Campag Ultra Torque - Ceramic Bearings???
richard1857
Posts: 47
Any advice on this would be appreciated. I need to replace the bearings on my record compact Ultra-torq chainset. Have ordered the tool to remove the old one and I know you can pick up the standard bearings for £20-22. I was just wondering if it is worth upgrading to ceramic ones?? I know the full ceramic ones are crazy money but on flea bay you see quite a lot from the US and Australia which have the ceramic bearings and steel race they sit in which are more affordable. Has anyone any experience of these bearings and ceramic ones in general for chain sets? Do they make much difference in your opinion or is it a bit of a marketing con. I have herd that bad ceramic bearings can be worse than normal steel ones so don't want to make a costly mistake. Any help / advise would be appreciated.
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Comments
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Well, I can say if anyone on here could ride two identical bikes one with ceramic bearings on the chainset, one without, and tell them apart it would be witchcraft that told them, not them being able to feel it.
That said, I can say have witnessed ceramic and non ceramic campag chainsets (friend has both) and ceramic one when spun with no chain on does spin round more times. But noone could feel this minimal change in drag through their legs suuuuuuuurely
My Fulcrum RRS Chainset (like Super Record has the CULT Ceramic Bearings) and if you spin that round with the chain off and compare it to my 2006 Record Chainset with Record Square Taper BB, the Record one spins and spins and spins and spins in comparison.
You do hear people having problems with some cheap Ceramic BBs. Not sure Id do that route.
To be honest Id bang steel ones on it again and forget it, or if you wanna blow some money for fun, if its fun to you, just get the CULT ones. Not sure if you'd HAVE to change to Super Record Cups though, cos the Super Record ones are slightly different, no seal in them.
The logic is that Ceramic Bearings dont need this seal. So you never run Super Record Cups with Record Cranks (as the seal is needed for the standard bearings, to protect them)... but if you change to Ceramic then you will be able to use Super Record Cups, but I dont know if you HAVE to cos of how they fit.... someone will pipe up with an answer to that Im sure.0 -
That is really helpful advice and thank you. was not sure and we are all capable of getting drawn into hype about the latest thing. I too have seen the you-tube links showing how long the ceramic ones spin for, I did this with mine and it was know where near. As you say how much of a difference will that make while I am struggling up the Tourmalet in this years Etape I don't know. Very easy also to be taken in with all the speil they put in the ebay adverts of the difference and like everyone I am looking for that one thing wich shall give me a another 2mph for no extra effort. I have read about the CULT ones but certainly not in a financial position to purchase plus as you say the new cups. Will think what to do but probably take your advice and just get some new steel £20 ones. Cheers again0
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The other thing to consider is maintenance - ceramic bearings need very little looking after.
I run Fulcrum RS cranks on my winter bike, fitted with standard bearings, and Fulcrum RRS on my summer bike. The steel ones have now been replaced twice while, in the same time period I have not had to replace the CULT ones - despite riding the "summer" bike throughout the winter this year as my hack got broken!
When I do get the hack up and running agan I will fir it with ceramic bearings on the c/set just so I know I won't have to bother with cleaning/greasing every couple of weeks!! 0 -
Ok thanks and yes another useful thing to consider. Unfortunately I don't think my budget will strecth to the campag CULT system as this will cost more than the chain set was itself. A shame as these do seem to be the best system but from what I can see well over £100 and possibly super record cups needed aswell. Appreciate your help though.
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Reckon also ceramics would have to last a LOT of miles to be worth extra; am just about to get 2 nd set Campy bearings replaced at 7 000 miles use, so would need at least 30 000 miles from bearings 5 x the cost0
