Many of you know, I work in the cycling industry. Over the years, as they are coming down more in price, we are doing more and more ceramic bearings in people wheels, and other drivetrain bits, to save a few watts of output efficiency here and there.

Other then turbos I haven't heard much use in cars. Would ceramic wheel bearings not run alot smoother than standard bearings? Thinking more in race cars where every half a second counts.

Just looking for intuition from anyone who may have anything to share or add.

I didn't know that, but am intrigued. Who do you work for, what do you do?

The bulk of the friction on wheel bearings is probably the seals. The amount of power lost in the bearings is probably so insignificant compared to engine power that the cost isn't justified. That doesn't mean there isn't a market for them.

Properly marketed, there'd probably a large market for ceramic wheel bearings to get xx gains for huge sums of money. Given the higher speeds, alternator bearings and idler pulleys might also benefit. Would the fuel savings over 200,000km pay for the cost of the bearings? Doubt it, but people will pay for it if they think it'll make them faster, or they just have nothing else to buy for their car.

I know the ceramic bearings are better for handling heat, but will they also handle the large loads? Or are they brittle? I also think the cost factor would be huge. When I buy 3/16 steel balls, I pay around 6 or 7 cents. When I buy the same ball in ceramic, it is over two dollars...

Curt Brown has been running ceramic bearings for years in his DSM, and now in his EVO.

"For the last three years I have been using ceramic wheel bearings in my cars with amazing results, I was keeping it under my hat for the most part just to hold that extra edge but im getting old and don't need to keep breaking records and chasing fast times.

The ceramic ball bearing hubs I use have 1/10th the friction of a steel ball, 60% lighter, they are 100% round grade 5 Silicon Nitrate, we use special ultra low friction grease, micro polished races. Ceramic bearings will far outlast the factory steel units as they produce nearly no heat or friction, the car WILL pick up MPH and ET at the dragstrip, run more consistant and faster laps on the road course and yield better fuel economy eventually paying for themselves." Curt Brown

http://www.curtbrownracing.com/ceramic_bearing_8.html

I help manage a cycling store BikeSports, and import lightweight bike components from Taiwan (KCNC brand)(Many of which have ceramic bearings in them). We do Ceramic bearings from two IS distributors (of various levels):
Ceramic ball bearings in Ti housings
Ceramic Ball bearings in Ceramic housings
Then of different levels of quality, each small skateboard sized wheel bearing can cost up to $50ish depending on the size.

Most popular is Wheel bearings
Second most popular would be in the crank as that is a high force area
Third would be jockey wheels in derailleurs, which make a very marginal difference compared to the other two bits.
Then you can do pedals, anything with a bearing really.

I know ceramic is more prone to shattering, but I don't think they ever see a high enough impact to even make us start thinking about that.

As far as results in bikes are concern:
A crank with no load on it will spin about 400% longer.
A wheel will spin about 300% longer, again with no load.

Regular customers that I talk to regularly swear by ceramics, as its kind of like cheating, extra speed, less work, for the same result. I haven't needed to spend $300 on my bike to be able to keep up, so I don't have them. But bikes with it DO roll smoother.

Cool! I've seen the KCNC stuff around.

If I had a nearly unlimited budget for my bikes I'd have ceramics in them. Until then, I've got to prioritize, and they fall pretty far down the list.

thats pretty neat.. too bad I just did my fronts.

Brian, any chance you can supply us with some wheel bearings?

I used to be a sponsered in line skater and I had some amazing bearings in my day. One company was the same supplier as the F1 team for Benneton. Made a huge difference which paid off as I was a lot older then the kids I was up against

Does anyone have the number that is on a wheelbearing seal?
I can actually get a quote for a bearing per corner