I Bought $300 Skateboard BEARINGS (so you don't have to)

[@XUM4N]

Shout out to Bones for helping me run from the police as a teenager, I don’t know where I’d be without those good ass bearings.

[@SethBushMTB]

Lol 😆

[@notsocrates9529]

I could never afford the Bones Swiss. Were there really that much better than the reds?

[@Sh4ngr1L4]

watch the video again :D @@notsocrates9529

[@Solomolo25839]

@@notsocrates9529 as someone who owns bones Swiss, I still have mine after 9 years with no issues. Just clean and lube once a year.

[@GhastechenPTGames]

Similar situation hapened to me in the past, I had a pintail longboard with speed trucks and wheels

[@michaelrossi3707]

Those bearings are meant for speed like longboarding\ Street Luge. High impact skating will destroy them just as quick as $17 bearings

[@kastelvetro1491]

nope, differet density of steel, your wrong compleely, spend 60 bucks and get swiss u wont go back to horse shit reds again

[@PHeMoX]

@@kastelvetro1491 There's no such thing as a ceramic bearing that is more impact resistant than a steel ball bearing one. It's the difference between having a surface of metal and a surface of glass. There might be less friction with glass, however it for sure won't deal with impact well at all as it is far more brittle. The medium to more expensive bearings also do not have a higher impact resistance at all. Plenty of skaters break $60 bearings all the time. It's because these bearings can not take the load / impact at play.

[@bostontricker211]

Been using zealous ceramic bearings for years now. I clean them every few months and they will last for years.

[@domanickmilam4661]

I have to disagree. When I first started skating at 7 years old, I got a set of Bones Swiss Ceramic Bearings. They lasted me until I was like 14-15 years old. Granted, they weren't nearly as good as they were in the first few years, but they never busted or anything. Water never effected them. I cleaned them not OFTEN, but about the average amount, and I'm average intervals. They last YEARS, if taken care of properly. Even with high impact skating

[@brucebruno842]

@@PHeMoX Actually Silicon Nitride Ceramic is around 30% stronger than steel. They won't wear, chip, or warp nearly as quick as steel ball bearings. If you clean them every month or so they could last you over a year easily. I go with the Reds Ceramic. Only 1 set that's less around half the price of 1 set ($150) of these, but are made of the same materials. You actually save a lot of cash in the long-term and they stay consistently smooth.

[@atmosphericraven]

As soon as I feel my regular bearings start to slow down, I do a complete tear down cleaning the shields, each ball bearing, the retainers, inner, and outer races. Then I put them back together and add bones speed cream. It takes time for the breakdown, cleaning, and reassembly, but it's fun to do when you're bored. I've took some old rusted bearings apart, soaked them in acetone or vinegar overnight to remove the rust, cleaned, refurbished them, and they work great. Regular bearings can last a long time if you do the maintainance.

[@appleTaters]

i do the same thing! i use brake cleaner though and triforce lube

[@seanfried5583]

I’ve run a set of bearings in my roller skates longer than this kid has been alive. They still work great. Keep your bearings clean and lubed and they can last for YEARS.

[@CesarEmrichfam]

Thanks for the advice, man!

[@SykeeNot]

Also if ur a thrasher?❤

[@Eric-np2yd]

​@appleTaters Damn bro, you get those at Hyrule castle?

[@jasonharris5201]

I’ve found with cheap bearings, that they feel like they stop right when you remove pressure from the board. I.E popping. With expensive bearings there is no resistance during popping. Also durability, is a big deal to me. I’m an old skate nerd and always doing a tune up to my board.

[@GirlyMe-jm9mn]

nah i agree. i feel like i can barely move incrementally with cheaper bearings. sadly. i cant move slightly without pushing a decent amount. nice to have that glide. i agree. ill do the same at some point!

[@azazelreficulmefistofelicu7158]

The washers need the spacers. An engineer and a mechanic explained to me the function. I am not an expert but will do my best explaining. Long story short, help in case the axle slips and improves the wheels spinning, prolong the bearings life and a few more benefits. You must keep the wheels tight not loose like some people prefer. Without washers and spacers the bearings suffer every time you turn or receive an impact.

[@bitterXboifren]

i fw spacers 💛

[@lancelovecraft5913]

This is true. The washer/spacers have a relatively large surface area which helps distribute the sideways forces from turning, primo-ing, crashing etc. In short it minimizes the pressure on the actual bearings themselves

[@Real_ATF]

The washers are to prevent friction. The bearing with out a washer will rub on the truck and the nut. The friction causes heat on the bearing which will cause swelling. The heat eventually will cause the lubricant to dissolve and the inside of the bearing to fall apart. The grease isn’t usually rated for high heat. The casing can actually become warped and crack under heat. I personally try to get high temp grease when I clean them and lubricate them. Obviously with the washers on it helps prevent everything I just listed. They also will make the ride smother and they say faster.

[@VinnytotheK]

It's been so long since I've changed my wheels that I forget if I remembered to put the washers on... 🤔

[@PHeMoX]

@@VinnytotheK Washers mostly matter on the inside of the wheel, however I think people underestimate the function of spacers.

[@chrislaymon5739]

From my experiences, I bought Bones Super Swiss 6 bearings with my first skateboard setup and, with an annual cleaning and lubrication after the first 2 or 3 years, they lasted me about 7 and a half years of street skating, park skating, and transportation. I purchased a second pair of the Bones Super Swiss 6 and they have been going strong ever since with no problems or cleaning whatsoever in the last 2 or 3 years. Both sets have rolled faster, longer, and lasted far longer than any bearings any of my friends have ever skated. I recommend the Super Swiss 6 without any reservation! However, last week I found a set of BRAND NEW Bones Swiss Ceramic bearings (the 8 pack, the ones marketed for skateboarding and not the ones marketed for roller skating/blading as the ones in the video) at a Goodwill in Florida only 5 minutes away from Plus Skateshop for only $6.00! I'm looking forward to throwing these in a second skateboard and seeing how they compare!

[@rchaelk2319]

Damn that's crazy! How did it go?

[@SucculentDoorbell]

Wow you were blessed by the bearing gods 0.0

[@jbernardo3]

I do regular cleaning and once a year or so complete tear down de-rust and put back together my bearings. I find it enjoyable. It probably costs me the 20$ in cleaning supplies and labor that new bearings would cost me but like I said I enjoy it. My theory on ABEC is that it’s all about the tolerances of the balls fitting in between the races. I’ve noticed bearings with higher ABEC for example are harder to take apart and put back together. But the gap on a lower ABEC is more than wiped out by the weight of a skater. So what’s the point? My opinion (full disclosure I’m an ME/AE but welcome other perspectives) is that a lower ABEC should actually be way more forgiving of both dirt and rust. In both cases the extra room in between the balls and the races means stuff can pass through and some rust build up won’t totally seize up your bearings. I guess it doesn’t matter now that we’re like 5-10 years into skaters being smart enough to know ABEC doesn’t matter. But I’m curious if anyone else has ever actually experienced what I’m talking about. I have but my sample size is two sets of bearings that I repeatedly clean and de-rust, so not exactly representative.

[@PHeMoX]

I mostly agree, however there's no such thing as 'dirt passing through'. Dirt and stuff definitely gets in the way in a physical sense. It will build up layers, especially in a greasy bearing. In my experience I would not say lower ABEC rated bearings are more durable, just for how generally weaker materials were used to make them. Then again, sometimes more expensive bearings can break the first day you use them (usually related to impact). To me it's not worth the effort cleaning my bearings once a year, when I can buy new bearings once a year for the same cost. And I do not see the point in buying $60-150 bearings, when $20 ones last me a very very long while. "I guess it doesn’t matter now that we’re like 5-10 years into skaters being smart enough to know ABEC doesn’t matter." I wouldn't say that. Most people still think the rating is relevant. And most people still don't have a clue. And in a way you can't have a $5 set of bearings rated ABEC 10, because it is indeed about the tolerances in dimensions. So it's not really a matter of them being completely wrong. They're just right for different reasons.

[@burger1113]

Ehhhhhh the wind also woulda effected the roll test, as well as having different trajectory back and forth. And yeah I think the most significant difference in the expensive bearings is the material that last longer and have less friction, but the issue is the amount of gunk and grime they have to deal with in skateboarding, and the parts other than the ball bearings probably won't outlast the bearings. So yeah, I'm gonna stick with my bronson G2s or maybe G3s if I'm feeling up to them.

[@PHeMoX]

I don't think they actually last longer at all though. Jump down enough stairs and the ceramic bearings will break before steel ball bearings would.

[@TheReal_DeanD]

Thanks for taking one for the team. I wish I could've done this test with you to do it blind. I'd keep all the wheel duros and shapes the same. Keep the deck and trucks the same. Install them and have John skate to see which one performed better. This way limited bias potentially.

[@PHeMoX]

I don't think you can do a 'roll test' with any bearing set. It obviously would never show the speeds for which it is rated differently. The only thing he showed was old bearings vs new bearings. And there's no bias at play when something spins this much longer, given max spin.

[@RealRyanMcLeod]

You had so much more speed coming out of your tricks, setting you up better for a second trick or with better speed for a full line. Solid if you're looking to build a line for a part or something. It's like Aaron Kyro always says, you need speed and commitment for tricks. Better, more consistent speed along with better recovery speed out of a trick makes for smoother landings.

[@ItsKrispyKev]

Ive had my bone swiss's for 15 years. They spin for a solid minute easily. Never had any issues with them.

[@xfiazc07]

You think that's good, and I used to too, but if they spin for a minute that means you have way too thin of lube or no lube. Thin lubes like Tri Flow or Teflon, WD 40 type things will let sk8 bearings spin for a minute or more, but some of the Fastest bearings I've ever had were crapping old NMZ's or whatever they were (not NMG Germans) with thick viscosity factory lube, I used to run my wheels loose cause I thought the were faster, cause they spun faster, I was wrong, all I did was damage more bearings and encourage axle slip. You need the thickest and fastest lube, for your body weight and and what type of skating you're doing. You want your lube to start out thick and reach optimum viscosity when you're under full pushing speed or full speed of whatever you're riding at whether street or some form of transition. You will go faster and glide Farther than when when they just spin fast by hand. Hope that helps. I learned the hard and expensive way, only at the end of my skating life. Peace, Sir. (PS. I've had lots of Bones Swiss, back when bones was ONLY Swiss and you could to your local bike/skate shop and pick them up for $21 bucks a set. I'm OG as heck. Swiss are still my fave, but there's SO many bearings out now, that I have no Idea what's best today. I hear that Swiss are still good tho.)

[@chewinhard4456]

@@xfiazc07 should NEVER, EVER use WD40 on bearings it will ruin them. It’s penetrating oil

[@xfiazc07]

@@chewinhard4456 Please read the entire bit that I wrote I was saying that things like WD40 are bad, they give a False sense of lubrication. You don't want a super thin lube that lets your bearings spin for over a minute, not even close. You want something that is going to maintain lubrication under heavy load, and have the right viscosity for the load you're going to be putting on the bearing. Skaters are so often good at doing tricks, but bad at being smart. (usually) Also Fyi WD40 isn't really an oil, look up its creation, and how it was invented for moisture issues with the space program/rockets many years ago.

[@vorpalblades]

WD-40 is not a lubricant. It's a degreaser/water displacer.

[@sluming2672]

singer sewing machine oil is the best you can use.

[@brucebruno842]

Silicon Nitride Ceramic is around 30% stronger than steel. They won't wear, chip, or warp nearly as quick as steel ball bearings. If you clean them every month or so they could last you over a year easily. I go with the Reds Ceramic. You only get 1 set ($65) that's less than half the price of 1 set ($150) of these, but are made of the same materials. You actually save a lot of cash in the long-term and they stay consistently smooth.

[@seandunbar6427]

I've had 3 sets of 70$ fully shielded ceramic ball bearings (ABEC #1) for over 4 years. 0 maintenance, go through puddles without a worry, they are as fast as they were new. I'm still faster than friends with new boards. I've only started to replace a few bearings that got crunchy. It's so worth it to me to spend x2 as much and have bearings that last years instead of months.

[@gkiiizy6068]

Brand?

[@gooseactionsports1289]

@@gkiiizy6068can’t go wrong with bones ceramics my friend. Been running them for about 3 years finally thinking about replacing and not because I need to.

[@MJBOGAN]

When I was a kid my mates dad ran a printing press that used the same bearings as skateboards. Needless to say we had endless naachis second hand, and I have to say, for the price of 8 new naachis, you cant go wrong. I did, when I got older try a lot of bearings, the best being bones swiss, and I think there was a noticeable difference in speed. The park I was a local at had an asphalt surface and widely spaced ramps, lots of pushing, and was slightly uphill one way, so you really appreciated slightly larger wheels and better bearings.

[@sethusk]

Watching all your videos falls right into my plan of watching all your videos. Keep killing it!

[@matthewwalker5430]

"the accumulation on $17 bearings needed to compensate for $300 is literally years..." except wasn't one of the 1st things you pointed out upon opening those bearings was that you in fact receive 2 sets of bearings, meaning 1 set "only" really costs $150? In that case you would need them to last about 10x longer (which would actually mean you would be saving $20). If your $17 bearings last 2 months then 10x longer is still 20 months, which is still "literally years", but it's less than 2 years and, from what I've heard, you can make Swiss ceramics last that long for sure. I would say they're probably particularly beneficial if you skate in wetter conditions too.

[@seandunbar6427]

I only cruise longboards really, but I've had 3 sets of shielded ceramic bearings (Boca Bearings) 70$ each, for over 4 years, I've had to replace like 5 bearings recently? No maintenance, no concern about riding through puddles and putting the boards away wet. To me, it's no debate that they are worth it.. But I can't see myself spending 300$ on them.

[@Mrleahey]

Ive always used bones swiss and ive never had to repurchase them unless putting together a new setups. And I’m an intermediate-advance skater skating almost daily. I even ride through grass and stuff for fun and if they ever start to slow down i just keep pushing until they free up again. Worst comes to worse and I’ll clean em. Those $300 bearings should last you the rest of your life is my point.

[@repentofyoursinsandbelieve629]

GOD created us to be with Him. (Genesis 1-2) OUR sins separate us from God. (Genesis 3) SINS cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis 4-Malachi 4) PAYING the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew-Luke) EVERYONE who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John) LIFE with Jesus starts now and lasts forever! (Acts-Revelation) Now what's stopping you from reading the Bible and learning who God is??

[@williammadray7818]

I have three different types of built-in bearings one premium 6 ball type( with larger balls for longer roll distance and easier pushing), ceramics (from the same manufacturer), and a standard built-in 7 ball bearing and I can definitely feel the difference between the different types of bearings for my applications: which are probably definitely less stressful than core skateboard standards. Surfskating and longboarding(should I say skate everything cruiser).

[@Kagemyth]

how do you like the 6ball ? i was debating getting some from bustin but wasnt sure with so much debate over bearings

[@ryancecil]

$300 is a little misleading You bought the rollerblader pack, that’s why it came with enough for 8 wheels. Ceramics are cool. If you remember to clean them regularly they will last a really long time I like the bones Swiss 6 ball bearings

[@elijahjohnston3172]

I never cleaned mine do you think its fine to clean them or will it ruin them since i took too long

[@krautergarten4529]

Engineer here ... if the material hardness of ball and raceway is not the same, the softer will be destroyed much faster. These hybrid bearings are are only used if you need electrical isolation otherwise u only use full cermanic brearing or full metal ones. For skateboarding or for bikes hybrid bearings are a scam. Just read the design guildlines of the big bearing manufacterers ... lubrication and type of sealing is 90% of rolling resistance ... just some basics, which might save u some $

[@Nooby_loves_jesus]

Your a real one m8

[@landonkane1795]

John haven’t watched u in awhile and now I’m getting a wave of nostalgia

[@VhaidraSaga]

I love Zealous Bearings because I'm lazy. No need for speedrings or spacers, and if the ball gets damaged, the special grease reforms the broken or damaged ball!

[@jixs4v]

Damn, I looked them up, and they're real cheap too. Probably grabbing a set once the ones I have now degrade

[@VhaidraSaga]

@@jixs4v yeah, they are another innovative skater owned company that isn't all about profits, but making the best quality skateboarding equipment available to all skaters at affordable prices, just like Death Skateboards and Film Trucks do.

[@michaeljohn8905]

I’m an aircraft mechanic ,put all the parts they give you. They are there for a reason. Not all wheels inside DEPTHS are the same. Hence why you put in the the SPACER bushings. YES you can ride em loose enough so they will roll and they will sound louder and if that doesn’t bother you than ROLL with it. That being said all company’s that make skateboards are not conversating with each other. I’ve found that you can put 300 bearings into a company like SPITFIRE OR BONES and I’ve measured the DEPTHS and they have been pretty damn consistent down to 100,s of an In. That’s good but not extremely good. I’ve tried a pair of REDS 20 bucks and they roll amazing after break in. My last thoughts on this is that you can have 1000$ bearings but have a poorly made wheels ( don’t forgot wheels get poured so if the master DIE for a wheel is slightly off in the space between the bearings. The SPACE that stops your bearings rings from going deeper or pinching as I call it ) Or off slightly due to them waxing the inside with mold release or whatever they use it will cause a problem with your trucks. Do yourself a favor next time you put your bearings in put the spacer in there put the wheel on crank it down and then take it off put it between your thumb and fore finger and spinning. It’s spins without any vibration or wobble. You are good but it might experience one out of four or not or either not pushed in all the way or there’s a defect in the spacer that the wheel provides (urethane spacer ) . So to conclude putting on your spacer is a good idea. It will help break in your wheel bearing faster and you know 100% if your bearing is seated correctly or if the wheel is slightly off. I have also noticed cracks in my spitfire wheels after I put them in, but that’s a subject for another day .. Use your washers guys. Use all the hardware. This isnt just an (AIRCRAFT MECHANIC A&P AMT ) talking I’m a 51 year old skater who still skates . ( not like I used too 😂) but I’ve been a seen every trick fad and tried almost every product out there. From the late 70,$ to the early 2000,$ and I’m still at it. I know it’s not considered HESH BUT WHO F…..N! Cares ! Go your own route don’t be a follower.shiiii I use pads cause at my age a rock n roll could send me to the ER if I fall and I have fallen hard in my 50,$ thankfully my pads keep me in the game and having fun . That’s what skating is about fun ! ART ,MUSIC FREAKING GNAR ! ,AND YEA ITS PAID IN BLOOD but it’s worth every drop. That’s all I got thems my 2 cents for what it’s worth now go skate ! Hardware or not ! Ceramic or 10 $ steel bearings who gives a F ! As long as you roll good. F em if they can’t take a joke! 😂 Peace out dudes n dudets!

[@dsmbilly3690]

I bought a set of Bones Swiss bearings in 1999, they are still the bearings I am using. They were regular Swiss and not even the ceramics, the biggest perk with ceramic comes from not getting rust spots or pitting from water/sand/etc. If I had gotten the ceramics they would still feel like new. My steel Swiss bearings feel like they are 80% of what they were new or basically what Bones Reds feel like after a few months.

[@nottrix3574414]

Hi John, I actually do have those same bearings from 2007, and I'm still using it to this day. Granted the outer rings are slightly rusted and less smooth from when they are new, but still rolls quite nice, lasts quite a bit from a roll test. They are significantly noisier but that's just from my lack of maintenance dust, dirt and grime seeping into the bearings. I bought them back in 2007 for my longboard, and though I don't use them as much as you would, it's pretty good until today. I'd say the conditions are about the same as your $17 bearings in the video after 16 years or so. Great content as always, keep it up and apologies for the long rant.

[@xxcrankflipxx716]

Strongest skate bearings that blend toughness and speed into one great package is oust. As long as they're maintenanced properly, they are probably the toughest. Steel caged, steel balled, tight well machined steel inner and outer races. So far I love them. And they're actually rated for high tortional, axial, and radial loads unlike 98% of radial 608 bearings. Stay away from ceramic it explodes from high impact, ceramic is for speed only. Oust is the same price as most skate bearings too.

[@6vitru6vian6]

Dont they rust easily? Im thinking of getting the airr 9's for cruising on rough pavement

[@xxcrankflipxx716]

@@6vitru6vian6 no they don't rust easily, though oust bearings really need to be cleaned and oiled after every 2 hours of use. You can get away with not cleaning them beyond that time but they start to squeek. Oil frequently as you can. Haven't broken an oust bearing yet only worn them out from not cleaning and oiling lol

[@6vitru6vian6]

@@xxcrankflipxx716 would you say theyre better than bones Swiss bearings?

[@xxcrankflipxx716]

@@6vitru6vian6 I have used and broken bones before and so far I haven't killed a set of oust yet. Only forgetting to clean and oil them caused them to get squeaky and not as free moving as new. I'd say bones stay running with pretty much no maintenance but they aren't as durable and for my needs I was breaking bearings even when installing correctly.

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

The other thing about ceramic bearings is the water resistance. The balls cant rust to the race or carriage/cage if they get wet. The carriage and races can rust though its just they wont freeze up. But Bones swiss are a classic. I remember in the late 90s thinking they were just a gimmick but since they're still around they obviously get sold.

[@larryjimbob]

My friend used the Swiss for downhill racing. Ceramic bearings also don't heat up like the steel allowing for more speed, less friction 😊👍 RIP Tommy C, I miss you 🙏❤

[@PHeMoX]

Actually, this is a bit of a lie. Because all skateboard ceramic bearings are in fact hybrid ceramic bearings (has steel bearing races). You still have parts that are not very water resistant at all in terms of corrosion. To stress this point even more, you can only use fully ceramic bearings underwater. Not the skate hybrids.

[@bananafarmer4204]

@@PHeMoX no need to comment, he said the balls were ceramic and that it was water RESISTANT.

[@vorpalblades]

I've been on the same set of Bones Swiss since '97.

[@extremeencounter7458]

@@PHeMoX Why only underwater?

[@Invertcurt]

Clean them with acetone every 2 months and put 2 drops of bones speed cream on each bearing if you want them to last a year with them feeling brand new

[@emotionalmusic9120]

If you're buying a new set of $17 bearings every 2 months the bones swiss ceramics need to last 36 months to be a just barely worth while purchase saving you 17 trips to the skate shop to buy bearings, if they last less the 18 months you're spending 50% more for something with 50% of the life span form a value perspective. If they last the year you hope for you're still spending $202 more on bearings over the course of the year. The reason ceramics are so expensive is material cost and the difficulty to achieve a flawless surface finish, the advantages over steel bearings is their rust resistance and ability to function without lubricant due to their low friction coefficient. How ever ceramic is much more brittle than steel and averages 25%-35% less resistant to impact force and crush force so they are more likely to crack or even shatter than traditional bearings. Ceramic bearings are more suited to industrial applications that require low thermal conductivity and high demand work load. They're not meant to be exposed to repeated impact force they're intended to spin at high speeds for very long durations

[@tommyguns5474]

Coming from the cycling arena, I've learned ceramic bearings are an un needed expense. The harder ceramic balls actually wear out the steel races quicker that are softer. In order to get the full benefit, the race would need to be ceramic too. And they dont spin fast enough in the application to see any real benifit

[@iCoNick_Gaming]

I've had them in a board for quite a few years now. I don't skate like you or at the same rate but I can say they still spin just like that even after being left outside in the rain etc. Very solid purchase

[@phlooke]

Didn't those bones Swiss bearings or Maybe Bronson (I honestly can't remember) where if you just pushed your board and let it roll In front of you, as opposed to standing on your board and then doing one push and rolling on the board worked better since they "engaged" when more weight was put on them. (basically to prevent your board from flying across a parkinglot or street as far as it normally would if you bail out of a trick and it goes zooming across the pavement.... But these were impact bearings that would work as intended and were very smooth as long as you were on your board and there was the pressure of your weight on each axel causing the bearings to "engage" if you will. Also quick skatetool remedy for when you need one quickly, but either don't want to go buy an expensive tool made for like rethreading axels, bearing remover especially if you already have one at home, or just aren't anywhere near a skateshop/hardware store.... Or I guess even a mall these days. I have 2 I keep in my car, this Alien Workshop tool I bought 20 years ago from Utility Board Supply. Can't believe I even kept up with a tool that long...but then again this tiny little tool was built like a tank. with kingpin wrench on one end and the other end is for the axel nut... But then it has a a 2.5 inch long hex tool that has a dual sided Phillips/Allen hex bit on a swivel so you can insert it into the main piece of the tool and it turns into a solid little screwdriver for using that part to hold the top part of your Phillips /Allen hardware..... Then the main part of the tool you can put in your left hand to hold your hardware nuts in place while you had the fidget spinner dual sided bit to tighten your hardware. Walmart... Go to the knife Isle. Get the Kershaw knives Chris Cole skate tool. I love Kershaw picked up on Cole basically giving them free advertisement for always carrying a Kershaw blade on him for cutting grip tape etc, so they obviously sponsored him which I think is so awesome to be sponsored by companies that you just have always supported since you were a kid regardless if they have anything to do with skateboarding. because of their solid products. but now they made him his own signature skate tool that actually has a good design and is very portable/zippo pocket friendly on jeans.

[@lynch42o]

growing up as a teen in the beginning of the 2000s no one rocked anything more expensive than like 30$ or 40$, but we mostly bought the under 30$ bearings. Black panthers always worked good enough for me so i rocked those.

[@JesusChrist_IsTruth-LoveForALL]

Yup! I remember black panthers! I got those a lot. Reds or black panthers!

[@jeremy266weaver]

Ceramic bearings are meant for extreme high performance situations. Street skating is not one of those situations. ABEC rating is pointless as you stated. Go with a stainless sealed bearing and rust won't be an issue. Also drop spacers between the bearings in the wheel and that would be the most noticeable difference if you weren't using spacers before. Spacers on the inside, washers on the outside. Don't spray wd40 into your bearings for high impact low rpm situations you'll want to use grease over any spray lubricant. When installing new bearings you need to apply pressure to the outer race. If you smash on the inner race you can and most likely will ruin the bearing.

[@andrewfaller7994]

So I bought 1 set of bones swiss ceramics 2 years ago and clean them every few months. I skate 1 to 3 times a week for a couple hours at a time and I'm pretty rough on my boards. They still perform like the day I got them.

[@beergood83]

How are the bearings doing it’s been a year

[@patrick-bn8cr]

4:37 is the most beautiful tre flip ıve seen for a while

[@chrhadden]

if by some chance the spacers that came with fit your wheel because they are all different then use them if you want .i have been skating since 86 and no one i ever knew used them including myself. i torque my wheels when they are new slightly to make sure everything is in place then back the nut off a little .there should be a 1/16 or less play in there.if they stop abruptly when you spin them to tight they should slowly roll to a stop.do what you want just know this i know im right here i dont care who says otherwise or what you do. the end

[@internet_internet]

I once found a set of bones super swiss 6-balls in a used parts bin at a roller skating rink. They were dirty, and barely rolled, but I cleaned and lubed them like I normally would, and they’re still the same set that’s on my board today like 13 years later.

[@mattodom6367]

First, I think that set was intended for roller skates or inlines. Same bearings, you just need 16 instead of 8 for a set. You can get swiss bones in a set of 8. Secondly, When my friends and I would comb a 6 story parking garage near where I live, My swiss on a regular board with normal wheels were faster than anyone's setup by a long shot! Third, When I was at a spot where I didn't have much room to push, The swiss were awesome. With normal bearings, I may have room for 2 short pushes and I would have to set up my trick quick. With the swiss, I could do 1 push and have a bit more time to set up for my trick.

[@WestCoastMountainBiker]

That nollie backside nosegrind was toooo smooooth. I tried the Bones Swiss Ceramics twice in my skateboarding lifetime. Honestly... I feel the Bones Redz perform so great that you don't really notice a difference if they're both brand new. And I used to open up my bearings and clean then and add the Speed Cream lubricant which made them feel brand new again. Obviously not riding at pro or even am level. But they lasted very long respectively. The second time I got the ceramics they were a gift. And you know what they say about those horses.

[@danielm428]

Keep in mind bearings need to 'break in' due to the factory lubrication. I'm a sucker for bearings... I've tried around 15 different types: bronson g2, g3, raw; bones reds, super reds, big balls, swiss, red ceramics; black panther abec 5, abec 7, ceramics; independent abec 5, abec 7; and mini logo.

[@liggerz87]

What's your take on independent gps I bought 2 sets for them for 2 different boards

[@ljdragonracing]

What's been your favourite from your extensive list?

[@danielm428]

@@ljdragonracing The bearings I continue to re-purchase now are Independent. They are the 'Independent GP-B Bearings' used to be called abec 7.

[@jeffreymanna6721]

Johnathan Hilliam, ie. the greatest skateboarder/ human being returns, yet again, for another banger video. ALL hail the Goat 🐐🙌🙌🏆

[@hands_media]

That kickflip back smith tho!!! SHOOOOOOT

[@argosaraujo]

From my experience the final speed isnt much higher with ceramic bearings, its more about how fast you get to that higher speed and also about the fact that the ceramic bearing can sustain the speed for a little longer.

[@ColoradoStreaming]

I ran into a kid with a downhill board back in the day cruising at a park and he had the Bones Ceramic Bearings. It was unreal how smooth it was and how far you could glide with a single push.

[@EvanFromJersey]

The skating is looking smooth and crontrolled👌🏽

[@dont_worry_about_it2861]

love that he's wearing a "stay peachy" shirt

[@ninjapwnsatlyfe]

I used to get mine out of a machine catalog lol. They were long life, high strength bearings for high speed automation and they were so buttery smooth. Pretty cheap compared to high end skate bearings too

[@Uberdevice]

You'd probably try Quantum bearings, they've pretty affordable and great performing ceramic bearings, imo

[@pauleugenio5914]

2:31 Exploring the limits of Euclidean geometry

[@judeevans5868]

Man I love ur videos have been watching for a long time thanks dude keep it up we love ya

[@slarbiter]

Use bearing spacers! My favorite set up to date is Bones big balls+spacers in OJ hot juice wheels. Makes a REALLY solid ripper for hills and the crustiest, impossible street spots are wonderful

[@tomtom3420]

6's are the best! Most people dont know

[@joe_ferreira]

They are actually $165 for a 8 pack. Why did you buy a 16 pack that's meant for skates...

[@xdkais]

the kickflip smith at 8:20 matched with the music perfectly

[@jeremyking5596]

questions? Are the $17 Dollar bearings new? Was it $17 for a pair or pack?

[@brocksteph3162]

Yes they are new. 17 for a pack of bones reds

[@g3attack]

Excellent video! Love that you show wipeouts! ❤❤

[@greengonzonz]

"Stay Peachy" Merch 👍 So glad you investigated the ABEC system. Still a lot of misunderstanding around this topic.

[@Bubbytoed]

been skating my swiss ceramics for 6 years

[@KeithSkates]

ABEC ratings are basically just tolerances. Size difference between the balls and the inner and outer races, and the surface finish of all of them. Which is why the ratings will scale for high-speed industrial uses. The reason they don't scale in skateboarding is because the ABEC rating doesn't take into account impact that the bearings take. I could go so much further down the rabbit hole on this topic, but yeah ABEC doesn't matter for skate bearings as long as you stay above a 5.

[@tornadojohnson2728]

Bearings are bearings

[@KeithSkates]

@@tornadojohnson2728 not even close to being true. I've been a technician, engineer, and mechanic for over 20yrs, and a skateboarder for even longer. If all bearings are equal, go ahead and put some bearings from a Walmart board into your setup and drop into vert and let me know what happens.

[@tornadojohnson2728]

@@KeithSkates I gotchu but we all now walmart bearings suck but yeah I’ll do it

[@shira7055]

i love watching your videos, been watching since last year when i wanted to learn, i’ve been losing weight so i should be able to skate better. i appreciate these videos keep em up

[@DogeSuperior]

most have balls of steel this man has balls of ceramic

[@carlossoares712]

just keep skating man, gonna follow

[@santithecreator2]

My dad legit told me to buy those after I told him I wanna buy new bearings for my skateboard💀

[@jouhajohnny]

Get Quantum Bearings they are way cheaper and better than any bones or bronson bearings 😹

[@Vibryant7345]

Keep killing IT

[@dannythompson1948]

You mentioned other industries using skateboard bearings? Its more like the other way around.. bearings are in everything. If its metal and any part of it spins, it probably has a bearing. The advancement of electic motors has made brought all these fancy bearings, since thats the weakest part of a motor. Back to the abec rating, youre right that means little, its the code on the bearing that tells you the useful info. Not that it matters for skateboarding but if you end up working in maintenance, it could come up... Lol love your channel, your super smooth style, and positive upbeat attitude, bro!!

[@jaybeesnake4872]

Man the music in this video is excellent, gave me Hey Arnold! vibes, love it. well done

[@seantayloratchley5669]

I think a lot of people use them for roller skating competitions... But they're backed by lifetime warranty against defects so I assume they're just as good, if not better for skating street and/or park... Such as doing tricks in a skateboard competition... They're meant to last longer with the ceramics which work better at higher heat and such... So they'd be great for street luge as well... I don't see them breaking any faster than the bones reds, I'd expect them to last longer; otherwise I'd expect a warning that breakage will occur if they are used to do tricks.

[@אורמדהלה-ר4ה]

Bones Burns last for years , I'm with mine 2 years at least and it's the best still fast ,still strong and just the best overall , by the way they are faster feeling against other bearings I tried to run another set of bearings from a competitor company and they felt like I'm stopping almost

[@silentfox8]

my fav bearings ive ever used were lucky 7s in the early 00s, they outlasted bones easily and were much smoother

[@nostalgic_pokemon_memories]

i miss those!

[@shaundavies314]

I usually buy 7's or 9's but the Birdhouse 7's I have feel way better than some of the 9's. Not sure of the rating but Bronson G3s are by far the best I've used. As someone else mentioned, I always use spacers and washers and have since my first boards in the 70's. They form a solid unit when used together that will have less chance of distorting within the wheels. The Birdhouse and Bronson came with spacers included.

[@TRAIL_MIX_BILLY]

Your boards are in love 🥰

[@H0NSE]

On the topic of different types of bearings - What about the spherical bearings? Like the ones from Don't Trip

[@josiahaguero3877]

Your tricks did look better on the 300$ ones, that could be coincidence though, also good vid I always wondered abt those 300 bones

[@BrandonSoum]

Hi John! Fellow Texan here, I just started skating recently and it's been hotter than ever here. How are you handling the heat lately during your sessions? lol

[@ronny12301]

I always drink a lot of water, that helps

[@paulocanelas15]

Here in shanghai, it goes up to 43°C ut us insanely hot, i usually last 15 min. In a sesh, though i poor some water on my head and it makes me fresh.

[@dookieshoes66]

Washer actually work. Helps with bearing torsion while turning/grinding and they keep your inner bearing from rubbing against the hanger. More friction = less speed

[@jacobe9187]

You’re the best bro. Stay steezy

[@TimboStang71]

Powell bones are the best bearings. I been riding bones Swiss since the 90's and never had issues. The bones redz are great as well to for the price

[@jay999tv]

I love this bearings been riding them for 7 years still going strong

[@larryjimbob]

Trying to roll both boards together was great 😆👍 I always ride Bones Reds. Good all round for the money ❤

[@NullBlox]

Good to have inner spacers also for blunt slides etc. This can help but not needed depending on your style/flow. :)

[@supermikecrashwig5896]

Ron's Rockets🔥

[@tomsmith4698]

OK, so there's a lot of confusion on youtube about ceramics. John Hill is great but he's out of his depth here. The reason to use ceramic bearings is that you can clean and relube them instead of replacing them, whereas stainless steel bearings you dispose of and replace because they deform, and still run bad after refresh. It does not matter at all how they compare out of the box, because 1 week of skateboarding will put enough dust in your bearings to make any set run about the same. Ceramic is about longevity. I have been skateboarding since the 80's and I still have all 4 sets of ceramics I got in my life, and they still all run amazing after refresh each spring, whereas I've certainly gone through 100 or more sets of steels. If you're the kind of person who likes to tinker and you only have 1 setup usually, you should buy the best ceramic bearings you can find, and just do an isopropyl wash and relube with speed cream each spring. Most people should buy the cheapest possible Minilogo steels and just throw them out once or twice a year. Never pay more than 20 bucks for steel bearings. ABEC is a lie. Dust is everything. For the real nerds who are still reading for some reason, ceramics have this sweet spot in the acceleration curve when you run them really fast for extended periods (hillride and pool/bigbowl/snakeline/big transition) where you can start to really feel the difference. They hum once you get up to "ludicrous speed" if they're clean. It can be kinda scary on larger wheels. If you're riding back and forth doing kickflips and smith grinds just get a box of the $12 minilogos.

[@Steezy_Mx]

I beg to differ that better rolling bearings matter. For instance, if you are a Skate League skater then you’ll know the concrete poured at the parks doesn’t always dry thoroughly for contests. Cured concrete will allow you to roll away from your tricks a lot smoother than uncured damp concrete

[@UToobSteak]

I always found that steel bearings started rattling after a fairly short time, but Swiss bearings were quiet and smooth for a really long time.

[@coliimusic]

To everybody wondering, the REAL secret is actually the Bearing Cage! The cage that holds the balls in place is the main failure mode for skateboard bearings used in trick or gap-heavy applications. Under load they expand, contract, bend, and have to keep the bearings located as you wear the tolerances wider and wider, until eventually they explode when you clean them. The rest is, harder to say. But new bearings always trump used bearings and that's mostly what matters

[@KiKidle]

It would be interesting to see you try cheap ceramic bearings to see how they last. I had gotten some off of Ebay for around $20. I think the brand is VXB. They are fast, actually a little scary going downhill with them compared to the swiss bones and black panthers i ridden in the past. You skate more and harder than I do now. I'm too old lol.

[@Maartin2000]

Yeah, that would be a cool video! I have a couple of sets of Breeeze ceramic bearings that cost about the same as yours and they have worked great for me.

[@chilli-iceolive-abode2447]

I just use WKD Abec 5 bearings at 5 bucks a pack. They do the job like every other bearing I've ever used.

[@pappythe1st]

I use bones swiss and they usually last me a year and they're like 70-80$

[@3ric_6]

watching your videos motivate me to go skate and i love how your so chill you should come and pull up to my local skate park in california its called La Puente skate park.

[@flipykicker]

Washers are a must , engineering 101

[@jadekidd17]

The main thing that was different for me was how far I could go on one push

[@F3yo]

Yo congrats on 1 mil

[@CollisionPending]

Me here proud af of my bones swiss ceramics. For longboarding there was nothing that could keep up. The sheer speed is insane

[@renerocha6334]

My 7y/o was so excited. “That’s our skatepark right there! That’s it!” Haha. He also loves your Dickies vids

[@pimgamerz]

grats on 1 mil subs !!

[@johnf4202009]

I bought Bones swiss ceramics for $200 or so 15+ years ago and am still using them today with minimal maintenance. I think they are fully worth the investment.

[@jasonjennings8465]

1:53 a nice close up of those stripped threads 😄

[@Oldmonstrosityshop]

ABEC is all about the tolerance of the contact surfaces. The higher the abec, the smoother the ball bearings and the races they run in. The higher the abec, the smoother and in theory the longer they’ll last. If you’re engineering something to operate as smooth as it possibly can, you’d expect the bearing to last longer and they do. Regular Swiss bones last me over a year

[@Casual_BackPacking]

Abec rating is also lateral stress also , so like with inline skates that matters a lot or , if you racing downhill that abec rating also matters a lot

[@hiel2549]

Another thing to consider. Even if the Swiss last you 2 years, you can assume that second year’s performance will be gradually worse over time. But if you switch out $17 bearings every 2 months, you maintain a more even distribution of performance over time. So the Swiss would have to last a lot longer than 2 years to compensate for that factor.