What Are Ceramic Bearings Used For

It s in the professional peloton a place obsessed with marginal gains that ceramic bearings have become popular in the past couple of years.

What are ceramic bearings used for.

Grease lubricant is the most commonly used type of lubricant in the cycling industry because it provides consistent lubrication over a long period of time with little to no maintenance. In addition to being excellent electric insulators hybrid bearings have a higher speed capability and will provide longer service life than all steel bearings in most applications. Typically all ceramic bearings are used in specialist high temperature high speed applications where the design requirements are very strict and hence can be costly. Since these bearings are constructed from many materials they often operate in hybrid capacities.

Ceramic bearings are comprised of ceramic rolling elements balls enclosed in a ferrous typically steel inner and outer race. And naturally where pros lead amateur racers and sportive cyclists follow. Mrc hybrid ceramic ball bearings use a combination of traditional 52100 steel rings precision matched with silicon nitride ceramic balls. However ceramic bearings do not perform well when lubricated with grease lubricant.

We also build ceramic bearings i e bearings with ceramic races but they are not as common because they are less durable. Unsealed ceramic bearings can be used to upgrade components that don t use cartridge type bearings like cup and cone hubs.