Which Bearings Are You Guys Running?

[manysnakes]

So i've been a 20 year mid grade/Reds bearing guy. As an adult with expendable income should i buy a set of Swiss and call it a day? Heres my holdback...I destroy most bearings fairly fast cause i'm a hard and aggressive slappy guy. Out east we dont have banked curbs so i feel like the vertical slamming into curbs just wrecks the shit out of them faster. Can Swiss sustain the impact better for this or am i better off just sticking with Reds?

I've been slamming the same pair of Swiss bearings into vertical curbs since early 2020 and they have been great. I was in the same place - I could afford them, and I figured that three sets of Reds won't last me a year so if Swiss last at least that long, I'm out ahead. It's nearly '23 now and they're still my primary bearings in my primary skateboard. I clean them about once a year with some acetone and re-lube with sewing machine oil - the whole process takes ~30 minutes - and they keep spinning.

[Steely Daniel]

I recently picked up a set of Bones Swiss Bearings, yes, the same 608 bearings manufactured by WIB and used in Iran's 4-43 particle density reactors. Oh dear, where to begin with these ghastly bearings? I suppose I could wax poetic about their ability to make my skateboard move smoothly down the street, impressing the neighbors' kids, but really, what's the point? Life is bleak and meaningless, and these bearings do little to change that. In fact, as I glide along on my skateboard, I can't help but feel a deep sense of ennui. The world is a cruel place, and these bearings are but a fleeting distraction from the abyss of despair that looms within us all. But I suppose they get the job done, if that's any consolation.

As a 66 year old man, I often feel like an outsider in the world of skateboarding. It can be a lonely and isolating experience, but at least I have my trusty Bones bearings to keep me company in the streets. I've had bearings that have been so extremely noisy, they've drawn unwanted attention to me as I try to blend in with the teens kids at the local.

I'll continue to lace up my shoes, hop on my board, and glide down the street, even if my bearings are a bit moody. After all, it's better than being stuck at home, feeling sad and alone haha.

I'm sorry to hear about your moody bearings. It might just be a phase though.

[Nth syd bear]

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So i've been a 20 year mid grade/Reds bearing guy. As an adult with expendable income should i buy a set of Swiss and call it a day? Heres my holdback...I destroy most bearings fairly fast cause i'm a hard and aggressive slappy guy. Out east we dont have banked curbs so i feel like the vertical slamming into curbs just wrecks the shit out of them faster. Can Swiss sustain the impact better for this or am i better off just sticking with Reds?

[close]

I've been slamming the same pair of Swiss bearings into vertical curbs since early 2020 and they have been great. I was in the same place - I could afford them, and I figured that three sets of Reds won't last me a year so if Swiss last at least that long, I'm out ahead. It's nearly '23 now and they're still my primary bearings in my primary skateboard. I clean them about once a year with some acetone and re-lube with sewing machine oil - the whole process takes ~30 minutes - and they keep spinning.

Cheers makes me think
I easily spend a 100 aussie $ on mediocre bearings each year.
Skating reds at the moment.. 

I think im going to have to bite and get some swiss when these reds die. 

[AgentOrange]

Have any one tried SKF Bearings? My reds are not holding up anymore and I want to try something new.

[gsosa]

I rock the Spitfire Classics, they are pretty good and last a long time and pretty cheap too

[sebbo]

After about 1,5 years my swiss 6 bearing cages start breaking one after another. 4 out of 8 already  :'(
Could that be due to the spacers? I am not jumping down shit. Mainly flat and ledges.

And is it better for the wheels to have a lot of wiggle room on the axle or better to have them tighter so the wheels only move a little. I believe the thing with the bearings started after tightening the axle screws more.

Edit: I just checked and all cages are broken now 

[logjammin]

I've been riding Bronson Raws since late summer and plenty of dusty as fuck indoor sessions and they're going strong. Fast, loud, consistent. I'm sure they're China made junk and maybe I just got lucky with my set, but I've had to constantly mess with many different pairs of Swiss from them seizing up fairly quick. 6 balls and regular 7 balls. So idk, try some Raw's if you want. I dig em.

[modern life is war]

I was in my local hardware store the other day and noticed they had a little bearing section and some of them were the same size as skateboard bearings. They had metal shields that were crimped on. There's a chance I read the price wrong but I think they were $15 each which seems ridiculous. Anyway, has anyone ever used bearings like these that were designed for some kind of machinery purpose instead of skateboard bearings?

[nopopnostyle]

After about 1,5 years my swiss 6 bearing cages start breaking one after another. 4 out of 8 already  :'(
Could that be due to the spacers? I am not jumping down shit. Mainly flat and ledges.

And is it better for the wheels to have a lot of wiggle room on the axle or better to have them tighter so the wheels only move a little. I believe the thing with the bearings started after tightening the axle screws more.

Edit: I just checked and all cages are broken now 

I've been running Six-Balls for many years. One of my sets currently in use has been going for 12 years now. Tried a lot of bearings and always came back to these because the seemed to be the toughest and I like the way they feel.

That being said I had three broken cages once and on further inspection I noticed that the spacers where not wide enough inside the wheel. If that's the case this will cause forces the bearings are not made for. Cranking down the nuts then will cause a lot of extra pressure on the inner race. I would recommend checking if the spacers fit the wheels.

Last time I checked you could order replacement cages from Bones/ Skate1..

Concerning wiggle, I always tighten the nuts down and then slowly untighten them until it feels nice to spin the wheels. So I prefer a slight wiggle.

[sebbo]

I've been running Six-Balls for many years. One of my sets currently in use has been going for 12 years now. Tried a lot of bearings and always came back to these because the seemed to be the toughest and I like the way they feel.

That being said I had three broken cages once and on further inspection I noticed that the spacers where not wide enough inside the wheel. If that's the case this will cause forces the bearings are not made for. Cranking down the nuts then will cause a lot of extra pressure on the inner race. I would recommend checking if the spacers fit the wheels.

Last time I checked you could order replacement cages from Bones/ Skate1..

Concerning wiggle, I always tighten the nuts down and then slowly untighten them until it feels nice to spin the wheels. So I prefer a slight wiggle.

I was really happy with them as well. Cleaned them regularly. I used the spacers they came with. Bummer! Seems like bones discontinued the cage replacements. Can't imagine a lot of people ordering them. Guess I have to ride reds now, as I still have some my girlfriend gifted me.  More wiggle room this time, like I used to.

[nopopnostyle]

https://bonesbearings.com/bones-bearings-6-ball-replacement-retainer-4pk

 

[sebbo]

https://bonesbearings.com/bones-bearings-6-ball-replacement-retainer-4pk

 

Thanks! Shipping would be 20$ to Germany and unfortunately I can't find them anywhere in Europe

[nopopnostyle]

You're welcome.
 I know that 24/7 distributes Bones in Germany but I don't know if they got the cages and if you can buy from them direct as a private person. I'll send you the contact anyway, it's never wrong to ask friendly. If its not possible to buy direct maybe your local shop can order them from the distribution for you..

[Roger__Kook]

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https://bonesbearings.com/bones-bearings-6-ball-replacement-retainer-4pk

 

[close]

Thanks! Shipping would be 20$ to Germany and unfortunately I can't find them anywhere in Europe

I'm in the UK and I broke a couple of cages in my Bone Big Balls, emailed Bones ([email protected]), and they sent me out new ones for free. Took a week or two to turn up because they came from the 'states but all in all pretty good.

[hiljentaa]

 Been running these cheap Kveni ceramics I saw someone post about awhile back, and I have to say- I think these are the best <$25 bearings out there.

Compared to cheaper metallic bearings, these stay way faster and smoother. I hate Amazon, but these are a solid buy.

https://www.amazon.com/KVENI-Ceramic-Skateboard-Bearings-Premium/dp/B0876LF98F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=1U395IXVMCD8H&keywords=kveni+ceramic+bearings&qid=1676223357&sprefix=kveni+%2Caps%2C301&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A3MMZGO8QD3XN3&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGWDlTRk1KQVpCUkomZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0NTg0MDAzUUhWTkNRNFlPT1FMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NTc3MjcyUkE1WFhUUldFNDUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[maggotspawn]

Been running these cheap Kveni ceramics I saw someone post about awhile back, and I have to say- I think these are the best <$25 bearings out there.

Compared to cheaper metallic bearings, these stay way faster and smoother. I hate Amazon, but these are a solid buy.

https://www.amazon.com/KVENI-Ceramic-Skateboard-Bearings-Premium/dp/B0876LF98F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=1U395IXVMCD8H&keywords=kveni+ceramic+bearings&qid=1676223357&sprefix=kveni+%2Caps%2C301&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A3MMZGO8QD3XN3&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGWDlTRk1KQVpCUkomZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0NTg0MDAzUUhWTkNRNFlPT1FMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NTc3MjcyUkE1WFhUUldFNDUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I think I posted about these bearings. They are killer.
I used to ride Bones Swiss until I found them.

[Acid Drop]

Cheezburger wheels
Ketchup bearings

[logjammin]

Expand Quote

Been running these cheap Kveni ceramics I saw someone post about awhile back, and I have to say- I think these are the best <$25 bearings out there.

Compared to cheaper metallic bearings, these stay way faster and smoother. I hate Amazon, but these are a solid buy.

https://www.amazon.com/KVENI-Ceramic-Skateboard-Bearings-Premium/dp/B0876LF98F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=1U395IXVMCD8H&keywords=kveni+ceramic+bearings&qid=1676223357&sprefix=kveni+%2Caps%2C301&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A3MMZGO8QD3XN3&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGWDlTRk1KQVpCUkomZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0NTg0MDAzUUhWTkNRNFlPT1FMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NTc3MjcyUkE1WFhUUldFNDUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[close]

I think I posted about these bearings. They are killer.
I used to ride Bones Swiss until I found them.

I definitely cannot keep those shields on. They last a good while without them before needing to be cleaned?

[IpathCats]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Been running these cheap Kveni ceramics I saw someone post about awhile back, and I have to say- I think these are the best <$25 bearings out there.

Compared to cheaper metallic bearings, these stay way faster and smoother. I hate Amazon, but these are a solid buy.

https://www.amazon.com/KVENI-Ceramic-Skateboard-Bearings-Premium/dp/B0876LF98F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=1U395IXVMCD8H&keywords=kveni+ceramic+bearings&qid=1676223357&sprefix=kveni+%2Caps%2C301&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A3MMZGO8QD3XN3&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFGWDlTRk1KQVpCUkomZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0NTg0MDAzUUhWTkNRNFlPT1FMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NTc3MjcyUkE1WFhUUldFNDUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[close]

I think I posted about these bearings. They are killer.
I used to ride Bones Swiss until I found them.

[close]

I definitely cannot keep those shields on. They last a good while without them before needing to be cleaned?

the description phrases in the pics on those amazon bearings are hilarious

"God did not give us wings, let KEVENI fly with you"

"Such as the blue ghost, quietly sneaking"

"casual manipulation, smooth feeling"

couple funny spelling errors, steel with two "l's"

[blahblah999]

the description phrases in the pics on those amazon bearings are hilarious

"God did not give us wings, let KEVENI fly with you"

"Such as the blue ghost, quietly sneaking"

"casual manipulation, smooth feeling"

couple funny spelling errors, steel with two "l's"

Pretty funny. Those are just cheap Chinese bearings with some corny marketing/branding thrown on them. Probably cost 50 cents a piece max to make.

[davy]

Bought some Bronson G3's out of curiosity and haven't gone back to reds in a long time. I'd like to try some Bones Swiss one day.

[Acid Drop]

I've had some Redz Ceramics but because the ceramic is so hard the shields kept popping off so I popped all the shields and then they got dirty easily and I stopped skating them. I cleaned them up and they still spin great but I need to get some new shields for them from Skateone.

Brought a new set of standard Reds. Going to go on the new set-up. Love the sound and feeling of reds.

[intendedreceivers]

Bought some Bronson G3's out of curiosity and haven't gone back to reds in a long time. I'd like to try some Bones Swiss one day.

People hate on Bronsons, but I don’t mind them at all. I had some regular G2s on my cruiser and one of the wheels would go for over 3 minutes if you gave it a good spin. Never once cleaned them. Still have them in the toolbox, but I upgraded to the Raw bearings because they’re fun.

The best sneaky-good bearings I’ve run across are these Rush All-Weather Ceramics. They feel, sound, and spin like they’re broken-in almost from the jump. Very pleasantly surprised, and you can definitely find them for $40-50. Decent price for ceramics, and they have plain white/cream-colored shields (embossed lettering only).

[goodatmeth]

Got some toy machine abec 7 for free and those are surprisingly good so far

[Puddy Smally]

Quantum Isotopes, and haven’t looked back at bones since.

Quantum’s are astounding.

[Boog]

Bought some Bronson G3's out of curiosity and haven't gone back to reds in a long time. I'd like to try some Bones Swiss one day.

I've been riding a pair of G3s for about 5 years and they're still going strong. I did infact just buy my first ever set of swiss yesterday and I'm really excited to see how much better they are.

[Pasta Monster]

Quantum Isotopes, and haven’t looked back at bones since.

Quantum’s are astounding.

I’m running the Isotopes with some conical fulls on my main board and they’re amazing. My flatground board has the 3-year old Swiss set on Classics and it’s not as smooth, even after cleaning/maintaining. When I get the chance, I may replace the Isotopes with Atoms and replace the Swiss with the Isotopes.

[Quantum_Bearing_Science]

Thank you, guys!  Appreciate it so much.

[NYRAD]

Im Running Bronson Ceramics and absolutely love them

And Quantum aren't in South Africa 🇿🇦

[Quantum_Bearing_Science]

We’re trying.  The rest of the world is tough for getting distributors.

If you spend $70 in our web store, we’ll ship worldwide for free.

Order some ceramics and a tee shirt (or go in with a friend on a couple of sets) and you’re there!

(And t-shirt sales benefit me 💯 😂)