Suspension Bearings

MuddyBackBearings

Im setting up a webshop (when I can find someone cheap enough to build one) selling bearings for the suspension pivots.
Im gonna offer good quality western made bearings as well as cheap chinese and indian.
The manufacturers all seem to use the same type, there is just a small change in size....
I have the stock but the problem (other than getting the webshop off the ground) is finding out what bearings go in what bikes. If anyone is in the process of replacing their bearings or replaced them in the past it would be a help if you knew the part numbers or even sizes of them and could let me know.
Of course anyone that can give me this info and needs a bearing kit, id be more than happy to do it cheap.
Cheers

Anonymous

May be giving mine a service next weekend, but I do know with the more recent i-drive the pivots take the same cartridge bearings as a typical oversize headset. Of course the i-drive is one of the more obscure suspensions these days, but they're easy to service.

thel33ter

I'm also gonna do my Enduro soon, if I remember I'll let you know.

cooldad

I would have thought if you want to sell to people, you should be the expert?

omegas

You really need to have all the information and data now before you go into business, asking for the info you need off other people is a recipe for disaster.

lugsey2k5

http://www.e-shout.co.uk/
good site design company and not too expensive. The guy who runs it, Iain is into his bikes too.

welshkev

cooldad wrote:

I would have thought if you want to sell to people, you should be the expert?

not neccesarily, when i bought my bearings from superstar, they're an independent supplier, not related to any manufacturer, why should they know every type of bearing that fits every type of bike? that's impractical IMO.

i would say that you call up and say i need XYZ bearing which you can easily find out from the manual

this is what i needed though for my felt compulsion 2 if this helps the OP

There are 8 bearings in the rear triangle and rockers, international bearing number = 608 2RS

There are 4 needle bearings in the red Equilink, international bearing number = HK0812 2RS

.blitz

Not sure how much business there is to be had in this area. When I needed some new bearings for my Rize, the lbs ordered them and they arrived in a few days. £15 IIRC for six Sankei cartridge bearings and some spangly anodised bolts.

MuddyBackBearings

To obtain the information I need, would mean dismantling every rear suspension bike out there..... I have the kits for a few bikes already and am going to start listing them once the site is up and running, with the scope to provide a discount to anyone that gives me the bearing part numbers or sizes needed for their specific bike.
Thanks so far for the information.


This is something im trying to find out as well, if there is a market out there for it....
I have the stock already from working in the bearing trade and can get the bearings pretty cheap.

diy

deleted

diy

This is something you can easily do your self, by downloading the tech manuals for the common frames:


Here is mine: Enduro 02-05
1.a 2BB Pivot Bearing 6902RS Series Bearing 28mmO.D. x 15mmI.D. x 7mm Width
1.b4 Dropout Pivot Bearing 688 Series Bearing 16mmO.D. x 8mmI.D. x 5mmWidth
1.c2 Shock Link @Frame Pivot Bearing 6800-2RS Series Bearing 19mmO.D. x 10mmI.D. x 5mmWidth
1.d2 Shock Link @ Seatstay Pivot Bearing 6800-2RS Series Bearing 19mmO.D. x 10mmI.D. x 5mmWidth

Now if someone made a neadle roller that was 2 x 688-2RS + 1mm washer width, I think it would be a fantastic replacement for the 4 x skate board bearings that the horst link is meant to take and would make them much easier to fit.

Just worth noting that if you don't know how to build your website, you should probably experiment with an Ebay shop first.

MuddyBackBearings

Cheers diy
Where can I get the tech manuals from?
The manufacturers are reluctant to give out the bearing references used, they seem happy to rip people off selling their kits!

diy

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBC ... =downloads

click FSR manuals and they are all there.

Anonymous

MuddyBackBearings wrote:

The manufacturers all seem to use the same type, there is just a small change in size....
I have the stock but the problem (other than getting the webshop off the ground) is finding out what bearings go in what bikes. If anyone is in the process of replacing their bearings or replaced them in the past it would be a help if you knew the part numbers or even sizes of them and could let me know.

Not quite accurate. I know that some manufacturers supply customized sealing on their bearings, or bearings designed for minimal rotation.
Just because they superficially look the same doesn't mean they are the same.

And of course, some manufacturers (cough cough) supply free replacement bearings forever.

Seeing as you're the one doing the selling, you should be the bearing expert, really. But, what I'd suggest in the meantime is that if anyone calls with a request for bearings, ask them for the sizing details stamped or printed on the bearing itself, then build up a database of bikes and matching bearings as you go along.

MuddyBackBearings

Thats what i am doing, building up a database. Ive got quite a few bikes already and the bearings all seem to be the same, having dismantled a couple of units myself the ones I have come accross are just standard bearings manufactured by standard bearing companys. Most bike manufacturers seem to use Japanese made bearings.
Cheers for the advise and links so far.

diy

TBH I think replacement bearings on there own is not much of a business model. I think upgrades is the way to go. i.e. stock items that are superior to OEM parts and create a niche like TFT and superstar.

If you think about it, to cover 70% of frames you probably need to stock 300 different bearings, so maybe hold stock of 10,000. Given 1M bikes out there probably 100K per year need some sort of replacement and maybe 1/3rd will do it themselves. Assume you get 10% of the market (3000 customer orders per year) and the avg order is 8 quid per customer you have gross turnover of 24K, Something like 10 orders per day to make 5-10K income after costs.

Sounds like a feck load of work to me unless you diversify.

Anonymous

There's the option of replacing the bearing grease with uber grease and flog the bearings for a premium. But someone already has a business doing this I think. Not that I feel it makes a blind bit of difference myself, but anyway.

Maybe replace the parts for ones that weigh 1 gram less and flog them to weight weenies for a premium

Anonymous

Or develop alternatives like Bronze or ceramic bushes. Still though, I think diy's right, you'll need to diversify.

MuddyBackBearings

Only reason I thought about setting up in the first place, is that I already have the stock and saw just how much people are paying for (in my opinion) a low quality product.
Most of the bearings used are very popular sizes, used in a wide range of applications.

I wasn`t planning on quitting my job, just using it as a side project and getting my partner in charge of operations as shes out of work. If you class bringing up a kid as out of work? I know she wouldnt, but its about time she started bringing in some doe,

diy

Just make sure you consider your legal liabilities too. Think about if your product fails because unknown to you there was something special about the oem gear. With a proper set of ts and cs you should be fine, however if you don't bother protecting, someone will come after you for consequential damages in the event of a failure.

If mrs muddybackbearings is anything like mrs diy, you are probably better off letting her come up with her own business venture, otherwise there will be all manner of trouble, winging and bitching that you didn't think could be possible