Alternative pivot bearings to Enduro Max

[Crazy Cyclist]

Hi everyone 

I am looking for suspension pivot specific bearings.

I do not want to use Enduro Max. I have heard people mention SKF, NTN and FAG. Where can I get these? Or is there maybe another brand that is good quality?

I am not sure of the sizes yet. It's for a 2019 Giant Anthem carbon frame with 12 pivot bearings.

 

[thebob]

Any reason why you are not keen on the Enduro bearings? I know from experience with a 2019 Trance that only Enduro had the sizes I needed. Maybe @droo can advise if alternatives are available

Edited April 14 by thebob

[David Marshall]

I stick with Enduro.  They are bicycle specific and good enough. 

The problem with hunting for other brands is that you are never sure of exactly what you are getting.

If you take SKF for example and you look at their designation system there are umpteen variations of the same sized bearing.  Your supplier is likely to have one and a cheaper no name brand equivalent in stock.  Wheel or pivot? Who knows.

[BrendanA]

Enduro bearing is probably the only brand that is Cycling specific and also the only brand that offers lifetime guarantee! i would rather you not use SKF,NTN BEARINGS. Rather spend the extra few bucks on a bearing that could last you triple the time.

[droo]

Zero and Cure both do full complement bearings for pivots, but in my experience you'll end up replacing them sooner than the Enduros, so the labour will end up costing more then the saving you'll make. Same goes for using standard single row deep groove bearings - they're designed to rotate, not oscillate, and as such will wear out quicker.

SKF, NTN etc do indeed make better quality bearings, but to find full complement you're going to be trawling through catalogues and calling suppliers for days and probably still not find what you're looking for locally - and they'll be 3x the price of the Enduros anyway.

There are a few companies in Europe that do kits with decent bearings, but you'll again be paying a premium and having to deal with international shipping.

Maybe there's an engineer on here who can point you in another direction, I'll be happy to be proven wrong on this.

[BuffsVintageBikes]

1 hour ago, BrendanA said:

Enduro bearing is probably the only brand that is Cycling specific and also the only brand that offers lifetime guarantee! i would rather you not use SKF,NTN BEARINGS. Rather spend the extra few bucks on a bearing that could last you triple the time.

Say what... Lifetime guarantee on a bearing? What does that cover, the bearing just disintegrating?

[droo]

They do sell a variant with a lifetime guarantee, but you're in for R 2k a bearing for those ones...

[BrendanA]

20 hours ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

Say what... Lifetime guarantee on a bearing? What does that cover, the bearing just disintegrating?

Rust and corrosion, but needs to be purchased directly through them in the UK. Cyle shops this side wont offer lifetime guarantee lol otherwise they wont make money 

 

 

[patham]

21 hours ago, droo said:

SKF, NTN etc do indeed make better quality bearings, but to find full complement you're going to be trawling through catalogues and calling suppliers for days and probably still not find what you're looking for locally - and they'll be 3x the price of the Enduros anyway.

I have done this and gotten NTN bearings (I think I had to buy a minimum quantity/set of 10 from a supplier in the Joburg industrial heartland when I only needed 8). That was about 16 years ago when I had a lot of time to kill doing all the research and homework needed.
 

I think they performed better than the OEM ones, I used the bike for 4 more years, and the youngster I donated it to after that had it at least another 4.

Would I do it again now - not a chance, when I got a new bike last year I ordered a spare bearing set from the manufacturer at the same time.