a full ceramic dilema

rouleur23

Hi

I want to upgrade me BB to ceramic. Then a pal says go full cermaic. Acros do one called the CX.
I call around and can't find one and one shop says 'don't go there' as full ceramic (both races and balls made from Silicon Nitride) can crack. Is there anyone who knows more about this.?

Thanks

Monty Dog

I've no direct experience of ceramic bearing BBs but can speak fron the experience of using ceramic bearings on inline speed skates - 16 at a time, so it's a bit easier to perceive the performance difference. Whilst ceramics make a nice noise and do run smoother when clean, all things considered the expense doesn't really justify the cost - particularly for full ceramics. If going for hybrids, make sure the races are stainless otherwise they'll still corrode. For a large BB bearing, the difference in drag of the seal probably makes a bigger difference - if you want to go faster, remove the bearing seal!

Jez mon

I seem to recall that most people on Weight Wienies don't think that much of ceramic bearings. I also heard that you bascially lose most of the perceived advantage of ceramic bearings if you have non full ceramic, however, this may well have been advertising BS!!

dennisn

Jez mon wrote:

I seem to recall that most people on Weight Wienies don't think that much of ceramic bearings. I also heard that you bascially lose most of the perceived advantage of ceramic bearings if you have non full ceramic, however, this may well have been advertising BS!!

Now that is interesting. I would never have thought that the weight weenies would ever
put down anything that was a weight savings. :shock: :shock: :? :?

Dennis Noward

Jez mon

dennisn wrote:

Jez mon wrote:

I seem to recall that most people on Weight Wienies don't think that much of ceramic bearings. I also heard that you bascially lose most of the perceived advantage of ceramic bearings if you have non full ceramic, however, this may well have been advertising BS!!

Now that is interesting. I would never have thought that the weight weenies would ever
put down anything that was a weight savings. :shock: :shock: :? :?

Dennis Noward

Oh no, alot of them use them. They just point out that it's a bit pointless and that you don't save an amazing amount of Watts by going ceramic

James_London

Depending on which BB you need, get a stock BB with ceramic upgrade if you really think you need it... TotalCycling.com do Dura Ace with CeramicSpeed which are the benchmark ceramic bearings. Probably better changing a £20 DA BB more frequently than getting one of these for £150 IIRC. Wheel and jockey wheel bearings are more productive places to start anyway as they're rotating a lot faster than your cranks.