, I replce with loose bearings.

rydabent

I do to. Mainly because you can usually slip in an extra ball. That spreads the load, and makes the bearing stronger.

wphamilton

The cage functions only to ease installation.

A sealed cartridge UN26 is cheaper than $1.38 for 10 balls and lasts longer with no maintenance. Just saying ...

daviddavieboy

Yeah I know, I wish campy was that cheap.

HerrKaLeun

the hardness of farm related BB maybe OK. but the grade of BB doesn't tell hardness, it is how "accurate" the size is. sheldon recommends Grade 25 or better (lower number = better). I have no knowledge of farm BB, but it is possible the large equipment bearings don't care about imperfections, but in a bicycle the imperfections in size may ruin the races etc.

This is all moot, amazon sells a 100-pack of grade 25 BB for under $5. Farm rated or not.

as for the store not making money: sure, they wouldn't make much money selling BB for $1.38. but if they act not knowledgeable or not helpful, they just ensure that i make more effort to never go back there, even for expensive items or bikes.

wphamilton

I use UN51 which is only $4 or $5 more - the UN26 is an example because they seem to be more popular, better known in this forum at least.. I don't know if the bearings are "cheap" but they've outlasted loose bearings I've bought from LBS by several times as many miles.