Ceramic BB

[luxmediarts]

Does anyone here have any experience with ceramic BB bearings; are they worth the extra money?

[anquetil]

No!

[themidge]

+1, Ceramic bearings definitely aren't worth all that cash for such a small upgrade (like, seriously? £300 for 1/3 of a rear derailleur? ) but people still buy them for that extra bling

[scant]

I had a rotor ceramic b.bracket & it didnt spin any faster than xtr.

[stormur]

+1, Ceramic bearings definitely aren't worth all that cash for such a small upgrade (like, seriously? £300 for 1/3 of a rear derailleur? ) but people still buy them for that extra bling

Where from you take such pricing ???

C-bear cost around 100€ incl delivery in EU, with 2y warranty... so tiny bit more expensive than regular BB ( lifespan ).

Is it worth it ? IMO yes. MUCH lighter spin, higher mileage, better made cups ( fit ): zero issues with unwanted noises from bb.

If you think CeramicSpeed ; then I agree; No, it's not worth it. This thing is enormously overpriced and not worth more than quater of its price.

[snowdevlin]

+1, Ceramic bearings definitely aren't worth all that cash for such a small upgrade (like, seriously? £300 for 1/3 of a rear derailleur? ) but people still buy them for that extra bling

Where from you take such pricing ???

C-bear cost around 100€ incl delivery in EU, with 2y warranty... so tiny bit more expensive than regular BB ( lifespan ).

Is it worth it ? IMO yes. MUCH lighter spin, higher mileage, better made cups ( fit ): zero issues with unwanted noises from bb.

If you think CeramicSpeed ; then I agree; No, it's not worth it. This thing is enormously overpriced and not worth more than quater of its price.

+1 on this!
Had ceramic speed on my dogma, but now I’m happier with Dura Ace BB.
Nevertheless on my Caad12i got the C-Bear and that truly is very nice... great adapter from BB30A to shimano, and spins wonderfully!!

[wheelbuilder]

LOL. I'm astonished at how ceramic bearings have gained such a huge following in bicycle applications. Ceramic bearings excel in high heat applications like turbochargers. Bearings in a bottom bracket that are spinning at 100 rpm? Pure silliness in my opinion. If you want it for the cache or the bling factor, good for you, and it's cool to have high end stuff.........I get it and am the same way with most things. If you want them because you believe they offer a performance advantage? Not so sure.

[AJS914]

It's because people are fooled by the spin test. They see that and think that it must save a boatload of watts. I have to admit, it's a great sales pitch.

[BikeKingV1r]

I’ve had a Kogel BB for a long time now and still spins super smooth and fast even after years of wear and tear. I’d say it was a good buy, no issues and not much more than the wheels manufacture BB they had in stock.

[MomentumR5]

Many of us cyclist are looking at every gain possible. We spend hundreds-thousands to drop a few grams but not willing to buy a Ceramic B.B. to increase performance? I am a firm believer in Ceramic BB.

[MomentumR5]

Disclaimer* Ceramicspeed is overpriced. There are plenty of independent Ceramic BB manufacturers that make superior products for half the cost.

[rbrtwyn]

I've had ceramic bbs from Enduro, VCRC, F1 Ceramic, Wheels MFG, and ceramicspeed. Oddly I liked the ceramicspeed the least. The rest worked really well and the priced compared to CS made them even better. Heck, one vcrc ceramic bb lasted me over 10 years with greasing it 1-2 times a year. Good value.

[MomentumR5]

I've had ceramic bbs from Enduro, VCRC, F1 Ceramic, Wheels MFG, and ceramicspeed. Oddly I liked the ceramicspeed the least. The rest worked really well and the priced compared to CS made them even better. Heck, one vcrc ceramic bb lasted me over 10 years with greasing it 1-2 times a year. Good value.

VCRC is what is use on all my builds and recommend to everyone. Made in USA.

[GothicCastle]

I am a firm believer in Ceramic BB.

That is great, but bottom brackets aren’t a belief system.

There is no reason to use ceramic bearings in a bottom bracket from an engineering perspective. What you want is a well-constructed bottom bracket. Steel bearings are perfectly fine in that application.

[MomentumR5]

I am a firm believer in Ceramic BB.

That is great, but bottom brackets aren’t a belief system.

There is no reason to use ceramic bearings in a bottom bracket from an engineering perspective. What you want is a well-constructed bottom bracket. Steel bearings are perfectly fine in that application.

You must be an engineer. Belief comes through experience. Well constructed BB’s are typically from Ceramic Manufactuers. The system as a whole works. From the quality bearings they use to the lubricant they are packed in. VCRC BB’s can be had for about $60USD depending on application. We all know that we lose watts through the drivetrain and wind resistance. So people spend hundreds-thousands on handle bars/helmets/clothing/wheel sets to gain “X” amount of watts but should not spend $60 on a B.B.? Doesn’t make sense.