Recommend wheels and bearings for outdoor skating on asphalt streets
I've been skating the same Jogger Sure Grip plates for 30 years, exclusively outdoors on asphalt streets. The streets in my vicinity are not in great shape for the most part, so I seek out the smoothest route to my destination. I will hop up on the sidewalk sometimes because the street is just too rough.
I am on my 2nd set of uppers, basketball shoes that I attached myself to the Joggers. Figure to shop for my 3rd set online, no doubt New Balance 11 4E because those almost inevitably fit me perfectly.
So far, I've been skating Kryptonics 70mm (someone recommended me those 30 years ago), and the ones I put on a ~month ago are red Kryptonics "Route 70mm." I have used several different sets of not expensive steel bearings, gotten less than good luck recently with them not seizing up suddenly, so have been looking to up my bearing game... new bearings, and a new cleaning, lubrication regimen. Information out on the internet seems spotty, inconsistent. I have yet to find what appears to be a thorough and reliable source of information on these topics. I bought a couple sets of ceramic ball/steel race bearings recently, nothing fancy (Oldboy, Kveni: both have one side open), put in the Oldboy in my new wheels, seem to roll OK, I'm over 100 miles on them now.
In a thread I was recommended to change wheels.
I don't tend to skate if it looks like rain or the street is wet, but of course, I could get caught in something.
Recently, I'm sheltering due to CV19, but have been skating daily, about 5.5 miles. After a very rough block I reach a street that's pretty smooth asphalt and I go up and down 6 times (variable grade, mostly pretty slight, but definitely noticeable the whole way). Takes me around 37 minutes, the entire session, and I wear a heart rate monitor.
I used to just spin my wheels to see if my bearings were performing, but figure I should clean/lube them more often. A seized bearing if on the downslope portion of my daily skate at speed could cause a disastrous fall. I just ordered a bearing cleaning bottle. I used to use acetone, but am running low, so have used gasoline for the last month, using glass bottles to clean my old bearings. So far just using 3in1 oil to lube cleaned steel bearings (which I've set aside for spares), but figure a better lubricant is a good idea. I have bicycle bearing greases (I haven't tried them on skate bearings), have done my own bike maintenance for decades.
Well, I'd appreciate some discussion on these issues: Recommended wheels, bearings, cleaning techniques and intervals and lubricants. Thank you!
Comments
I've used bike chain oil on my bearings, seems to work alright but I only used it to get rid of the oil haha.
So I've tried to help in previous threads but this time I asked my art skating coach what he has used for 40 years to clean and lube bearings. His answer was gasoline and 3 in 1 oil! Exactly what you used!
Ha, that's rich! I only started using gasoline around a month ago. Most places online don't say to use it and I even found one that said don't. But I recall having read I can use gasoline (well over a year ago) and one day filling my car's tank, I pumped a quart or two into one of my gas cans with the intent of cleaning my skate bearings with it. Never got around to it until a month ago. It does smell somewhat nasty, I worked outdoors and wicked off the excess gas with an old rag I subsequently hung on a clothesline. Gasoline's pretty volatile and after a day or so the smell was gone. Left the bearings in the sun a while too, to get them to dry out before dabbing a bit of 3in1 on them.
Figure I'll maybe go back to acetone. Acetone is nice in that it evaporates a lot faster than gasoline. It's a great solvent. I used it a lot when I was working on boats on the docks many years ago. It doesn't scare me. Gasoline, though, it's sorta scary and it smells much worse. I have paint thinner too, also naphtha. I'm going to buy a gallon or two of acetone in the near future.
I don't use bike chain oil. I use a light motor oil on my bike chain, again, using a rag to wipe it down. I've seen mention of using motor oil to lube skate bearings. Like I said, the information out there for skate bearings is just all over the place and I haven't found what strikes me as a comprehensive source of valuable information.
Yep motor oil is also used in bearings for some people. It appears to me that after trying a lot of different methods it does not really matter what is used to clean as long as there isn't residue left and doesn't matter what is used to lube as long as you don't just leave it completely alone. There has to be some optimal thing but idk if it's worth even thinking about.
We used to speed skate. We had several sets of expensive swiss bearings and cleaned them regularly for practice and meets. Gasoline was a no-no. After trying many different products, there was 1 that stood out: Liquid Wrench Penetrating Oil. Minimal odor, protects the bearings, and leaves them incredibly clean. After the Liquid Wrench I lubricated them with speed skating oil (you can find it on the web easily). For short races, I used the Liquid Wrench only and nothing else. The wheels would spin for over 2 mins. You do have to lubricate them again for regular use.
(CRC Brakleen cleans well but has a strong odor)
I guess I'll have to stop using gasoline to clean them. I suppose it's the health issue, not good for me.
I'm down to 2 ounces of acetone. I'm going to buy 2-3 gallons of acetone in a month when my vaccinations are in full effect.
I ordered and received a quart of Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil. Not sure, but I think I've seen info that this would be good for lubricating double sided bearings, better than 3-in-1 Oil.
Those NMB 608zz bearings spin OK, I guess, but are incredibly noisy compared to what I'm using now, Oldboy Ceramics. Maybe they'll quiet down after skating on them 50 miles or so, have no idea.
Yeah, the smell of oils bothers me too. Even 3-in-1, which I read has citronella odor added.
The NMBs are noisy? I had the opposite experience with mine, they're so silent compared to all my other bearings.
Liquid wrench is a good idea, soaking in penetrating oil would certainly work well for messed up bearings.
Let me know how the synthetic oil works for them, I'm very curious about how it will work with double shielded bearings. I have still yet to pry off the shields of mine.
I don't know if or when I'll (try to) pry a shield off the NMB bearings. I have received a set of dental picks I ordered for that purpose.
Until I get resupplied with acetone, I don't expect to reclean the NMB bearings. That will be in maybe month.
I did clean around 16 of the NMB bearings using gasoline and acetone and then oiled them with 3-in-1 Oil, a drop at the edge of the inner race, followed by a spin in my fingers. I put them in a set of new wheels. I put one of those wheels on one of my skates and was alarmed how loud it sounded. The other wheels on that skate have my Oldboy Ceramic bearings in them and are nearly silent. I believe I tried a different wheel with NMB bearings in it on the skate and it was equally loud.
Don't know if I'll skate today. The weather suits it but the local utility company (PG&E) have been working on the street for ~3 months now. They're off weekends and holidays. Some days they aren't on the street. I actually go out there sometimes with a large broom and sweep a narrow lane for myself of the rubble they leave on the street. One day soon (I HOPE) they'll be finally done working on the gas lines under the street. I have to check today and see if they're out there! There's my rowing machine if they are...
Maybe not enough lube got under the shields. My bearings are very loud after cleaning them well but quiet down after lube.
I'll try being more generous with the lube, probably that 20 weight full synthetic... put a lot on and wiping down the excess instead of the single drop like I've been applying.
Outside elements such as water and dirt cause your bearings’ surface to rust, which is the main culprit behind the loud and annoying noise when spinning.
The first step is to remove the wheels by taking the axle nuts off them using a wrench. Then, remove the bearings and the rubber shields. Make sure not to lose them, so be extra careful.
The next step is to soak the bearings in a cleaning solution or solvent for a few minutes. Five to fifteen minutes will do.
You can also use an old toothbrush to get rid of the gunk. In cleaning the rubber shields, use only soapy water to avoid blistering and unnecessary damage to them.
After letting the bearings dry for several minutes, start lubricating them. First, put one or two drops of your favorite lubricant onto a bearing and make sure that they are applied evenly. The last step is to replace the cover shields and reinstall the bearings.
It's funny.
A lot of people are discussing this unscientific and illogical content.
ABEC?
ABEC marking on recreational bearings is fraudulent.
In industrial use, if you scam ABEC standards, you will be penalized.
There are no restrictions for rollers.
Therefore, ABEC marking on rollers is a morale.
"bearings" This is junk material for advertising purposes.
The bearings that can achieve speed depend on the design.
It is clearance that governs the acceleration force smoothly and without noise.
Most of the bearings used in rollers are "CN" or "C3" clearance standards. (Example : Bones. Why? Indoor use.)
The clearance standard suitable for the road is "C2".
"C2" may also be lacking on the rollers.
The reason is that the tolerance of "C2" is 0~10㎛.
Even 10㎛ can feel a large clearance.
Of course, 0㎛ is not good either.
It becomes the optimum condition at some point between 0~10㎛.
Eventually, even if it is "C2", you will be purchasing bearings under the condition of lucky or not.
By the way, "C3" is not a satisfactory condition for rollers.
There is no guarantee that a brand will sell a good bearing.
Of course, there are manufacturers who want to make good bearings.
If it is uncomfortable to clean, we recommend using Grease.
There are also many types of greases.
There is a separate grease that is good for rollers.
When washing, strong solvents are not good.
Volatile Benzene? Blood cancer-causing substances.
Cleaning can achieve good results by using eco-friendly cutting oil.
To write in more detail, there are many more.