capeofstorms Posted July 28, 2011 Share Has anyone done the upgrade and if so, have you noticed any improvements in speed or cadence. Would you recommend this upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no calves Posted July 28, 2011 Share not worth it. my sram red ones are just shy of R1000. there are cheaper options like BBB ceramic bearing. imo stick to the recomended wheels for your jockey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robrider Posted July 28, 2011 Share Ceramic bearings are for extremely high rpm and temperature applications. Like above 20 000 rmp. Biggest marketing gimmic ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I FLY Posted July 28, 2011 Share I have ceramic bearings in my road bike's BB. I know they are there but I cannot tell you if they make any difference at all. I did not buy the BB. It was there when I bought the bike. Edited July 28, 2011 by I FLY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swoosh1973 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Ceramic Bearings on a bike? What a joke!They are not any rounder than the steel versions despite what bike builders tell you and are fractionaly lighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOOK695 Posted July 30, 2011 Share I've used ceramic BB bearings (ZIPP) and they did not last long. Did not feel any real benefits. Used them as well with Zipp 404 wheels and could honestly not say that there was an improvement. Diffenately not worth the extra money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_w_65 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Unobtainium bearings make a big difference, up to 20% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodbadugly Posted July 30, 2011 Share Why do you call this an upgrade?If you suffer from suplusmoney-itis, I will gladly give you my banking details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palaeodom Posted July 30, 2011 Share When I got my new AmClassic wheelset i toyed with the idea of ceramic wheel bearings, AMClassic said they had stopped selling them because they die too quickly. Got a set of KCNC ceramic jockey wheels for a present, could tel the difference until they got really muddy, then the steel bearings ran smoother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted July 30, 2011 Share Has anyone done the upgrade and if so, have you noticed any improvements in speed or cadence. Would you recommend this upgrade? Lets think about this for a moment.... You want to take the lowest-friction component in the entire bicycle set-up (95% wind drag, 2% tyre drag; 1% chain friction; 1% hub and BB friction; 0.5% pedal spindle friction; 0.4% wheel magnet drag and 0.1% pulley wheel fricton) and improve the friction in the pulley by say 10% - actually, lets make it 100% - and then expect an perceived increase in performance? Of course you can feel it. I just felt a girl in China bat her eyelids. Ceramic is the way to go. Edited July 30, 2011 by Johan Bornman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazyTrailRider Posted July 31, 2011 Share Of course you can feel it. I just felt a girl in China bat her eyelids. Ceramic is the way to go. Of course, it's called the Butterfly Effect. You fit ceramic bearings on your bike in Cape Town, and somewhere in Durban someone wins a race! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted July 31, 2011 Share Agree with Johan. Drivetrain friction is a very very small part of the total energy loss. Of that small%, the friction loss in the pulley bearings is a very very small%. That means the ovrelall difference that ceramics would make (if any) would be very very very very small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dev null Posted July 31, 2011 Share The only perceived loss will be in your wallet. Once again the equipment markitects are selling snake oil to cyclists. Sorry, but ceramics bearings have their applications, like model jet engines which spins up to 115000 rpm at about 600 deg C, but not in cycling. Almost like using carbon for bottle cages in my opinion. Edited July 31, 2011 by Moridin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest agteros Posted July 31, 2011 Share The only perceived loss will be in your wallet. Once again the equipment markitects are selling snake oil to cyclists. Sorry, but ceramics bearings have their applications, like model jet engines which spins up to 115000 rpm at about 600 deg C, but not in cycling. Almost like using carbon for bottle cages in my opinion. Does carbon bottle cages not define you as a racing snake, irrespective of training or ability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big H* Posted July 31, 2011 Share Does carbon bottle cages not define you as a racing snake, irrespective of training or ability? I was fairly upset with CWC beacause they did not have team Leowpaard Trek cycling kit in 5XL, they took away any chance I ever had of becoming a star climber! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dev null Posted July 31, 2011 Share I know carbon bottle cages looks bloomin cool. But if you have too choose between a plain plastic one for R80 and a carbon one for R450, then surely you must be sponsored silly to buy the R450 one. Using carbon and all the exotic materials like ceramic on bike parts must surely be about the return on the investment. If there is no return, then you have just thrown your money away. Edited July 31, 2011 by Moridin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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