BB30 bearings steel vs aluminum

Sta81
Sta81 Posts: 56
edited March 2016 in Workshop
Hello people im just about to get some bb30 bearings for a new supersix evo frame. Im between the Rotor steel bearings and the Sram aluminum ones. The BB shell of the bike is of course aluminum so is there a chance that the steel bearings would possibly damage the shell? Do the bearings need to be aluminum like the BB shell or it doesn't matter?

Cheers everyone

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Are you sure the SRAM ones aren't ceramic? Virtually are bearing housings used on bikes are hardened steel - aluminium alloys are simply not hard enough or would wear rapidly. Ceramic bearings typically used a steel housing too - you can get all-ceramic bearing but they aren't really suitable for bikes. Make sure you follow the installation instructions and use the right tools or get your LBS to do this - BB30 are notorious for creaking
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 16,613
    sram bearings are all steel races, i think red has ceramic balls, the others are steel

    with any al/steel interface you have increased risk of galvanic corrosion if water gets in there, unless you'll be doing only dry rides i'd apply waterproof/marine grease to the mounting surfaces before pressing them in
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny

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