Showerthought: Everyone raves about ceramic bearings but I think they're overkill for 99% of riders

I was working on a customer's bike yesterday and he insisted on swapping out his standard bearings for ceramic ones on a bike he only rides to the coffee shop. The mechanic at the shop next door was all about it, talking up the efficiency gains and how they spin smoother. But honestly, I think it's just marketing hype for most people. I've been building wheels for 8 years now and I've seen ceramic bearings fail just as fast as good steel ones when they get grit in them, especially if you ride in wet conditions like we do here in Portland. The cost difference is like $60 vs $200 for a set, and I bet 90% of riders can't tell the difference in a blind test. Am I missing something, or has anyone else seen ceramic bearings blow out early because people forget to maintain them?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaretj403d ago

Oh man, I'm the guy who once spent $300 on ceramic bearings for a bike that mostly sits in my garage.

tyler_fox413d ago

Ngl, @margaretj40 it's funny how we all have that one hobby we over-invest in just to feel like we're making progress.