Bearing spin test. Does it tell us anything useful?

[Bold]

We've all probably timed how long a wheel will spin at one point or other. Other than letting us know the wheel nut is too tight or that the bearing is dirty or rusted does spinning your wheel with no weight on it tell you anything useful about a bearings performance?

Does the added weight of the rider change things so much that the age old "how long will it spin" test doesn't really mean much?

[spacial_profiling]

We talkin straight out the box or broken in? What abec? How many balls? How long are the fingers of the person spinning the wheel? Is the wheel face up or standing? So many questions. Don’t let me get into acoustics. Shields??? 

[moonordie]

The answer is no.

[OhioGuy]

Not really. My Reds spin longer than my Swiss 6. But when I'm riding they lose speed quickly and aren't as smooth.

If you spin them and they stop immediately something is wrong. But after a certain point it becomes a useless test.

[spacial_profiling]

The answer is no.

If spinning a wheel with a bearing in it gives you no gauge of the bearings performance, then may I ask what does? Genuinely curious to the apparati yall use outside of your standing weight.

[dstrytruitt]

Tells you it's time to change up the video playing at the skateshop you're hanging out in.

[gringo_viejo]

Off the top rope with my non-engineer opinions...
Isn't it usually that bit of grit in there that slows em? Like when you're cleaning a bearing and you give it that little index-finger-and -thumb spin to see if you got it all out?
Quality bearings seem more about longevity than speed IMHO.

[layzieyez]

All it can realistically tell you is the bearing isn't completely frozen.

It could spin for a shorter duration because you applied lubricant versus a dry bearing due to that slight viscosity of the oil.

Factors like that make the spin test useless for anything else.

[skateboarder4life]

Other than letting us know the wheel nut is too tight

false. if you're using bearing spacers of a correct size for your wheel you can AND SHOULD tighten your wheel nut down as hard as physically possible. you are using bearing spacers, aren't you??? 

[Anxiety]

The spin test just goes to show you how much resistance is being applied to the bearing without any momentum or force being applied to that bearing

Will it show you if a bearing is seized? Yes of course it will

Will it show you if a bearing is better or worse depending on how long it spins? Probably not

A well lubricated (or often a new/ non ‘broken in’ bearing) will not do as well on the spin test, but work better while actually riding the board, and vice versa.

I have dry shieldless bearings that I use when I skate shitty dusty spots and they do well on the spin test and make that dry noise but they aren’t my best bearings… not even close

[radcunt]

It tells us who gets the biggest glass of cordial after a skate at my mates house in 1988

[Mbrimson88]

The spin test just goes to show you how much resistance is being applied to the bearing without any momentum or force being applied to that bearing

Will it show you if a bearing is seized? Yes of course it will

Will it show you if a bearing is better or worse depending on how long it spins? Probably not

A well lubricated (or often a new/ non ‘broken in’ bearing) will not do as well on the spin test, but work better while actually riding the board, and vice versa.

I have dry shieldless bearings that I use when I skate shitty dusty spots and they do well on the spin test and make that dry noise but they aren’t my best bearings… not even close

This.

Bearings that spin the longest when a board is not being skated usually are slower when taking any weight, but more than anything, if a bearing is dry it might spin a lot longer but ride a lot slower when you are on the board.

Well lubed and clean bearings might not spin as fast in hand, but will usually roll the best when you are on the board.


I had never looked into how much weight or anything like that, but I think the usual weight of any skater, be it featherweight / kid through to heavyweight / big people, a board will still roll about the same on flat even terrain with the same momentum to start with, but it is not just bearings, but also wheels and other factors too.

[gringo_viejo]

It tells us who gets the biggest glass of cordial after a skate at my mates house in 1988

∆∆∆Shut the spot down. Best possible answer∆∆∆

[Uncle Flea]

I dont majik 8ball. I spin to see the future. Have fun rn ok. Its almost tooo late. Didnt you see the guns and battle flags at the voting place today. Yeah thats what normal people are doing for kicks. Fighting or Trying to subvert democracy with hard looks. Foul ass bastards know theyre hated. Thats why theyre doing it. Theyre scared to lose the gun rights because they think about killing all the time. Not because theyre scared of a tyrannical government or whatever. If they really thought that shit theyd keep the guns a secret and theyd be sweet to their neighbors.
Strength though unity shit.

Just spun again. Best go skate

[ish_wav]

Bro delete this before Quantum Bearings comes in here and crucifies you

[Mean salto]

Wasn't black Panthers marketing in the 90s about how good bearings don't spin because they're properly greased? (That and fuck bones because they make roller blade bearings)

[JugeL]

We used to bully kids who had other than abec7s back in the day

Still no idea what abec means

[Boog]

We used to bully kids who had other than abec7s back in the day

Still no idea what abec means

It stands for "A Big Erect Cock". Duh

[JugeL]

Expand Quote

We used to bully kids who had other than abec7s back in the day

Still no idea what abec means

[close]

It stands for "A Big Erect Cock". Duh

Pieces are finally falling into places

[Gleefull508]

let me save you some time and money man.

Your bearings are fine you dont need new ones

[Ok]

Bro delete this before Quantum Bearings comes in here and crucifies you

bq, dob spink, sheepa-bleets are charcter(s) you may not want to invoke.
consider carefully.

[Bold]

Bro delete this before Quantum Bearings comes in here and crucifies you

Don't know them but if I learn something I'm game.

[rikki]

Youtube should automatically ban all bearing spin test videos.

[smg1138]

I've always felt like spin tests were pointless because you're not putting any load on the bearing. Bones Super Swiss 6 have always been plenty fast for me and they last forever.

[Uncle Flea]

I know my shit is top spin on earf. Y'all can't fuck with decade old ceramics with swiss cages. Trying to do so is futile