Which Bearings Are You Guys Running?

[Daewons front truck]

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Or you could just put an old, broken bearing on your axle before pressing your bearings on. Surprised this isn't the standard method.

[close]

That might be slightly better than what most people do, but hardly ideal. There will still be significant pressure on the inner race if you do it that way. The way I described puts zero pressure on the inner race.

Oust preferably, Reds or Modus if I'm strapped for cash.

[Whicker]

Have you guys ever seen a pair of fake Swiss 6? Bought them from an authorized shop but the box looks a little sketch and the "made in Switzerland" text is a sticker. The text on the shields  looks fine tho.

[Mbrimson88]

Have you guys ever seen a pair of fake Swiss 6? Bought them from an authorized shop but the box looks a little sketch and the "made in Switzerland" text is a sticker. The text on the shields  looks fine tho.

Most likely old stock.

And no I have never seen fake six ball bearings, only the regular seven balls in most options.


The original bearings in any option didn't have the words "Made in Switzerland" and so they put the stickers on the boxes for a while and then had them printed on the boxes more recently, so it is most likely one of those lots.

In general I think the Swiss six balls just don't sell anywhere near as well as the regular Swiss white box bearings, so quite a few places would be sitting on them for a while, compared to selling cartons of regular Swiss bearings every month or so.


https://bonesbearings.com/bones-reg-super-swiss-6-skateboard-bearings-8-pack


Edit - added pics.


Older pack with "Made in..." sticker in black:




New pack with white print on the box:

[Whicker]

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Have you guys ever seen a pair of fake Swiss 6? Bought them from an authorized shop but the box looks a little sketch and the "made in Switzerland" text is a sticker. The text on the shields  looks fine tho.

[close]

Most likely old stock.

And no I have never seen fake six ball bearings, only the regular seven balls in most options.


The original bearings in any option didn't have the words "Made in Switzerland" and so they put the stickers on the boxes for a while and then had them printed on the boxes more recently, so it is most likely one of those lots.

In general I think the Swiss six balls just don't sell anywhere near as well as the regular Swiss white box bearings, so quite a few places would be sitting on them for a while, compared to selling cartons of regular Swiss bearings every month or so.


https://bonesbearings.com/bones-reg-super-swiss-6-skateboard-bearings-8-pack


Edit - added pics.


Older pack with "Made in..." sticker in black:




New pack with white print on the box:

Thank you, your box with the sticker looks the same as mine. They are likely old stock like you said.

I wonder why the original swiss sell so much better? I was honestly just going to buy the original but saw these for the same price.

[LebowskisRug]

They sell better because lots of skaters go with what they know by habit. Everyone knows standard Swiss are great so why change even if the price is the same?

[Maccat]

My main set up has some Quantum Ceramics and those things go. Worth the cash dropped on these, looking to see how they hold up long term.

Had some Hard Luck ceramics and those weren’t half bad either. My fav bearing I’ve had were some NMBs that I have no idea where I got em from but were loud and fast as shit.

[rikki]

Quantum Atoms break easily. I mean, really easily compared to e.g. Bones Swiss etc. Was kind of feeling them at first, but I've had two of 'em break on me in the past month after some hard skating. Back to Bones for me. Six Balls for life.

[Southernmost]

Currently skating Bones Swiss with shields on. Have another older pair with no shields that I’ll probably switch back to or use for a future set up. Not sure if it’s the sound or the feeling but a broken in pair of Swiss with no shields just seems better to me.

[Mbrimson88]

I wonder why the original swiss sell so much better? I was honestly just going to buy the original but saw these for the same price.

They were the tried and tested product from the 80s and six ball came later.

People like things that they know work and there would be a lot of people who all used or have heard about the Bones Swiss bearings so the name alone is up there with other skate legend as one of the greats.


Not to say there is anything wrong with the Bones Swiss Six or any of their other bearings, as they all work fine, as per the few sets of Swiss Six I have had over the years too, but I have had a lot more regular Swiss than any other option.


*  Note the Bones Big Balls had issues with the ball retainer cage breaking easily, but once they fixed that, they are also good bearings.  Just one small fault and most people will not touch them again, even if they have sorted out the problem, but they are different to Swiss Six bearings.

[radcunt]

I've got Swiss Six, & 2 sets of Swiss on my boards and can't remember which are which, but they're all good.  Can't tell the  but are kinda loosening up. 

[LebowskisRug]

Quantum Atoms break easily. I mean, really easily compared to e.g. Bones Swiss etc. Was kind of feeling them at first, but I've had two of 'em break on me in the past month after some hard skating. Back to Bones for me. Six Balls for life.

I have found the opposite. I'm almost 2 years on my atoms and haven't had a single issue. Lube every 6 months and keep rolling.

[rikki]

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Quantum Atoms break easily. I mean, really easily compared to e.g. Bones Swiss etc. Was kind of feeling them at first, but I've had two of 'em break on me in the past month after some hard skating. Back to Bones for me. Six Balls for life.

[close]

I have found the opposite. I'm almost 2 years on my atoms and haven't had a single issue. Lube every 6 months and keep rolling.

Good to hear – maybe I've skated too hard. Do you keep the shields on?

[rikki]

At the risk of beating a horse that's died many deaths: someone above mentioned shields, and reminded me of the fact that I've never ridden bearings without shields in my life, I mean, for real.

Can someone tell me at least one solid reason why I should do it? If someone can solidly tell me they are faster without the shields, I could try it. Aesthetical reasons do not really convince me, as the noise etc. is a matter of taste. To each their own. But if they actually perform better without the shields – I'm in.

[Sativa Lung]

At the risk of beating a horse that's died many deaths: someone above mentioned shields, and reminded me of the fact that I've never ridden bearings without shields in my life, I mean, for real.

Can someone tell me at least one solid reason why I should do it? If someone can solidly tell me they are faster without the shields, I could try it. Aesthetical reasons do not really convince me, as the noise etc. is a matter of taste. To each their own. But if they actually perform better without the shields – I'm in.

They don't perform better, they just sound cooler to some people and most skaters are creatures of habit. People also have a tendency to bend them when they're servicing their bearings and cause them to rub which is obviously alleviated by popping the shield, but you could get the same effect plus actually be protected by just replacing the shields.

Just beware that not every shield fits every 508 bearing. When I rust out a set I keep all the unbent shields in a pill bottle or old bearing case and use those to replace any that I accidentally mangle.

[Makaveli]

I buy whatever is cheap, but sounds good. Then, I pop the shields off and always forget what bearings I am riding.

[downtodevin]

Normally run Reds. I just got some of the metallic Quantums. I just can’t bring myself to spend too much on bearings. Maybe one day I’ll try some ceramics.

[manysnakes]

Quantum Atoms break easily. I mean, really easily compared to e.g. Bones Swiss etc. Was kind of feeling them at first, but I've had two of 'em break on me in the past month after some hard skating. Back to Bones for me. Six Balls for life.

Yeah, maybe the metallic ones are better, but it has been my experience that they are exactly what you should expect for $45 ceramic bearings. If you believe you're getting some incredible bearing which rivals much more expensive options, you're going to be disappointed.

[Boog]

Been riding swiss for about a month. Not going back to anything else.

[LebowskisRug]

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Quantum Atoms break easily. I mean, really easily compared to e.g. Bones Swiss etc. Was kind of feeling them at first, but I've had two of 'em break on me in the past month after some hard skating. Back to Bones for me. Six Balls for life.

[close]

I have found the opposite. I'm almost 2 years on my atoms and haven't had a single issue. Lube every 6 months and keep rolling.

[close]

Good to hear – maybe I've skated too hard. Do you keep the shields on?

I ran them off at first just because I'd never tried that, but then realized that yes- doing so is moronic so I put them back on. They feel just as fast both ways but needed much more constant lube with no shields.

[rikki]

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Quantum Atoms break easily. I mean, really easily compared to e.g. Bones Swiss etc. Was kind of feeling them at first, but I've had two of 'em break on me in the past month after some hard skating. Back to Bones for me. Six Balls for life.

[close]

I have found the opposite. I'm almost 2 years on my atoms and haven't had a single issue. Lube every 6 months and keep rolling.

[close]

Good to hear – maybe I've skated too hard. Do you keep the shields on?

[close]

I ran them off at first just because I'd never tried that, but then realized that yes- doing so is moronic so I put them back on. They feel just as fast both ways but needed much more constant lube with no shields.

That's how I've ended up feeling about shields. I mean, it seems more like a fad to pop the shields off than anything else.

Re: lubing – Quantum actually does not recommed lubing the bearings if you're running them without the shields so as not to collect dirt. I don't know man, the whole shieldless thing seems just sketchy for an old kook like me.

[frontsideNECKTIE]

This might have been answered but there's 30+ pages in this thread now...

Is getting Swiss or higher grade bearings worthwhile if you're rough on bearings? I don't really think about avoiding getting them dirty, and only clean them if I notice they are clearly slow or rusty. I'll clean the whole lot at that time and give em some Speed Cream, but that's maybe 2-3 times for the life of the set.

Are Swiss of any stronger construction? Do they rust/get filthy less easily? I don't want to slap $50+ bearings on a board if I have to be conscious of them.

[smellsdead]

This might have been answered but there's 30+ pages in this thread now...

Is getting Swiss or higher grade bearings worthwhile if you're rough on bearings? I don't really think about avoiding getting them dirty, and only clean them if I notice they are clearly slow or rusty. I'll clean the whole lot at that time and give em some Speed Cream, but that's maybe 2-3 times for the life of the set.

Are Swiss of any stronger construction? Do they rust/get filthy less easily? I don't want to slap $50+ bearings on a board if I have to be conscious of them.

i use my swiss on my snowskate and wakeskate in addition to my mountain and regular board

no issues here

[Pasta Monster]

This might have been answered but there's 30+ pages in this thread now...

Is getting Swiss or higher grade bearings worthwhile if you're rough on bearings? I don't really think about avoiding getting them dirty, and only clean them if I notice they are clearly slow or rusty. I'll clean the whole lot at that time and give em some Speed Cream, but that's maybe 2-3 times for the life of the set.

Are Swiss of any stronger construction? Do they rust/get filthy less easily? I don't want to slap $50+ bearings on a board if I have to be conscious of them.

I used to break Reds and Bronson G3 on a monthly basis—probably from landing primo too often. A set of Swiss lasted me nearly three years. I’m pretty sure I broke the one bearing by incorrectly applying pressure when I swapped wheels. It’s worth it if you’re buying $10-25 bearings every one or two months. As long as you keep your shields on, you shouldn’t have to worry about dirt.

Edit: I’m rocking Oski’s SKFs but it’s still too early to tell how good they are, since I haven’t even put in five hours yet. If they last less than six months, I’m going to try Swiss 6, but will go for Swiss Ceramic if a shop has a discount on hardgoods.

[frontsideNECKTIE]

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This might have been answered but there's 30+ pages in this thread now...

Is getting Swiss or higher grade bearings worthwhile if you're rough on bearings? I don't really think about avoiding getting them dirty, and only clean them if I notice they are clearly slow or rusty. I'll clean the whole lot at that time and give em some Speed Cream, but that's maybe 2-3 times for the life of the set.

Are Swiss of any stronger construction? Do they rust/get filthy less easily? I don't want to slap $50+ bearings on a board if I have to be conscious of them.

[close]

i use my swiss on my snowskate and wakeskate in addition to my mountain and regular board

no issues here

Good to know, might be my next purchase. Everyone sings their praises but I was always skeptical

[IUTSM]

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This might have been answered but there's 30+ pages in this thread now...

Is getting Swiss or higher grade bearings worthwhile if you're rough on bearings? I don't really think about avoiding getting them dirty, and only clean them if I notice they are clearly slow or rusty. I'll clean the whole lot at that time and give em some Speed Cream, but that's maybe 2-3 times for the life of the set.

Are Swiss of any stronger construction? Do they rust/get filthy less easily? I don't want to slap $50+ bearings on a board if I have to be conscious of them.

[close]

i use my swiss on my snowskate and wakeskate in addition to my mountain and regular board

no issues here

[close]

Good to know, might be my next purchase. Everyone sings their praises but I was always skeptical

My old lady insisted on bones swiss for my yakuza beads cuz she wanted that smooth, fast, and never ending ride we all know and luv.

[j....soy.....]

I question how the variances in the bearings can save them from the situations we put them in ie. me incessantly landing primo, but anecdotally most people have success with Swiss…..

[manysnakes]

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This might have been answered but there's 30+ pages in this thread now...

Is getting Swiss or higher grade bearings worthwhile if you're rough on bearings? I don't really think about avoiding getting them dirty, and only clean them if I notice they are clearly slow or rusty. I'll clean the whole lot at that time and give em some Speed Cream, but that's maybe 2-3 times for the life of the set.

Are Swiss of any stronger construction? Do they rust/get filthy less easily? I don't want to slap $50+ bearings on a board if I have to be conscious of them.

[close]

i use my swiss on my snowskate and wakeskate in addition to my mountain and regular board

no issues here

[close]

Good to know, might be my next purchase. Everyone sings their praises but I was always skeptical

In my experience, they are everything that people claim they are. I've had the same $55 (on sale) pair for three years. In the years prior, I was replacing the bearings every couple of months with another set of $25 Reds. Spending ~$60 every three years is a much better use of my money than $25 every three months.

[IUTSM]

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This might have been answered but there's 30+ pages in this thread now...

Is getting Swiss or higher grade bearings worthwhile if you're rough on bearings? I don't really think about avoiding getting them dirty, and only clean them if I notice they are clearly slow or rusty. I'll clean the whole lot at that time and give em some Speed Cream, but that's maybe 2-3 times for the life of the set.

Are Swiss of any stronger construction? Do they rust/get filthy less easily? I don't want to slap $50+ bearings on a board if I have to be conscious of them.

[close]

i use my swiss on my snowskate and wakeskate in addition to my mountain and regular board

no issues here

[close]

Good to know, might be my next purchase. Everyone sings their praises but I was always skeptical

[close]

In my experience, they are everything that people claim they are. I've had the same $55 (on sale) pair for three years. In the years prior, I was replacing the bearings every couple of months with another set of $25 Reds. Spending ~$60 every three years is a much better use of my money than $25 every three months.

i recently busted out a set from a long ass time ago, from you know, when i actually skated a lot. no shields and they're still screaming

[logjammin]

I fuck up bearings from slappies, even swiss and swiss 6 I'll have to pretty frequently take them out and give them an alcohol bath and relube because some just totally seize up. I've never found them to be INSANELY better than cheap Reds like some people swear.

Bought Bronson Raws idk how many months ago but it's been quite awhile and they haven't done that seizing up thing whatsoever. I probably have never really needed to clean them but since the shields are already off, once or twice when setting up a new board I was bored and cleaned them and put them back on without relubing them or anything. The spin test and audible feedback is nuts, unlike any bearing I've tried. If these break I'll try quantum's but honestly, I think Bronson Raws are better than Bones bearings unless I just got lucky, shrug.

[Easy Slider]

I had to throw away the third Quantum Fusion bearing today due to mechanical failure. No high impact, not even slappies were performed on those. To say I am disappointed would be an understatement as I specifically bought them for a rain slappy set up but as it turns out they can‘t even handle nice weather old man flatground skating. That will teach me.