Which Bearings Are You Guys Running?

[fulfillthedream]

i got some bronson g3's and they didn't do it for me. a few did break in with that nice spin but the others had that sluggish sound to them. popped the shields and they eventually got back to being sluggish.

took some old quantum isotopes out the garage, cleaned them with alcohol and relubed and they've been good so far.

[Osage]

  Reading this thread and looking for cheap ceramics for a rain board got me thinking that I've never bought anything more expensive than Reds in my life. I don't really care about going as fast as possible and honestly, for a good while now have just been riding old bearings I've saved. Reds or Mini Logos mismatched. I'll clean and oil them and once one just doesn't spin great I toss it and replace it with another from the bag of used bearings. I went to the skatepark today and rode my Sons board for a while. He's been on Swiss 6 for a couple months and I was kind of shocked at how smooth they were. Not just a smooth ride, which they had, but it seemed like there was less vibration coming up through my feet and cracks just weren't quite as noticeable even though he rides harder and slightly smaller wheels. Is this a thing? Not just a better ride but slightly less fatiguing as well? Was I just making this up because the roll was better? It really made me want to buy some nice bearings and try them in my setup.

  Ok, went skating today and this was actually really bugging me and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I drove to a local surf shop that sells some basic skate gear and bought a new set of reds. I would have bought Swiss but they didn't have them. Went back to the skatepark and swapped them out. Right away everything felt smoother and just better. Speed was the same but I truly don't care about going fast. The were obviously much quieter. My first set of new bearings in a long time. I looked at my old bearings and there were 4 of the old Mini logos, 2 Reds and two that I couldn't ID. Probably some cheapos that came free with wheels from TGM or something like that. These were all just pulled from my big bag of used but still spinning bearings. I got home and literally tossed the bag of old bearings. I don't need a crappier ride just to save a few bucks.

[rikki]

I don't need a crappier ride just to save a few bucks.

This should be framed on everyone's wall.

Plus, if one cares about going as fast as possible, an investment in quality bearings is 100% worth it. Once I went Swiss back in the day, I've never looked back. The difference is an objective fact.

[fulfillthedream]

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I don't need a crappier ride just to save a few bucks.

[close]

This should be framed on everyone's wall.

Plus, if one cares about going as fast as possible, an investment in quality bearings is 100% worth it. Once I went Swiss back in the day, I've never looked back. The difference is an objective fact.

In my experience Swiss bones/ swiss 6 - fast, durable and reliable

[Bristol_Palin]

I usually just skate reds. I had bones Swiss like 15 years ago and my set up got stolen when I was going to school in north Philly and my house got robbed (we speculate my board was used to move a broken stereo that was also stolen which is silly).

I just bought a pair of reds big balls because they were on sale and because big balls sounds silly. First impression - they’re blue. They’re reds but they’re blue? Odd.

Second impression I feel like my reds I just swapped out were a little faster and definitely louder. I only skated the reds big balls once and it was windy so they might be better next session. I don’t have any quarrels with them just don’t know what the difference is just yet.

[Xen]

Rotating the bronson family: Cermaics (free), Raws, G3s (on sale). Raws are my fav right now, just loud and fast.

[dayraze]

Bronson G3's they are fast reliable bearing, clean them about once a year on multiple setups. Got few stocked up from clearance sales on the promodel.

[Richard Skidder]

Currently on year old Super Reds. Still smooth and decently fast. Cleaned once 6 months ago and still quiet. I am sitting on a set of Quantum Diamonds I’m debating about setting up. Was waiting till my current bearings start to lag but I’ve had them on my work bench for 6 months so…

[Ok]

Rotating the bronson family: Cermaics (free), Raws, G3s (on sale). Raws are my fav right now, just loud and fast.

raw faster than ceramics?
i like loud

[jsettle]

Anybody tried out the new Olympia Bearings since they just re-launched with Gilbert and Westgate on the team? If so, are they pretty decent?

[moonordie]

Anybody tried out the new Olympia Bearings since they just re-launched with Gilbert and Westgate on the team? If so, are they pretty decent?

Any link? Couldn't find anything on IG. Just curious but idc too much since in my mind if it's not Bones swiss gtfo

[Mbrimson88]

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Anybody tried out the new Olympia Bearings since they just re-launched with Gilbert and Westgate on the team? If so, are they pretty decent?

[close]

Any link? Couldn't find anything on IG. Just curious but idc too much since in my mind if it's not Bones swiss gtfo

Just had to check - found the site, then everything else from there:


https://www.olympia.supply/

https://www.instagram.com/olympia.supply



From looking up shops that have them, I see SPOT and CCS has them all:

https://skateparkoftampa.com/collections/olympia


Bronze (standard) $20
Silver (six ball) $30
Gold (ceramic) $50

Bolts $5


Seems pretty standard, just going by price anyway.

[Big Brother]

OG Bones Swiss forever. shields off

[Rick Trapasso]

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Polarizer - bones swiss

Zip zinger - quantum isotopes

Antihero scallywag - quantum isotopes

Regular setup (8.38 14.5wb dlx) - bones swiss

I've always been a shields on guy, but I recently popped the shields on my regular setup to see if I like it or not. My hopes are that I can just throw a drop of lube in them every so often and won't have to take them out of my wheels, or my wheels off my board.

My fears are that I'll ruin a perfectly good set of swiss bearings.

Only one way to find out. 🤷

[close]

Keep us posted. I'm also a shields-always-on guy but been thinking similarly. Interested to know how your experiment goes.

Just added a drop of lube to each bearing for the first time since November, I'd say the shields off experiment was a success for me.

Some salt def got in there over the winter and a bunch of dust from the new Crete at the skatepark.

I feel like the damage to the bearings just reduced the break in time after lubing.

This probably isn't optimal for peak performance, but for the sound/convenience factor vs actually cleaning them like once every couple months I'm probably just gonna stick with this until it stops working.

[Goggzy60]

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Polarizer - bones swiss

Zip zinger - quantum isotopes

Antihero scallywag - quantum isotopes

Regular setup (8.38 14.5wb dlx) - bones swiss

I've always been a shields on guy, but I recently popped the shields on my regular setup to see if I like it or not. My hopes are that I can just throw a drop of lube in them every so often and won't have to take them out of my wheels, or my wheels off my board.

My fears are that I'll ruin a perfectly good set of swiss bearings.

Only one way to find out. 🤷

[close]

Keep us posted. I'm also a shields-always-on guy but been thinking similarly. Interested to know how your experiment goes.

[close]

Just added a drop of lube to each bearing for the first time since November, I'd say the shields off experiment was a success for me.

Some salt def got in there over the winter and a bunch of dust from the new Crete at the skatepark.

I feel like the damage to the bearings just reduced the break in time after lubing.

This probably isn't optimal for peak performance, but for the sound/convenience factor vs actually cleaning them like once every couple months I'm probably just gonna stick with this until it stops working.

I’m always shields off I got a set of ceramics reds this winter that I’m still weary too do it on but going to grab some skfs Monday they’ll stay shielded for a week or two then shields off I tend to find in the uk at least I need to cleaning bearings at least twice a year.

[camel filters]

Currently on some Bones Swiss I received for Christmas. They are doing very well. I've had reds in the past that were this good and also reds that wore out very quickly. If these swiss reach the better part of a year and beyond after cleaning them, I might just do swiss in the future.

[Rick Trapasso]

Currently on some Bones Swiss I received for Christmas. They are doing very well. I've had reds in the past that were this good and also reds that wore out very quickly. If these swiss reach the better part of a year and beyond after cleaning them, I might just do swiss in the future.

I feel like that is totally dependent on how dirty/dusty the places you skate are.

The main difference I've found with swiss vs reds is that swiss can be cleaned and brought back to life more times than reds.

[Goggzy60]

I found some Destructo (Speed Metal) bearings in storage they are still new in box must be a minimum 20 years old as the box is old school stuff from 2005. Anyone know where they were made back then and if anyone still uses the same manufacturer.

[JimmyFive]

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Polarizer - bones swiss

Zip zinger - quantum isotopes

Antihero scallywag - quantum isotopes

Regular setup (8.38 14.5wb dlx) - bones swiss

I've always been a shields on guy, but I recently popped the shields on my regular setup to see if I like it or not. My hopes are that I can just throw a drop of lube in them every so often and won't have to take them out of my wheels, or my wheels off my board.

My fears are that I'll ruin a perfectly good set of swiss bearings.

Only one way to find out. 🤷

[close]

Keep us posted. I'm also a shields-always-on guy but been thinking similarly. Interested to know how your experiment goes.

[close]

Just added a drop of lube to each bearing for the first time since November, I'd say the shields off experiment was a success for me.

Some salt def got in there over the winter and a bunch of dust from the new Crete at the skatepark.

I feel like the damage to the bearings just reduced the break in time after lubing.

This probably isn't optimal for peak performance, but for the sound/convenience factor vs actually cleaning them like once every couple months I'm probably just gonna stick with this until it stops working.

[close]

I’m always shields off I got a set of ceramics reds this winter that I’m still weary too do it on but going to grab some skfs Monday they’ll stay shielded for a week or two then shields off I tend to find in the uk at least I need to cleaning bearings at least twice a year.

Shields off is not the way to go with the SKF's because they use a special grease lubricant that will attract dust like flies to shite. Unless you want to clean them and then use a minimal amount of oil. I'd advise against though, the bearings will last a lot longer with the lube in and shields on.

[Goggzy60]

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Polarizer - bones swiss

Zip zinger - quantum isotopes

Antihero scallywag - quantum isotopes

Regular setup (8.38 14.5wb dlx) - bones swiss

I've always been a shields on guy, but I recently popped the shields on my regular setup to see if I like it or not. My hopes are that I can just throw a drop of lube in them every so often and won't have to take them out of my wheels, or my wheels off my board.

My fears are that I'll ruin a perfectly good set of swiss bearings.

Only one way to find out. 🤷

[close]

Keep us posted. I'm also a shields-always-on guy but been thinking similarly. Interested to know how your experiment goes.

[close]

Just added a drop of lube to each bearing for the first time since November, I'd say the shields off experiment was a success for me.

Some salt def got in there over the winter and a bunch of dust from the new Crete at the skatepark.

I feel like the damage to the bearings just reduced the break in time after lubing.

This probably isn't optimal for peak performance, but for the sound/convenience factor vs actually cleaning them like once every couple months I'm probably just gonna stick with this until it stops working.

[close]

I’m always shields off I got a set of ceramics reds this winter that I’m still weary too do it on but going to grab some skfs Monday they’ll stay shielded for a week or two then shields off I tend to find in the uk at least I need to cleaning bearings at least twice a year.

[close]

Shields off is not the way to go with the SKF's because they use a special grease lubricant that will attract dust like flies to shite. Unless you want to clean them and then use a minimal amount of oil. I'd advise against though, the bearings will last a lot longer with the lube in and shields on.

Yeah they are ones that I’m looking for that old sound if they don’t sound right in like a month I’ll stop using them anyway.

[moonordie]

I'm pretty sure that taking the shields off was due to guys exchanging their bearings from their sponsor so they could skate Bones swiss so they wouldn't be busted.

[JimmyFive]

I'm pretty sure that taking the shields off was due to guys exchanging their bearings from their sponsor so they could skate Bones swiss so they wouldn't be busted.

Sounds like a likely story.

[Weeb_poser]

Running Bronson RAWs. I like the no fuss approach and they just work

[Goggzy60]

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Polarizer - bones swiss

Zip zinger - quantum isotopes

Antihero scallywag - quantum isotopes

Regular setup (8.38 14.5wb dlx) - bones swiss

I've always been a shields on guy, but I recently popped the shields on my regular setup to see if I like it or not. My hopes are that I can just throw a drop of lube in them every so often and won't have to take them out of my wheels, or my wheels off my board.

My fears are that I'll ruin a perfectly good set of swiss bearings.

Only one way to find out. 🤷

[close]

Keep us posted. I'm also a shields-always-on guy but been thinking similarly. Interested to know how your experiment goes.

[close]

Just added a drop of lube to each bearing for the first time since November, I'd say the shields off experiment was a success for me.

Some salt def got in there over the winter and a bunch of dust from the new Crete at the skatepark.

I feel like the damage to the bearings just reduced the break in time after lubing.

This probably isn't optimal for peak performance, but for the sound/convenience factor vs actually cleaning them like once every couple months I'm probably just gonna stick with this until it stops working.

[close]

I’m always shields off I got a set of ceramics reds this winter that I’m still weary too do it on but going to grab some skfs Monday they’ll stay shielded for a week or two then shields off I tend to find in the uk at least I need to cleaning bearings at least twice a year.

[close]

Shields off is not the way to go with the SKF's because they use a special grease lubricant that will attract dust like flies to shite. Unless you want to clean them and then use a minimal amount of oil. I'd advise against though, the bearings will last a lot longer with the lube in and shields on.

[close]

Yeah they are ones that I’m looking for that old sound if they don’t sound right in like a month I’ll stop using them anyway.

I don’t know if I got defective skfs or if it was me but 5 sessions and I blew out the bearing in one wheel (front left skate regular) on a front slappy nosegrind maybe I punished them abit skating the park.

[Eddy Mitchel]

Bronson Raws are the best to me

[Beardedpirate]

Bronson RAWs at present, but being in the uk and the weather being nasty and the skateparks being dusty I am probably cleaning them once a month due to the dust and grit eventually piling up in them. 

[mrosk8]

SkF Alexis no shield
they are perfect and last long

[Goggzy60]

Bronson RAWs at present, but being in the uk and the weather being nasty and the skateparks being dusty I am probably cleaning them once a month due to the dust and grit eventually piling up in them.

Scotland myself, feel shields make little difference up here with the shitty weather, set up ceramic bones in November mainly skating indoors and those nice white shields are stained a manky baby diarrhoea colour.

[Noble Experiment]

All my shit is mismatched. I have a friend that thinks it’s weird that when I break one I just replace it with whatever one I can find. “Don’t you just switch em all out if one breaks? You can’t have one be mismatched, it throws the board off! They all gotta be matching!” I just say “when you break a bolt do you switch em all out? No, you find a spare and keep riding, so why switch out a whole set if only one breaks?” Fuck it, I got a mix of Bronsons, Bones, Enjoi, Spitfire, Modus, and probably more. I notice no difference.

[Osage]

All my shit is mismatched. I have a friend that thinks it’s weird that when I break one I just replace it with whatever one I can find. “Don’t you just switch em all out if one breaks? You can’t have one be mismatched, it throws the board off! They all gotta be matching!” I just say “when you break a bolt do you switch em all out? No, you find a spare and keep riding, so why switch out a whole set if only one breaks?” Fuck it, I got a mix of Bronsons, Bones, Enjoi, Spitfire, Modus, and probably more. I notice no difference.

  I did this for a good while. Jut riding whatever used mismatched bearings I could find. Recently I rode someone else's board, with the same wheels as mine and I immediately noticed how much smoother the ride was. Not faster but just more comfortable under my feet. I bought a new set of Reds later that day and set them up. The difference was quite noticeable for me.