How Cartidge Bearings Reduce Hub Weight

by John Neugent

Tech articles | Commentary articles

John Neugent probably knows more about bicycle wheels than anyone else alive. Maybe more about bikes as well. He's spent his life in the bike business, at every level. He now owns Neugent Cycling, a firm devoted to delivering world-class equipment at the lowest possible price. If you are in the market for a set of wheels, please, check out John's site. He really knows his stuff. —Chairman Bill

John Neugent

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John Neugent writes:

I am only going to comment on hub bearings. The first modern use of cartridge bearings in hubs was the early ’70s. Phil Wood was either the first or one of the first to use them in his hubs. While both Shimano and Campy still use cup and cone bearings in their high end hubs, almost all other hub makers use sealed cartridge bearings which are lighter, less expensive, and can be sealed.

There is an argument that cup and cone bearings are easier to service. That can be put to rest by the introduction of inexpensive bearing press kits available on Amazon for as little as $40. Those kits typically have press fitting pieces for all of the cartridge bearings on the bike.

The easiest way to make hubs lighter is to use smaller bearings. So now it’s common to find hub makers in Asia with sub 100 gram front hubs and rear hubs in the 220 gram range. They reduce weight primarily by reducing size. But reducing their size means they are not as durable. But with the introduction of the inexpensive press kit, replacing the bearings is a simple and fast job.

Look at the price of high-end hubs. Most offer durability as an advantage but when you can have equal performance for a fraction of cost, there is an argument for buying the less expensive hubs. Most cartridge bearings are available for under $10.

Bearing quality is often related to their tolerance. Most common on bicycle hubs are Abec 3 or 5. Abec 3 bearings have a tolerance of .0002“ (that’s 2 ten thousandths of an inch. Abec 5 are .0001” If you think you can feel the difference.....

Abec grade is only one of the determinations of bearing quality so it’s a good idea to stick with brands you know and trust, like Enduro or SKF, but even if you buy a lower end bearing it’s still going to perform well.

I prefer getting bearings that are marked 2RS which means they have 2 rubber seals. The bearings come lubricated with grease which can last 10,000 miles if it’s not contaminated. Contamination is by far the most common cause of bearing wear so don’t power hose the bearings. I have many customers with over 10,000 miles on the wheels and they haven’t been serviced.

The reason cartridge bearings are so inexpensive is the size of the market. They are mostly used on electric motors, which is a much bigger market than bicycles. So you can take advantage of the low cost handed to us by the electric motor industry.

John Neugent was was one of the first to establish quality hand building in Taiwan around the turn of the century. He now owns Neugent Cycling, a firm devoted to delivering world-class equipment at the lowest possible price.