Buying top quality bearings but nervous about getting fakes - What parts sources do you trust?
I'm older (OK, 77!), been quad-skating streets that are seldom smooth in my town and environs for over 30 years. Recently had a wheel seize up on 3 separate occasions... bearing failures. I've always skated pretty cheap bearings (Bones Reds, NMB, some others), have a motley collection, have cleaned at times with acetone, recently with gasoline. So far, have always skated Kryptonics 70mm 78A wheels.
I figure paying attention to good clean dependable bearings is a smart investment... really for anyone, but for a guy like me, maybe basically life saving.
The best bearings I have I got recently, almost $100 for 16 (2 sets of 8) are Old Boy ceramics off Amazon. Seem OK so far, only about 100 miles on them.
I'm eyeing some of the best, i.e. Bones Swiss Ceramics. But I've seen reviews on Amazon from people who received bunk bearings, switched out or even fakes.
What online sources would you trust to buy bearings (or any other skating equipment), in particular the ones I'm eyeing?
BTW, I've been thinking of buying a skateboard.
In general, what are your favorite online skating supplies sources.
Comments
If I was 100% concerned about them being fake, I'd avoid places like amazon and ebay (amazon may be more trustworthy if you buy directly from the company page) and purchase directly from a skating shop that has an account (with Bones for example) and is a verified dealer for them.
How do I determine if a skate shop is a verified dealer?
If it's a reputable skate shop and they're charging retail it's basically assured. But you can call or email Bones to ask and confirm.
I bought a set of 16 Kwik Ceramic Gold Nitride coated bearings from Rollerskateusa.com a couple days ago.
A member here, an engineer, said he's used and tested dozens of bearing sets and that this is his favorite. $129, and that's the price everyone's charging seemingly. I saw good feedback on this shop in searches, that it's been around for 30 years IIRC, they are in Miami, FL, a family business.
I heard one skating instructor say that if you want good bearings, buy cheap bearings so that you'll be willing to replace them often. He didn't feel that expensive bearings offered much additional benefit. Have you guys found otherwise?
I honestly don't know. I've read posts suggesting that better bearings can last a real long time. Cleaning them occasionally is probably a real good idea.
Bearing failure strikes me as likely as hitting a rock in throwing me violently to the ground, my skating nightmare. I did fall 4 years ago because I didn't spot rocks on a little jet black patch on asphalt that workers failed to clean up. I'm still not over that hamstring tear. 90% maybe. Bearings had nothing to do with that. Better vision may have prevented it. I had cataract surgery ~2 years ago, I'm sure that's helping me spot rocks, etc. I try to see every little pebble.
I buy my bearings from bearing supply companies. The ones I have are 100% sealed, never need to be re-lubricated and are smooth as glass.
Can you be specific, Derek? What exact bearings do you buy and what company do you buy them from? Thanks.
Bearing Headquarters Company
They are a national company with many locations.
Their part number is H69BH35775
647ZZ NSK
Shield BRG Bothsides
I believe the manufacturer is NSK. I was told these are made for electric motors and rated to run at 20,000 RPM.
I went back to getting my bearing from a bearing company after a couple bearing failures I had on sets from rinks.
647ZZ?
I have used 627ZZ bearings, are the 647s basically the same?
I think 627 is the model/size used in our quad skate wheels. The ZZ refer to the shields one for each side.
"Bearing Headquarters Company
They are a national company with many locations.
Their part number is H69BH35775
647ZZ NSK
Shield BRG Bothsides
I believe the manufacturer is NSK. I was told these are made for electric motors and rated to run at 20,000 RPM."
I went back to getting my bearing from a bearing company after a couple bearing failures I had on sets from rinks."
-------------------------------------------------------
I put the following in my cart:
627ZZ NSK 7x22x7 Shielded
Item # H69BH35775
That isn't 647ZZ NSK, as you see, it's 627ZZNSK and has the same part number as you indicate. That will fit quad skate wheels? The site diverted me to bhqexpress.com when I went to put something in my cart. They are a tad under $10/bearing.
You might want to call them and check the part number and pricing. I read the numbers off the paperwork I got. This was a couple years ago, I had bought 3 sets of bearings and have since used them all. I did not save the individual packaging. I see 627ZZ on the bearings on one of my skates.
Makes sense. Those are pricey though.
Btw, yesterday I just blew out my Qube 8 ball bearings bailing out of a traveling camel spin. Thought they were supposed to be durable.
Unless you're doing extreme speed racing for anevent or something I wouldn't spend that big cash for bearings. Just get u some China reds and keep em cleaned and lubed. Ur wallet will thank you. Happy skating!
I have q tips in my skate box so they are handy to keep the shields clean
There is no such thing as a fake bearing.
It is to sell the brand.
Most of the products called roller skate bearings are manufactured in China and sold under the trademarks of each company.
There are no fakes, but they are produced differently in quality, function, longevity and performance.
Design and processing quality control are important.
This is something you don't know unless you're an engineer.
There are separate bearings that are good for roller skates and boards.
Famous brand bearings currently on sale have no Differentiation in terms of performance, life, etc.
This is because merchants think that buying cheap and selling expensive is the definition of business.
Bearings with good quality, function, longevity and performance are produced differently from what consumers think from design to machining and assembly.
Note please.
"I heard one skating instructor say that if you want good bearings, buy cheap bearings so that you'll be willing to replace them often."
The very good bearings you want exist in other countries now.
But, if there is no way to get those bearings.
I absolutely agree with the instructor say.
https://us.misumi-ec.com/vona2/detail/221000058301/?HissuCode=627ZZ
So true, replacing them often is the most sure way to have good bearings haha
I would disagree on buying cheap bearings. I have had cheaper bearings that literally fell apart as I skated. I'm not saying not to be price conscious but I will tell you I know I am hard on my skates. I skate free style and that puts a lot of wear and tear on every part. The better bearing I have bought have stood up to that punishment. By punishment I mean besides the bearing that fell apart, there was a king pin on my Snyder Imperials that snapped too. After that bearing fell apart on me I went back and got those sets from bearing headquarters.
Derek. You are also right.
Cheap bearings have to take that risk.
Do you have the criteria for a satisfactory bearing?
Do you know how to buy a good bearing?
If you don't have the best information, I think you should choose the second best option.
I think the next best thing is to use cheap bearings once and replace them.
The left bearing is generally a good bearing.
If you can buy it, try using it.
The right bearing will be a satisfactory choice for functionality and durability on road terrain.
Not available on indoor terrain. Equipment varies depending on the terrain.
Information was obtained.
What would you choose?
Cheap gear? generally good gear? Very good gear?
"I would disagree on buying cheap bearings. I have had cheaper bearings that literally fell apart as I skated. I'm not saying not to be price conscious but I will tell you I know I am hard on my skates. I skate free style and that puts a lot of wear and tear on every part. The better bearing I have bought have stood up to that punishment. By punishment I mean besides the bearing that fell apart, there was a king pin on my Snyder Imperials that snapped too. After that bearing fell apart on me I went back and got those sets from bearing headquarters."
I have experienced skate failure. My first pair of skates I picked up in a thrift store. I was skating around the local largish lake's walk path and the front wheels of one skate literally came off in one piece. It was a year before I was pretty much recovered from my sprained wrist. That experience was why I tossed those skates and went into a skate shop and bought my current Sure Grip Jogger trucks, which I've been skating for over 30 years. I mounted them to basketball shoes, per instructions I got from another customer in the shop that day. I still remember, the shop owner explaining to me that he'd never seen any of those Jogger trucks fail (i.e. break).
I haven't had as good luck with bearings, of course. Still, I can't say that a bearing failure has caused an injury. But I can imagine that happening, for sure. That's why I posted this thread. Well, the inconvenience of having to clean and/or replace bearings is significant, but the risk of serious injury is a more compelling reason to try to prevent a sudden and unexpected seize-up of a bearing. In a skating rink, I'd think it could be dangerous, but on the streets it's apt to be more dangerous. It could even be deadly.
Heck yeah, I think we are all onto something. I've had cheaper bearings fail on me as well. Komplex abec 3s, and qube 8ball being the most recent from freestyle skating. So far my Roll-Lines and NMBs are holding up well. I think new cheap bearings would roll better than them but agree that I would be more concerned about new cheap bearings breaking from freestyle.
Yes. I've seen some of people getting hurt.
I've also seen multiple people with clavicle injuries.
The rate of injury from gear is small.
There are many cases of carelessness at high speeds or injuries due to bad roads.
Wheels usually have the highest rate of injury to gear. The bigger the wheel, the more dangerous it is.
The bearing impact is somewhat less.
For example, it's a company that's gone now, but there was a problem with the bearing ball sticking out.
It is because the planner has designed and produced with bad perception.
Even today, it cannot be said that such bearings do not exist.
Also, bearings filled with dust while the oil is dry because the bearings are not cleaned have a high risk of damage.
I have seen such a situation several times.
Bearing oil is very important.
It is recommended to avoid highly volatile solvents when cleaning bearings. (Example : gasoline, benzene, etc.)
Strong solvents can deform or melt plastics. (Retainer, fatal to the cap.)
There is no problem with steel bearings.
It is better to avoid citrus, which is also sold as a cleaning agent.
Citrus contains fructose, so when it dries and hardens, it becomes sticky or, at worst, sticks like a glue.
For bearings that contain plastic, it is better to use diesel or spindle oil.
If it doesn't matter if it gets rusted, it's better to do it with water. (If you use water, you need to dry it.)
If you are concerned about rust, you can use stainless steel bearings. (It's a little expensive.)
You can wash it with water using a liquid cleaning solution.
The bearing in the picture is a stainless steel bearing.
Note please.
Bearings from well-known brands are typically well-made and can handle the daily bearings of riding and cruising. It is a small price to pay rather than compromising the safety of your rides by settling for less.
There is no denying the joy of cruising long distances; that is why it is imperative to outfit your board with bearings that integrate quality, performance, design, and durability.
You can always look up reviews online using keywords like “bearings for cruising reddit” to pick the perfect one.
I always heard ceramic were the best. So I bought them and they were actually my least favorite. They completely locked one time and it was weird.
Someone explained to me that ceramic bearings are good for top load only. But skating (especially dance) which relies on a lot of edges and load coming from different angles is not top load.
I eventually went back to Roll Line and have never had any problems. For 30 years I skated outside (slalom and skate partks) on inline skates and had $30 bearings that never failed. Yeah, they'd get dirty, but I'd just clean them once in a while.
Good luck.