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| Bearing Reviews (4976 Posts)
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PTz
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On 12/20/2001 Ricky
wrote in from
(12.39.nnn.nnn)
Good one Claude!
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pt bearings
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On 12/19/2001
claude
wrote in from
(66.185.nnn.nnn)
For those of you not aware there is a discusion regarding bib numbers and 2001 rankings.
Okay so if my ranking is my bib number my Sponsor will be proud - Pleasure Tools Bearings.
I guess that's the Luck of the Draw - Ed
Now those Extra Hats will come in handy
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Yet another PT post
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On 12/17/2001
BoBo
wrote in from
(151.196.nnn.nnn)
That Ed is a nut! I order ABEC 7 shielded and what does he do? He sends me ceramics instead! Now you know why PT RULZ!
Long live Pleasure Tool Bearings.
And, Thanks Ed
B
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PT'z Rulz
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On 12/17/2001
Ricky
wrote in from
(12.39.nnn.nnn)
Hey John,
What do you mean "I doubt he knew who I was". Who doesn't know John Gilmour? Anyway...I was the guy with the Toolz at La Costa. I was excited to meet you and to see you were already running PT bearings on your Blackbird at La Costa. Attila was also running ceramic PT's. Thanks for the good words.
shnitzel,
John, Attila, Claude, Roe Racing Team and BoBo (and the Byrds) can't all be wrong. Give them a try. I'll mention the removable cages to Ed next time I speak with him. Ed is committed to shaping his company into an outlet for quality products and great service with a new focus on slalom racing. He is in tune with the importance of quality bearings in our sport.
Ricky Byrd
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PT Bearings
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On 12/14/2001
Claude
wrote in from
(66.185.nnn.nnn)
Snitzel- guaranteed you wou't be disapointed. that goes anybody.
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pt bearings
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On 12/14/2001 shnitzel
wrote in from
(65.94.nnn.nnn)
ok then.... howz about you give me a set of pleasure tool bearings, i'll try em out and rave that they are fast as hell. when they get dirty i try my best to clean em but with the balls still in the cages it's impossible to do a complete job. Then i'm scared to race on them cause i can feel the slightest tick in my wheel when turning..... I love free stuff too... actually i got my swiss for free at the seattle event two years ago. because i can break them right down and do a good cleaning, i'm still running the same set!!!!! that's my point... i don't have to replace my bearings even if the replacements are only $10.
Removeable cages rulez...
bones arn't the only bearings that can be torn right down either... ;)
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Boston Bombers
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On 12/14/2001
john gilmour
wrote in from
(151.203.nnn.nnn)
Hey Pat....I live in Boston- actually a few miles out.
If you feel like bombing a hill drop me an email.
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Pleasure Tools Bearings
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On 12/14/2001
John Gilmour
wrote in from
(151.203.nnn.nnn)
schitzel,
I picked up a set of Pleasure tools bearings as a prize in Cambria. I could have picked anything from the pile...but I needed some bearings. I figured...."probably just another set of crap rebadged crummy steel bearings- I'll ride them a little and slap them on a loaner board" . Well much to my surprise I like these bearings and they are the first set of rebadged bearings I have ever liked.
A few months later.....
I bumped into a guy from Pleasure Tools at La Costa who just handed me a set of bearings. I didn't get to meet him- and I doubt he knew who I was. Afterwards I told him I had picked up a set of his bearings as a prize at Cambria and thanked him for supporting our sport.
Anyhow If the bearings cost about 10 bucks a set they are a deal- even if they run about $20 a set they are reasonable. I still prefered some of the old bearings from the 70's and 80's (Hoovers, Fafinirs, GMN), - but those times are gone. Last time I checked bearings of that quality (GMN 5's equivalent) ran over $35 PER bearing for true abec 5's. I think the green seal Pleasure Tool Abec 7's are have less roll resistance than than the older shielded IKS bearing, Better in tolerance than the NTN bearings both shielded and sealed, longer lasting than a great many other bearings you can buy.
For racing I prefer a Shielded bearing over a sealed bearing. But shielded bearings require regular cleaning unless they are packed with grease....which is slower...and requires break in in very very clean conditions for a long time for them ever to get fast.
Anyhow- I won a set of bearings so I earned them. I got $10 worth of bearings from some guy at La Costa. They are decent bearings......and I don't do endorsements for $10. I just think they are better than a lot of stuff out there and are a good value. I'm still using both sets and they are holding up well. Tway told me Mollica bought some Ceramic Pleasure Tools bearings before the race....so I guess I'll actually have to start cleaning my bearings and souping them up again (haven't souped up bearings since 1993). I hate dealing with solvents! But if I have to soup up bearings then I feel like I'm racing again.
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pt bearings
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On 12/14/2001 shnitzel
wrote in from
(65.94.nnn.nnn)
i've read all the hype but i'm not sold.... I ride my swiss for two reasons. One being the steel is superb! This is a characteristic of many select brands i'm sure including pleasure tool. but the other quality i like about my swiss is i can tear them right down to the balls to make sure i get ALL the dirt and grime out on cleaning. yup this is a tedious process but after a year of skating my bearings still spin like new. smooth and fast. Ed should invest in some removeable cages and I might bite... but until then i'll stick to brands i can tear down.
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Pleasure Tool Rulz [but you knew that]
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On 12/14/2001
BoBo
wrote in from
(151.196.nnn.nnn)
Once again, Ed has come though for me. Hooked up Quadgals Tracker Trekkers with PT ABEC 7's all the way around. Threw some stickers in to boot.
All my gear now has PT bearings. I won't use anything else. And the price? 25.00 for 16 bearings to my door.
Beat that Powell!
B
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Ceramic vs Steel
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On 12/13/2001 Herbn
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
Ceramics are lighter,i listed the gram weights, once, on this site, a long time ago,"search" should help.Lighter revs up faster,and uses less energy to maintain.The makers say the ceramic is harder than steel and holds it's finnish better,so if your ceramic swiss are "shot" SUPPOSEDLY it's only the races and you could take a new set of swiss apart as well as the worn ceramics and put the ceramic balls in new races and they'd be like new again. he he, i'd LOVE to hear from the maniac that's done this,to find out if it works. I've found that ceramics are only good for about 1-2 mph on a 45 mph hill,2 mph is the benifit of my doubt.I think they're slightly faster,which if you're racing is one more plus in your favor,just one factor among many.While carving, snaking down a hill, the ceramics seem to make more of a difference,of course this is unmeasurable and it could just be my wishfull thinking(wishing that my money was well spent:),this could be because carves accellerate and decellerate and since they're lighter this makes them quicker to accellerate and less decellerating is happening.The manufacturers say the balls are harder and deform less on sideloads(hhhmmmmmmm),these bearings probabely won't blow your mind, unless you step up to them from crap,if you have "regular" swiss or even reds that are pretty new,and you're not really observent(sp?)you may miss it,they'll probabely be "the emporors new cloths" of bearings.You'll swear they're way faster because you don't want to admit that you think you may have wasted your money.
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ceramics vs. steel
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On 12/13/2001 james
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
what is the difference in regular and ceramic bearings?
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bearings
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On 12/13/2001 james
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
what are the best i can get for about 30 bucks just to cruise around and get alot of speed?
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Trouble
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On 12/13/2001 Duane
wrote in from
(209.218.nnn.nnn)
small trouble = 30-40 mph on providence hills
big trouble = 40-50 mph on dem real hills in NH & VT
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bearings
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On 12/13/2001
pat
wrote in from
(141.154.nnn.nnn)
what are some of the better or the best lubes out there to use on bearings?
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thanks
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On 12/13/2001
pat
wrote in from
(141.154.nnn.nnn)
thanks duane for the feedback. small trouble skating and real trouble skating, what is that? sorry man, don;t really have a grasp of the lingo yet. ok i'm pretty sure, my board has tracker trucks, they have a star etched in the metal? is that trackers insignia? and for bearings, don't know but will find out. i'm pretty sure there sealed? hey just tell me one more thing, cause it's kinda hard to find the obvious in these forums, cause there such simple and novice questions you guys don't even think about them. is longer faster? and are harder and bigger wheels faster. i don't know call it a need for speed but i definiely have one. i thought 70's were the biggest you could get, then i saw a pair of krypto 76mm. thankyou so much!!
yours truly,
a rider with the need for speed!
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Pat's stuff
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On 12/13/2001
Duane
wrote in from
(209.218.nnn.nnn)
Pat, it sounds like you have a good board and wheels, so no problems there. the Krypto 70mm are one of the fastest wheel, the board has little effect on speed and the G&S is a fine board. You didn't mention the trucks, cheapos like Pivots are troublesome, indys or similar are OK for going fast but take a lot of skill, some Randal downhills would increase your confidence greatly. The bearings pop right out, let a local skate shop show you how. For real-world skating I'm liking sealed bearings a lot, like the Pleasure Tools ones you can buy by clicking on the banner above this page (great product, service, price). Learn how to foot brake first, sounds fancy but its just dragging a foot while skating on one foot. Practice keeping your balance on one foot, like you are pushing, then begin dragging the other to slow down.. its hard on shoes. Sliding is more difficult and will take practice, its hard to describe but do a search here on "sliding" and you'll read on. Also search "slide gloves" they are essential to learn sliding. You are 45 min from some small trouble skating with me (Providence), and not much more than that from some real trouble skating with guys like PSR (Pre-school rider), there are folks around, hang out here and you'll see.
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g&s
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On 12/13/2001
pat
wrote in from
(141.154.nnn.nnn)
hey guys,
well, i know i'm not in the right forum, but after this post you can point me in the right way. i know it said to use the BB if you don;t know where to past, but after reading this forum, it sounds like there are a descent number of hardcore guys that know what the hell there talking about. well here goes?
i live in boston, and have a 42 inch g&s cutaway. it is my first longboard and i have had it since june or so. i don't know anyone around here who rides, or knows about longboards. i have bombed a few hills myself and know there is a way to stop (sliding) but can't figure out how. is it just trial and error a matter of just wiping or what. so the only way i can stop myself if i want to bomg a hill is to only ride steep ass hills that i know either level out or end uphill. also wheels (i know theres a wheel forum, but there should be a novice forum) my g&s has krypto 70mm. the bearings are inside so i take it they are nonreplacable? and do you guys clean your boards? i'm sure you do, but then what do you do about lubing them up, do you lube them? i like carving! nice big turns down a steep ass mountain hill. i come from a racing background GS, downhill and was wondering for boarding, what is the best size for a GS, downhill board. the longer the faster? i don't know. how about wheels? size, etc...i like the g&s 36" leemo pro, it looks like a fast board, but it's smaller then my cutaway? what would be a better hauling ass carving board? is the cutaway style just for plessure cruises (aren't they all!) or what? uhmmm, i think thats it, enough right. just sucks havin nobody to ride with and learn, so gotta do it the hard way, as i'm sure a number of you had to do. appreciate the feedback and can't wait to read it! carve it up! pat
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fkd's
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On 12/9/2001
hugh r
wrote in from
(205.216.nnn.nnn)
I have been running fkd's for more than a year on both skateboards and a luge and have never had anything but smooth, quick, quiet performance... never had a sheild problem either...
I consider them one of the better bearings available... HR
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fkd
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On 12/9/2001 anthon b
wrote in from
(65.9.nnn.nnn)
they last for about 3 4 months and then the shelds pop off
so they suck I'd go with the bones swiss.
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Bearing quality
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On 12/8/2001
Dave T
wrote in from
(62.7.nnn.nnn)
Thoroughly enjoyed reading your post John, re; bearings I found that the bearings I used to use years ago seemed generally to be of a more consistent quality, so many of today's bearings can vary,even the same make for example china bones, I might get 3 good bearings and 1 lousy 1.
I don't think that skate companies ABEC ratings are a good indicator of quality etc.. I personally have found that this doesn't seem to apply. By the way here in the UK I have stumbled across some bearings that so far have proven to be the quietest and nicest bearings I have ridden to date, bettering both bones swiss and FKD gold's they are a no name bearing (were called "drive by" bearings) which a skate shop here sell, cheap too. Haven't ridden them extensively but so far they have proven excellent.
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heat buildup
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On 12/7/2001
roger
wrote in from
(66.51.nnn.nnn)
JG,
Nice write up on bearings, but bearing heatup on a slalom course? Riding down a six mile mountain road at high speed and drifting through turn, they get hot. But in slalom? Oh, wait a minute, I have seen you slalom, never mind :-)
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New Bearings
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On 12/7/2001 john gilmour
wrote in from
(151.203.nnn.nnn)
Bearing realities.
I come in contact with tons of people each summer in classes that I teach. 2 People in separate classes were bearing salespeople. They both told me the same story.
Bearings used to be made without much regard to ratings the Annular Bearing ....Council (ABEC) came up with the rating system of odd numbers 1,3,5,7,9, to rate bearings for their tolerances (note not their rolling resistance). Bearings are made from wire which is cut into strips (slugs) and those are then created i bearings. The roundness of the bearing and the smoothness of the inner and outer race as well as the measurement of the degree of "freedom" of the inner race is measured. A ABEC one bearing might be found in exercise gear, a ABEC 5 might be found in a high end bike, a ABEC 9 might be found in Silicon Chip cutting fabricators- or in Nuclear Submarines. Of course as you go up they get more expensive.
When people designed items they "spec" for a certain ABEc rating of bearing.
In the Late 1970's and Early 80's Bearing manufacturers tried to compete against each other by one upping each other in quality to lower prices by doing more volume. It did not make sence to make true ABEC 1,3,5,7,9, bearings. Instead the manufacturers tooled up to make ABEC 5's. And a few Abec 7's and fewer ABEC 9's. The 5's were sold as fives. The 3's were "reject" 5's but the reject level was so low that 95-98% of them were actually 5's. The ABEC 1's were also mostly 5's.
So what mattered more in determining a bearing's quality was the type of steel it was made of and the manufacturer. In this way the manufacturer was able to sell itself on price as well as quality.
Some Manufacturers made better bearings. GMN's were always good, and Hoover (Yes the vaccuum people) also made great bearings (They were also very dust resistant- wonder why?)
Today the "Marketeers" all want to claim that they make better bearings. So they "rebadge" bearings they buy. Many so called ABEC 7's won't measure up to a 7 and neither will a 5 measure up to a 5. Even sadder their 7's aren't much better than other peoples 1's.
Why? Because after all the 80's price wars were finished there was tremendous consolidation in the bearing Industry.
Now don't hold me to these mergers...but here goes. Hoover and NSK merged. GMN was bought out by SKF. Fafiner was bought out by someone else.... and so forth.
There was also large scale consolidation of bearing purchasers and "buying groups" formed that would buy in bulk and resell to large corporations. The Buyers groups were not concerned with quality.....just price.
The now merged bearing companies sold off many of the "extra- Marquis" bearing manufacturing plants and went to produce bearings at the lowest cost. Now the average bearing quality is no longer an ABEC 5. They are Abec 1's or sometimes worse. ABEC 5's cost a lot more because there was not as much demand for them.
I would be interested to know how the bearings really rate. Take a few of the "name Brand" bearings and send them off to be tested and publish the results here.
See if they meet the seal tolerance and so forth.....also is there true consistancy within their batches? Perhaps hte ablls are really smooth- but what of the inner and outer bearing races races?
Bearings have a life expectancy- a shelf life if you will. They are also spec'ed to run at much higher rpm than we ever use tehm. Thjey have a very long lifespan under "ideal" conditions.
In skateboarding the condtions are far from IDEAL. We exert thrust (sideways force) on the bearings that are not made for this type of force - particularly for slalom, and we expose the bearing to much dirtier environments with no huge globs of grease to shield them. Strangely enough- the steel qualioty figures in big here as does the cage around the bearings. A brass bearing cage will conduct heat faster than a plastic bearing cage. In slalom (heat builds quickly because of sideways forces) and in Downhill (thinner lubes are often used for Downhill for quick acceleration can lead to bearings heating up) a good bearing cage will help to act as a heat sink to wick heat away from the races and balls. The plastic cores in wheels just act as insulators- the ribbed cores do virtually nothing to dump heat.
So where to get killer bearings. Beats me. I used to use the -------------- (secret) from England which felt like true 5's. I have yet to try a mind blowing bearing since the 1980's.
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PT Bearings
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On 12/7/2001
Claude
wrote in from
(66.185.nnn.nnn)
Hello: I know some of you guys are sick of the talk of PT bearings, too bad. I just want to relay the fun I'm having wearing the hat around.
I remember ealier posts when some of the guys mentioned receiving their packages at work. They were very interesting stories. well all I have to say is wait until you walk around with the hat on. The stares, double takes and the like.
Having lots of fun even if it's too cold or wet or icy to ride'em. I think I'm gonna go hang out around some of Strip clubs, adult video and mazine shops for fun. It ought to be fun to say the least. I'm gonna have to get me a couple more pieces of apparel this is simply too much fun.
The Bearings I still think they're GREAT> Many Happy Pumps
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You would still need spacers
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On 12/7/2001
Chris Raezer
wrote in from
(12.13.nnn.nnn)
After thinking about it, I guess you would still need spacers even if the bearings did have a tight fit. Hmmm, must be an easier way though...
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