Ceramic Vs Steel Bottom Bracket

Ceramic bearings are in actual fact hybrid.

Ceramic vs steel bottom bracket.

Which ones do you need. The ceramic balls are often silicon nitride or equivalent. If there is one thing we see a lot in comments sections about ceramic bearings it is people claiming ceramic bearings do not offer benefits and are not. Most sealed ceramic bearings are actually hybrid ceramic bearings which combine a steel race with ceramic ball bearings.

Zerø ceramic bearings and bottom bracket proven time and again in world cup race conditions zerø ceramic bearings are the ultimate race day weapon. Ceramic is not always better than steel. When analyzing the individual components that contribute to the total frictional losses of a bottom bracket the frictional losses due to the seals and lubricant is greater than the frictional losses. Ceramic bearing equipped bottom brackets or hybrid ceramics to be more precise are generally much more expensive than their stainless.

While the first two items were more prevalent distinguishers between ceramic and steel bearings in the past today there are often comparably built steel versions of a given bearing assembly. Silicone nitride si3n4 grade 3 balls roll on black oxide races ground to a mirror finish after receiving magnetite and cryogenic treatments for hardness and longevity. A bb30 bottom bracket that uses ceramic bearings will weigh 3 5 grams less than its stainless steel counterpart. Steel bearings are commodity items that are composed of hardened steel balls and a steel inner and outer race.

Ceramic bottom brackets ceramic oversized derailleur pulleys tools and accessories ceramic bearings vs. For bottom bracket applications the maximum sustained rpm may be 130 explains lew. Ak posted by ard kessels. Full ceramic bearings use ceramic races which can be lighter and provide the lowest friction but come at a durability cost.