Full ceramic bearings have ceramic rings and balls and either a synthetic cage made from PEEK or PTFE or no cage at all. They are highly resistant to acids and alkalis and are therefore suitable for use in very corrosive environments. Silicon nitride (Si3N4) bearings can be heated to temperatures of 800 degrees Celsius when used without a cage. Pairing these qualities with their light-weight nature, at 45 per cent of the weight of steel bearings, they are incredible substitutes for traditional metal bearings.
Full Ceramic Bearings are usually made of following materials:
· Silicon Nitride (SiN4)
· Alumina Oxide (Al2O3)
· Zirconia Oxide (ZrO2)
· Silicon Carbide (SiC)
Because ceramic is a glass like surface it has an extremely low coefficient of friction and is ideal for applications seeking to reduce friction. Ceramic balls require less lubrication and have a greater hardness than steel balls which will contribute to increased bearing life. Thermal properties are better than steel balls resulting in less heat generation at high speeds.
A benefit of full ceramic ball bearings is weight. Ceramics are less weighty than hybrids made of stainless steel. Ceramic wheel bearings can reduce the weight of the bike even more, speeding up the rider on hill climbs. Another benefit is the reduced friction within the bearing due to there been no grease as full ceramic bearings are essentially self lubricating allowing for a greater rotational speed and a more consistent rotation which can make improvements to your cadence. At the same time, full ceramic bearings do stand a greater chance of chipping & cracking when subjected to severe enough impacts such as pot holes & cracks on roads. Therefore we ideally recommend full ceramic ball bearings for use on track & velodrome circuits however they can be used on the road as long as you understand that they are more susceptible to failure.
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