mx_599

are most of the bearings used in the frames of FS bikes cartridge ball bearings or do a lot of manufacturers use needle bearings???

huckinggenius

Thats an amazing song and it will get you really pumped up for riding. the answer to your question is silverchair. All different varieties of bearings are used of FS bikes, the standard on todays high quality bikes are sealed cartridges, but needle and ball bearings are still commonly used in the lower quality bikes.

mx_599

good job...now what's the connection between the hottie in the avatar and silverchair. go ahead and goooogle it or ask jeeves.

interesting. i would have thought needle on top end for better load dispersment. i am just thinking motocross is full of needles and some thrust.

i am just wondering for the future if i get a FS. i was prompted to post this because of reading Turner frames touting bushings. they have a good point. after all bushings are used on crank shafts in engines seeing serious abuse.

however, i would tend to think long needles would be best. but maybe they are not good for weight or something. i haven't really worked on a plethora of FS bikes to be intimately familiar with why/why not certain bearings/bushings are used.

any other comments are welcome.

dminor 

I don't think many do, MX, although - like you - I think they should. Ball bearings, especially the commonly-available industrial sealed-cartidge type that most bike makers use, are actually designed for high-rpm rotational loads. Needle or roller bearings would be much better. The trouble, I think, is that to get them in bike-frame sizes...and sealed...and full-complement, they'd have to be custom-made (hence expensive).

Bushings are very durable and can actually take higher loads than ball bearings (more bearing surface to distribute the load). A lot of motorcycle swingarms ran (and maybe still run?) on bronze bushings just fine.

mx_599

yeah, if you go to the Turner frames and read their reasoning for for bushings. exactly what you say. they claim better tolerances and load capabilities. i mean i don't even know if Turner's are really good...i just happened upon their site and it got me wondering. oh well, i am probably at least 2-3 years out before i get a FS. so i have time....

dminor 

Like you were saying in your OP - - needle bearings would be the ultimate. They'd give you the best of both worlds: high load-bearing capacity and the reduced drag of a bearing. A caged needle bearing (like a motorcyle's wrist-pin bearing) would be perfect - - as long as you could seal it effectively. Maybe more will 'see the light' before your puchase .

Turners are supposed to be the schizz - - but alot of that, IMO, is because he's a boutique builder located in SoCal with easy accessibility to the cycling press .

cryptid01

I had an aftermarket MRP kit for my old FSR that replaced the stock bushings with caged needle bearings...after install, the decrease in friction when cycling the suspension by hand was definitely noticeable.

pinkrobe

Bearings 4 teh win! The main issue I've seen with bushings on rear suspension, is that they don't stay lubricated very long after purchase. Ride through some mud or water and some of the lube can be lost. After a few more sloppy rides, you can get that creak/grind. Pull everything apart and clean it out, it will start to get sloppy-feeling because there's play in the bushing now. It's a vicious cycle. A bearing should remain tight and smooth for quite a while, at least until the seal is broken, then it will suffer the same fate as the bushing. My $0.02

mx_599

i agree. the cool thing about turner was that they have grease fittings!

JKWITS

Quote "good job...now what's the connection between the hottie in the avatar and silverchair. go ahead and goooogle it or ask jeeves."

Don't know anything about bearing but I know that "hottie" is Natalie Umbrooglia (sp) anyway shes married to Daniel Johns who is the lead singer of slverchair.

Now name two of her singles...

mx_599

good job...i can only think of torn...i don't recall the other. just that i didn't like it as much

free_pizza

now for extra super dooper bonus points, what was the name of the australian soap opera she was on wayyyy back in the day...

mx_599

all my children?

free_pizza

no sir.

mx_599

as the world turns?

free_pizza

no sir.

"Neighbours"... also starred Kylie Minogue

mx_599

ohhhh...kylie and natalie. i need someone to photoshop an avatar of that combo!