Do Ceramic Bearings Make A Difference

Fitting ceramic bearings will make the bike feel like it is rolling smoother.

Do ceramic bearings make a difference.

While regular bearings are made from stainless steel ceramic bearings are made from ceramic silicon nitride si2n4. Riders using ceramic bearings can also expect a smoother riding experience. On ceramic bearings this is usually a c3 clearance whilst on steel it s usually cn. The bearing clearance is a measurement given to the small gap between the inner race outer race and balls.

It is required to prevent bearing seizure when it warms up and expands. Rolling resistance is the key trump card promoted by ceramic bearing fans. If only high quality ceramic bearings are used marginal gains will. For example while full ceramic bearings do not require lubrication hybrid bearings do.

Because ceramic bearings are rounder with a smoother surface and more uniform size friction is reduced and that can contribute to a less energy required. However while the ceramic balls will still abrade the steel rings hybrids will cope with marginal lubrication better than steel. The only real big noticeable difference between the two is the bearing clearance. If a cyclist has ridden a bike fitted with ceramic bearings and then returns to steel bearings it is likely that slightly more vibration will become noticeable.

The first thing that strikes the eye when looking at bicycle bearings is the difference in price between steel bearings and hybrid ceramic bearings. This is mostly due to the additional time spent to perfect a quality ceramic ball.