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| Bearing Reviews (4976 Posts)
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graphite
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On 6/21/2000
jonnieo
wrote in from
(216.224.nnn.nnn)
I tried drying out my bearings today and using graphite. At first it totally sucked, but after a few miles it smoothed out consideribably. I guess the particles were grinding down and coating the metal surfaces. It is really smooth, and the wheels spin FOREVER... much better performance than I've ever gotten from wd40, 3 in 1, tri-lube or silicon grease. I would highly reccomend it for downhill applications. I don't see how any piece of dirt large enough to sieze up the bearing could get in unless you are running open face bearings, and who uses those anymore? I'm no expert, but it probably wouldn't be good if you're doing tricks that involve jumping the board. We'll see how it is over time. Oh, I'm running 3 month old china bones.
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Live-axle alternative
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On 6/21/2000
Jonas
wrote in from
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
Just scored some thrust bearings at the local bearing supply. They are basically caged needle bearings that use flat washers as races.You put them,where,normally you would have washers or speed rings.They are used to absorb(some) side loading that normal ball-bearings aren't designed for.
Cheaper than floating axles,and should reduce frictional losses while turning.BTW,the packaging says to LUBE before using.PN NTA512(bearing),TRA512(race).Only about 1/8" thick.
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china bones
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On 6/21/2000
jake
wrote in from
(24.16.nnn.nnn)
thanks for the help
i think im going with the chinas
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Bones Bearing
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On 6/21/2000
Hamm
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
There is definently a difference. a $20.00 difference I can't say. I use China bones in my park & street wheels and Swiss bones in my downhill wheels.
Cya
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bones bearings
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On 6/20/2000 Adam
wrote in from
(63.192.nnn.nnn)
Jake,
I have both Swiss and China Bones, and I can't really tell the difference. Both are really good. Use bearing spacers and you should get long life from either.
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bones bearings
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On 6/20/2000
Jake
wrote in from
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is the difference between china bones and swiss bones really worth the $20?
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Re:...On the soapbox and off the subject
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On 6/20/2000
DOOBIE
wrote in from
(209.255.nnn.nnn)
Herbn... your question about slalom...uh no, there usually is no turn in the track unless it is slight...although I have raced one race in Melbourne, FL that was a blind curve under train trussles, right next to the river with no fence and it was a direct dropoff into the water from like 3 feet from the road, cause there was a side walk... it is a rarety, I won both races on that 2 race day...lugedemon3 ould probly know the organizer...Chuck Calin...real slick fellow...earospace engineer... banned of all races in the south...flew to CA to race and...err...cheat...this was his race that he rigged for his kids and they were kicked out by a higher official for cheating...so, not on a usual basis...no curves...check out the links on the www.aasbd.org site for more info... you lightweight guys 21 and younger can race in another association...NDRA(national derby rally association)... I'm too heavy at 15 and 185lbs.
---DOOBIE
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teflon vs. bearings
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On 6/20/2000
rob k
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
in r/c cars, some of the cheaper sport cars come with bronze, or teflon bushings. them once you get some more money, you buy a set of bearings for the car. so, i'n guessing that teflon bushings would have more drag, and also get really sloppy after a little were.
later,
rob
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Teflon
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On 6/20/2000
Hamm
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
Ali,
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but teflon coating is too soft to use on the applications you mention. I'm no expert, I just know that my wife blows a gasket if I use a metal spatula on a teflon coated pan. It scratches real easy.
Skate fast & Safe,
Dave
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enpostapedia britania
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On 6/20/2000 Herbn
wrote in from
(207.198.nnn.nnn)
Wow! mighty lengthy,thats like a offline post for me,cause as a commercial phone customer I pay for local units,and my typing sucks(slow,but thoughtful:) .Why can't we get together and test these things, and I don't mean a race,I think races would just make people secretive about their speed secrets.
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the tone of words
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On 6/20/2000
DT
wrote in from
(63.30.nnn.nnn)
DISCLAIMER:
THE FOLLOWING POST IS REALLY LONG, AND I PROBALLY SHOULD BE OUT SKATING INSTEAD. IF YOU DONT LIKE LONG POSTS THAN GO SKATE!
First off i think i need to say that i am in no way trying to pick a fight or even belittle soap box, in fact it has sparked a little interest and even some respect for it. The downside of the internet/chat/etc is that you cant "hear" the tones of our words. It is hard for some to know whether another person is angry, being sarcastic, calm, poking fun, interested,etc. I have never at any time meant to belittle soap box derby or any indivdual person. I did make an assumption when i read Doobies post calling himself an "experienced racer" i was thinking as a speedboarder. Then i read other posts of his referring to skating that don't seem too experienced. so i Assumed he was joking, it turns out i am WRONG (and right, he is an experienced sbd racer). but i am not sorry for posting that since i have learned more about him and i now have a whole new "respect" for what he does at his age. If he ever seriously gets into speedboarding, all the derby knowledge will only help. In fact, if he was serious about it and if he has the balls and "the respect", he could make a career out of it, no joke.
Re: Precision and what Rob k said
When i speedboard my body and board are one. It is a grey area to talk about because both the technical precison and the equipments precision go hand in hand, and aren't always two separte things. I spend countless hours in front of a mirror practicing my tuck, working out the little curves and "bumps" to make it as aero as possible, throw in different helmets, leathers, speed suits, etc and the "formula" changes again and again. Now take it out of the confines of my living room and onto a bumby road while drafting and attempting corners that cars can barely make, often WITH cars and you got a whole new ball game. I feel that it requires much more precision than soap box, (this is not a diss it simply states that there are more variables(opinion) thus making it more precise, this doesnt mean sbd is not an extremly precise sport.) and i feel speedboarding is more precise than luge too. (which i have done and will continue to learn). Another thing, many people may never even realize, is that a small handful of racers use lasers and other technical devices to perfect their board's setup. - hint ;)
But lugedemon is quite right that the majority of racers couldnt give a rats ass about how precise there set ups are.
At this point in time the races are won more by racing technique(drafting and different lines), than precison(your tuck and setup), as time goes on precison will play a huge factor. I feel that street luge, buttboarding, gravity bikes, and speedboards are still in its early stages or even a "dark era". I dont know the history of soap box derby, but i am sure that at its beginings, technique played a more important role than precision
Lugedemon,
your passion and stoke for your riding is awesome and i urge you to not loose it. I dont know if you speedboard but i urge you to try it and become a more well rounded gravity racer. (the more you do the more knowledge you gain. check out the Rogers bros, Biker Sherlock, Manu Atuna,Todd Lehr, Scott Peer, these guys all rip and i know that competing in different sports really helps. The biggest example is Jarret "Doc Go Fast" Ewanek, who has done almost every gravity sport around.He took up speedboarding so he could be his own guinnea pig for his speed helmets. In my opinion, he is the most knowledgable source of gravity/aero/racing info around.)
> I still feel that people shouldn't be running "dry" bearings in skating applications. Its not worth the slight increase in speed vs the risk of a seisure. its not worth the hassle for the average joe nor will the average joe notice ANY increase in speed.
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Teflon bearings
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On 6/19/2000
Ali
wrote in from
(212.189.nnn.nnn)
So, if Teflon is that great, why not make a teflon bearings?
They would be something like spacers with a teflon coating, or maybe solid teflon (I don't know that much about teflon, so I don't know if this is possible).
Of course they'd have to fit better on the axle, more precise. Maybe a teflon coated axle as well.
Or maybe a bearing with just an inner and an outer ring, teflon coated, and no balls in it.
Any thoughts on this?
PS: I think you could or maybe should run something like this dry...
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Soapbox
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On 6/19/2000
Ali
wrote in from
(212.189.nnn.nnn)
sh!t I'm not here for a week and I almost have to check the archives for all the posts I missed. There's a point I missed in the standup vs soapbox debate, having to do with the size of the wheel.
The bigger size of the sopabox wheel gives it a bigger arm, or lever (I don't know the correct English word for this), so a seizure is less likely to occur.
rx = radius soapbox wheel
rs = radius skateboard wheel
f = force on the wheel by friction (by the road)
Now because rx > rs, rx*f > rs*f
Thus the momentum on a soapbox bearing is far greater than that on a skateboard bearing, so a seizing skateboard bearing will probably freeze a wheel, while a soapbox bearing will probably "break through it" or will a far worse seizure to freeze your wheel.
Just imagine some wheel with a 3-4 ft radius, like maybe a tractor wheel, with a bearing that's totally kaput, say the balls are welded to rings. It'll turn the bearing into some kind of worse mess, probably, but it WILL turn, because of the bigger arm of the wheel.
So running dry bearings on a skateboard, assuming that dry bearings are more likely to seize and fail than lubed ones, is more risky than doing so on a soapbox, and the wheels are easier to freeze up on you than soapbox wheels with the exact same bearings.
Just my 2 cents, well let's say 10 cents, 'cause I think this is quite a big post.
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BONES
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On 6/19/2000
DOOBIE
wrote in from
(63.29.nnn.nnn)
Hamm,
Yeah, my dad is the head guy of a division of an aerospace company and he gives me advice about my setup sometimes. He doesn't have a colledge degree either, but he knows alot more tech stuff than me, not just cause he's 30 years older either. We have alot to learn from the aerospace industry, cause alot of tech stuff goes into that. If I can recall correctly, I think that when I was reading The Concrete Wave by Michael Broke, it mentioned that George Powell was involved in the aerospace industry. That may be why they have some of the best bearings.
---DOOBIE
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On the soapbox
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On 6/19/2000 Herbn
wrote in from
(207.198.nnn.nnn)
Is ther a slalom catagory in soapbox?do they turn at all?what size bearings do they use?there is a ratio that varies from bearing to bearing,relating ballsize(huh)to bearing race diameter,this establishes ballspeed, (Huh huh)there is sort of a reduction ratio and this effects the strength and durabilty of a bearing.
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Facts about Apples & Oranges
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On 6/19/2000
Hamm
wrote in from
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
I am sorry so many of you are over the dry bearing debate.
Debate is good. If we all agreed, we would be boring. This debate has made this site much more fun the past week.
I am not college educated and had to go to my Dad, a Aerospace Engineer, for help. He did the math for me.
According to Soap Box website that Doobie referred us to, a Soap Box racer has a 12" dia wheel.
The math come out like this:
A 12" Soap Box wheel turns 1260 rpm @ 45 mph.
A 76mm skateboard wheel turn 5055 rpm @ 45 mph.
As you can see just cause both are round, have bearings and go downhill, we are talking about completely different animals here.
Don't care either way, just wanted to give everybody some hard numbers.
Have fun, Skate Safe
Dave
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End of this madness
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On 6/19/2000 lugedemon3
wrote in from
(151.188.nnn.nnn)
this is a longboad website, and i use the derby to compare and contrast ways to acheive mo speed in both sports. i don't wish to bring up the derby again, but if someomne disses it like they have a couple of times, then i will be mad. The derby is my roots.
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my 2 cents
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On 6/18/2000
rob k
wrote in from
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
i think trying to hold a tuck at 50-60 mph on a somewhat unstable platform with 4-6 other people doing the same thing with no lanes is a lot harder than buying all the teck equipment in the world. i think DT was talking more about technique precision, not so much equipment precision. thats what's great about stand up. you don't have to have the fastest bearings and wheels to win all the time. a lot of it has to do with rider technique, and form.
my 2 cents,
rob
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sopa box vs. speedboarding
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On 6/18/2000 Mike
wrote in from
(64.7.nnn.nnn)
I am tired of this so called "fight". They are both different sports so you can't compare them with the kind of bearings you shuold run, dry or lubed. Fine out whats best for you and stick with it!
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Precision
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On 6/18/2000 lugedemon3
wrote in from
(152.163.nnn.nnn)
I'd have to disadree with DT, Soap Box Derby requires greater precision ( this is my opinion). Do u know anything about the Derby DT ? If u don't, why make an assumption on something u don't know about. I am experienced in both the derby, and streetluge. Althogh i am not as experieced as much in steet luge. In order to be compeitive in the Derby, your car has to be precise, we have tools that align the spindals of the axles to the THOUSANTH of an inch, and we have a tool that measures rear-end alignment to the 1/64 of an inch. Aerodynamics is another thing, windtunnel testing is essensial in the Masters Division of the soap box derby. Aerodynamics in speedboarding is not precision, it is technique. In speedboarding, and streetluge, u can have a crappy( upprecise) setup and still do well, it's all about technique. Good example: I practice with Bob Swarts, a pro luger, and he runs the mini-miser ceramix bearings, and Randal luge trucks, and Cherries. I raced him 4 days after i got my luge, and my setup was Indy 215's, Reflex bearings, and Cherries. I suprised him by beating him a few times. Precision is not an issue as much when it comes to Speedboarding and Luge, technique is. As for the Derby, i have not run into a sport that perfectionism is required as much. In the world championships, the difference between first and last place in the same division is no more than .30 seconds, precision is essential.
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Nachi Rubbersealed Bearings
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On 6/18/2000
Sarah
wrote in from
(205.188.nnn.nnn)
Recently I have become interested in getting a set of these rubbersealed bearings so i don't have to worry about getting them wet. I notice that my China Bones are rubbersealed, but only on one side-is this how the Nachi's are? Gunnar where are you, I know you know...what else i want to know is where can I get them in the US without ordering online? Thanx guys!!
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China Reds
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On 6/18/2000 DannyT
wrote in from
(24.130.nnn.nnn)
I would have to guess that one of the balls in your bearing is chipped, so when your weight is on it the clicking happens when the chipped part falls on the outer casing.
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China Reds
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On 6/17/2000 The Enchanting Wizard of Rhythm
wrote in from
(216.26.nnn.nnn)
My bearings are making ticking sounds again. I thought I fixed it - some of my bearings' shields were not sitting right... This time, they won't start "ticking" until I have my weight on the board and am going faster than a slow roll. There definitely is very little friction occuring because I can spin my wheels and they'll go FOREVER... Hmmm... Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks
sK
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hugh
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On 6/17/2000 DannyT
wrote in from
(24.130.nnn.nnn)
I am not trying to poke fun at all, when I try to say that your post was beautiful. It is the way I think, but you put into better words. I was lucky to have some good mentors at a young age.
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youth, geezers, and attitude
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On 6/17/2000
hugh r
wrote in from
(205.216.nnn.nnn)
Although it was many years ago, I too was a young guy once. I at times would watch friends my age have problems with the older guys. Sometimes it was their fault, sometimes not.
As I look at my own life, I have learned that nothing affects the way that I and the world interact with eachother more than my own attitude. If I am abrasive, or quick to judge, or pissy, or negative... then it seems as if the world is filled with idiots.
On the other hand... If I am patient, if I am kind, if I take the time to try and have a positive impact in someones life... then the world is filled with wonderful people. People who are not too dissimilar from me. People who have worth.
It has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with attitude.
In skating I have noticed a few things. Mostly two different attitudes. The first group of skaters are personally aggressive. They yell, they name-call, they want to look cool, they want to prove that they have worth, that they are somebody.
The second group of skaters is mellow. They enjoy the ride, the session is whats important. It doesn't really matter who the best is (ok, well maybe a little... bragging rights go a long way) but whats important is the joy of the ride. The personal interaction with others who share the love of the board.
Its the attitude, not the age of the skater that is important.
I will now step down off of my soap box (no pun intended)...HR
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