BB Standard or Ceramic?

alexsanz
alexsanz Posts: 19
edited July 2012 in Workshop
Hello there,
I have to buy a new BB and I was wondering if its worthy to pay the extra for one with ceramic bearings?Will I gain speed with the ceramic ones?

Thanks for the help!

Comments

  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    No but your wallet will be a lot lighter.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • Yossie
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    To an extent, yes.

    Marginal gains my son, marginal gains. They won Wiggins the Tour .........

    Just do it - you know it makes sense.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,501
    it'll save a few watts

    compared to outlay, unless you are really feeble, it's minimal

    but for bragging rights at the cake stop, pure win
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,337
    I have had hybrid ceramic bearings in my UT BB for 6 months now... there is no difference whatsoever with the full steel ones. Maybe the balls won't rust, but the races are still made of steel and can and will rust. If you want full Zirconia ones that cannot rust the cost is exorbitant and they are quite brittle... the advantage in terms of friction is none, zero...
    left the forum March 2023
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    To get the benefit from ceramic bearings they need to be run without seals, are cleaned regularly, use light oil for lubrication so there's a marginal improvement. If you ride in the rain, they get full of crud and are no better than regular cartridge bearings.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • alexsanz
    alexsanz Posts: 19
    thanks guys for the answers. It is for a TT bike and I though I could get some extra secs faster, but not worthy the extra cash, much better to invest in other components.
  • rpd_steve
    rpd_steve Posts: 361
    For the same price point or even 2x a steel BB you will be buying a 'ceramic' bearing of lower quality, prob grade 2 compaired to a grade 4 or 5 steel bearing. Unless you spend silly money on ceramic bearings, your downgrading. The advantage of the material is outweighed by the lower quality and roundness of the balls.
  • Tiltzey Boy
    Tiltzey Boy Posts: 120
    RPD Steve wrote:
    For the same price point or even 2x a steel BB you will be buying a 'ceramic' bearing of lower quality, prob grade 2 compaired to a grade 4 or 5 steel bearing. Unless you spend silly money on ceramic bearings, your downgrading. The advantage of the material is outweighed by the lower quality and roundness of the balls.

    .........and nobody wants balls that aren't round!!!!!!!

    Sorry, couldn't resist!

    :lol:
    Scott CR1 Pro (Build in progress!!)
    Giant Defy 3
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    Geade 3 ios more round than grade 4 or 5. So you have it backwards. Still is no real world frictional benefit of using ceramic bearings.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • acidstrato
    acidstrato Posts: 945
    you wont notice any difference
    Crafted in Italy apparantly
  • rpd_steve
    rpd_steve Posts: 361
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    Geade 3 ios more round than grade 4 or 5. So you have it backwards. Still is no real world frictional benefit of using ceramic bearings.

    Quite corrrect... Thats what you get when you do a quick post in a break! lol

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