Skate Bearings explained

jump to a section of the video with these links:
ABEC Scale explained 2:52
Bearing Shields explained 10:27
Bearing material 13:03
Bearing lubrication 13:43
The Article about bearings that i wrote.
www.thisissoul.com/blogs/buye...

[@flugdrekinn]

All of this info is something to bearing mind 💩

[@Thisissoul]

HAHA the best comment award goes to @flugdrekinn

[@rumorscameras]

I cannot find my size fr1 80black...do you have a stock comibg soon? ​@@Thisissoul

[@DjurslandsEfterskole]

Highlights - Buy cheapest bearings - apecs doesn't matter - Shielding: Get 2RS. (double rubber sealing > Z, which is metal) - Material: The harder the better. #1 is ceramic, #2 Ceramic hybrid - Maintenance: Grease > Oil (I.g. WD40), Grease: Slower, long lasting Oil: Quicker, needs replacement Bonus: if you can hear the bearing, it's dry. Time to grease

[@shredfreak83]

Not really. Cheap means crap tolerances on inner & outer race. abec scale ONLY applies to ball bearings, nothing to do with polish grade of inner/outer races or their quality for that matter. Shielding: Always get the appropriate one. 2RH wasn't mentioned wich is the high speed version of 2RS. Z isn't bad when a lot of dust is involved, ZZ is ok if you intend to replace one shield with a rubber one. Material: ceramic is pointless in this application, quality steel or stainless steel bearings are rated well over 150 kg of load, temperature doesn't go over 120C either. Biggest issue is that skate bearings are generally rebranded industrial bearings, wich don't have any usefull info whatsoever. Just buy them from a specialized hardware store instead. There's no point paying more for a bearing that's designed to handle loads of 150 kg if you weigh 70...

[@edgar1013]

simple as that!

[@antlerr]

you realize there is "Abeck" 1 to 14 he only talked about 1 to 9............... he also says there all the same but there truly not maybe the same to any joe blow just wanting to grab a board and ride but to the person that wants there board to have the least resistance possible understands the huge difference a abeck 12 has and how much more precision a abeck 14 has.

[@pouringblue7]

You go 2% faster with ceramic bearings.

[@tajmahalbadalandabad9077]

I'm just getting to know bearings, I've only ever had a prebuilt supermarket skateboard. I was also wondering that maybe ceramic bearings don't give much extra speed, but they don't rust, which I think adds a lot to their life. Obviously there is stainless steel, but the safe bet is if it's made of a material that doesn't really react with oxygen. That rubber shield is a good thing by the way. However, the choice also depends on what you use a skateboard for, e.g. if you wear out a bearing in 1 week, it's really better to buy the cheap one.

[@lillianleadbettermusic]

Wow. The first 10 seconds of this video answered the question I have had for the past 3 hrs haha. Thanks!

[@leighakeaveny5530]

Saaaame

[@vyvein]

Me too

[@m0rce1]

Wrong answer though

[@coyotestylepro1150]

All videos should be like t/ 1st 10sec of this. THANK YOU. You are a hero

[@imsochica]

Sssssssaaaaaammmmmmeeeee 😂

[@sibzthebanana7996]

This is just the best video I have seen on the explanation on Abec. Love that you give those engineering insights and gotta say I laughed out at the calculation for abec 1 which was 377 km/h, very well explained. Thank you!

[@1MantisPhoenix]

There are abec 1s that beat 9s... Skating bearings designed for impact as well makes more sense than any abec ratings

[@natloveborne2149]

Omg I have to buy most of my gear online and the amount of time I wish I could just walking into a store like this 😍 and that's just the wheels and frames I can see!

[@joemccoy9534]

THANKS! Finally a simple, straight forward explanation of a not so simple question! Can’t wait to see your other videos.

[@Thisissoul]

glad it helped!

[@ThirtyandRollin]

Great info! Thanks for making this video.

[@samanthasteur4581]

Ivo, je bent nu officieel mijn held. Now i know i don't have to spend 50 bucks for one set of new bearings! 💪🏻

[@patrickmcpherson1055]

Thank you for posting this, I'm glad I watched the whole thing

[@marahmoonflower7926]

I'm grateful to find this video. Thank you for sharing your expertise and and insight! 💫

[@christinastaffe3705]

Thank you Ivo, this is precisely what I needed to know about bearings!!! They are now no longer a mystery. And I love your humor … but you knew that already. Looking forward to your next video so I can get more informed about all things skating - and laugh out loud at the same time. See you soon so you can pimp my skates with new wheels, cuffs and other stuff (and, yes, also cheap bearings) - always great service in your shop.

[@Thisissoul]

Haha thanks Christina. See you on Saturday!

[@marirchaves]

Very informative and well explained. I really like that you added technical information too. Thank you!

[@jetaddict420]

finally a fellow engineer whos into skates EDIT: ben je godverdomme ook nog eens nederlands

[@pocketrocket5115]

Watching this in 2023! This video was very informative. Thanks for sharing, buddy! Jst got my new pair of inline skates and needed to learn more about bearings - Cheers! (Frm Malaysia)

[@robertodaici8334]

Good job guy!!! One of the best and most complete explanation you can find on KZbin about bearings!!! My compliments !!!! 👍👍

[@trishastark8939]

Thank you so much for this video! You're easy to understand and I love you comparison to the streak! Ha Ha! Im getting back into quad skating after 37 years and NOW I know all about bearings! Subscribed! Thanks!!

[@SaccoBelmonte]

I used ABEC5 my whole skateboarder's life and they are absolutely fine. Also pretty fantastic little things. I've heard they heat the rings so the balls fit then the bearing is fully operational when reaching more normal temps as the rings shrink and wrap the balls so they cannot escape. I've also heard "A country's technological level could be measured by the tolerance in the bearings it produces" BTW: As a skateboarder I didn't care and used WD40 but with inline skates I pretty much prefer silent bearings that go smooth, so grease is definitely my choice, and I'm somewhat generous. Grese is THE number 1 bearing choice and also the choice to make it silent. I have a fan, one day I cleaned the bearing then applied WD40. It was horrible, then I applied a very viscous grease (lots of it) and it made it absolutely silent.

[@pit9623]

wd 40 is a rust remover and degreaser. no oil

[@-STONECYPHER-]

I always tell people buy basically the second cheapest thing you can find. The very very cheapest is likely to be factory seconds and may have defects and grinding dust in them from the factory. But yeah, as you said, the cheapest bearings that aren't complete crap will work equally well as the most expensive ones.

[@karent5953]

Thank you so much for the information! Also, love the periodic checks to find the right English word. Adorable! 🥰

[@carlynesaintroc4709]

I love the the song, it's "feel good" music! Also, the info was just what I needed

[@harperhoran]

Thank you for tis in-depth explanation!

[@davidbarnett5777]

Very good..simple, direct...no high tech speak.

[@anteandrovic]

best bearing explanation ever ... and funny .. i was ready for a ver necessary but boring lesson... but this was well done ! btw the bagettes .. "cylinders". :)

[@manhonlee7691]

That's nice from a mechanical view; those inserts were insightful from an industry point. The conversion of rpm into kmh demonstrated well for enginneering (as I tried calculation too for labels really depicting it.) This video suited me well with much more engineering and mathematical backgrounds than just a couple of years as "fresh" start into skating. Thanks.

[@edvinsamel131]

You are such a good and honest dude. I miss Holland so much.

[@siddharthchaudhary4448]

thanks for opening my eyes.

[@horcruxr]

Excellent video. I was seeing a competition among parents to purchase bearings for their kids, and was in two minds on what to do.I am now better informed to decide.

[@fisherchi]

Thanks for sharing the valuable information. It's very helpful.

[@darrylthornton5377]

Great instructional video!

[@ihsanyunis7538]

Thanks for good information about bearings..

[@Pratalax]

Fantastic video!! I've learned a lot about bearings in the last few years thanks to cycling and channels like Hambini, but this is a great, decently concise breakdown for the purposes of skaters. I would note that ceramics are pretty much useless for us; hybrid ceramics will simply wear a groove in the steel races, and full ceramics are ludicrously expensive, crack, and are even faked with plastics. Much better of with quality steel from a trusted supplier. Also, with how exposed skate bearings are, i often like to use a nice thick grease in them as opposed to a less viscous drip lubricant - they do feel slower out the door but they soon warm up on the roll and provide far better protection if i'm skating in shitty weather, meaning less fussing over maintenance. now, for manufacturing tolerances in the skate industry in general....

[@mendysheyrif]

fantastic video! loved to watch you translate as you go -that made me subscribe!

[@iarbainaltainvantdevara]

TIL! thanks for this well detailed explanation!

[@BrianGanter]

Outstanding explanation.

[@sonicsportsla]

Great info Ivo 🎥! Besides bearing shields & seals, we find that a Labyrinth seal (stepped inner race + rubber seal) is even better at keeping dirt out.

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks for that! i will think about what to do with that info because it is definitely important.

[@HeadNtheClouds]

Yes, Bronson G3 or Fireball Dragons Endure! I skate a lot in dirty, sandy urban setting & they really keep that grit out! ✌️😎

[@laust3998]

Hi sonic!

[@fknid]

I never knew this. Thanks, great info. That graph is awesome.

[@charitymclean6912]

Fantastic video thank you

[@Smowling]

Great video. Very informative.

[@kimberlyg7453]

wooow. thank you so much for this video. Very well explained, it was easy to understand! Loved it.

[@PeerensClement]

Super informative, Thanks Ivo!

[@theredhedsed]

Fantastic, informative video!!

[@superbikeful]

You are great! Finally a man who tell the truth🤙

[@wolfiezsnb8824]

DUDE thank you I needed this I love to skate and have been servicing my skates for a while but never knew what the ZZ Z RS and all that junk mate Great Job!

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks man! Glad I could help

[@wolfiezsnb8824]

@@Thisissoul I can't believe you're not more popular you're info's the best.

[@Thisissoul]

@@wolfiezsnb8824 Thanks! if there is anything that you can think of that can help to grow the channel then let me know.

[@wolfiezsnb8824]

@@Thisissoul Donno maybe some odd skate product reviews or something like that...

[@wolfiezsnb8824]

like weird wheels LED wheels or other stuff or like those types of things. but honestly you are doing great vids people just have not seen them yet.

[@krystalladuke8349]

Can I add this video to my skating page. This is hands down the best bearing info and explanation I have received in my 4 years of skating.

[@samfistel2070]

The one thing not considered in this video as far as the impact of new bearings vs. old is that almost every time you put new bearings in, you are putting them into NEW WHEELS at the same time. People tell me all the time, "I got new wheels and bearings, and they are so fast now!" It's the WHEEL. My lap tests with the same wheel model but comparing new to 3-5mm worn down wheels is usually about 15 seconds per mile (10 sec per km) while using the same bearings in both. As for maintenance, I skate in the rain fairly often (including getting caught in a storm last night) and my current method is to turn a space heater fan on low heat and stand the skates up in a V to dry them out, then flip the V around to hit the other side. Then I put the skates back on and roll. If any wheel is still stuck after that, or not rolling smoothly and freely like the others, I hit it with WD40. Like he says, it just isn't worth the time and expense to go through cleaning every time I get wet, and it's not important enough to only skate when I know it is 100% not going to rain. Eventually, the rust degrades the races and the bearing loses sideways tolerances and starts to be a problem. At that point, I start thinking of switching them out, since they get close to rubbing the wheel against the frame.

[@metakmoto]

Great job. Awesome video 😊

[@TheEmilyMonster]

Best explanation out there!

[@jjhack3r]

Rick and Torty

[@hristos0]

really good info mate. thank you for the video

[@hollywood5703]

Great detailed info. Thank you. Good classic country song too.

[@benfoster5387]

Damn, honesty? I haven't heard that in a while, thanks man!

[@ednorlemonstre]

thank you for that intro xD still watched the whole vid!

[@Engineerboy100]

I have bones swiss ceramic bearings, I'm had the bearings in my cruiser boards for over 10 years and they are still perfect and I ride everyday.

[@spicybroski9927]

do you ever clean them?

[@icantsee0]

What the guy above me said. Clean and grease them. Makes them better and lasts longer

[@sexyyoungmudafuqa2662]

@@icantsee0 how do u clean them?

[@icantsee0]

@@sexyyoungmudafuqa2662 you can buy bones cleaning kits they're like 10 (ish) bucks and bones speed lube. Take the plastic cover off of ur bearing and clean with isopropyl alcohol and then lube them up. Thats just a basic clean there's more you can do.

[@pit9623]

@@icantsee0 that's exactly what i did with my wicked twincam abec 9 bearings. instead of 5 seconds, the wheels now rotate for over 20 seconds. Nobody needs to tell me that cleaning isn't worth it. I even clean new bearings to make them run smoother. Such fast camps may be too dangerous for beginners

[@bootscatsbootscatsboots]

What a great video Thank you!

[@mrsjenz06]

Fantastic explanation 😊

[@hansvl1363]

Loved it, great work again Ivo, I am kinda weird (you already know that) but I actually like to maintain my bearings

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks man! You might be one of the few, but if you have titanium or ceramic bearings then it definitely makes sense to lube them. Steel bearing w i ll also last allot longer but are also very cheap to just replace instead

[@austinbigge9626]

I use ceramics, had the same set for probably 8 years and they still roll great as long as they have a little 3-in-1 oil. They cost a bit but i definitely got my money worth from them. Once they rusted out and i was able to get them rolling again like new after a day of hard sprints. i couldn't believe it. haha

[@marcoippel1166]

Een goede uitleg lekker praktisch daar hou ik van.

[@johnchiluiza2841]

Great video show informative, thank you.😊

[@rblongfellow]

Thank you efo, your videos brought me back to the shred gang 🛼🛼❤🙏🤙

[@Thisissoul]

Glad to hear it

[@MrLethal1986]

Maybe it doesn't matter if you buy from a reputable skate shop but you can not say a quality bearing brand has the same properties as a cheap Chinese bearing that have really bad plated mild steel and the quality bearing has chrome steel. Really informative content thanks for sharing.

[@MrGessio]

Great video!

[@freddyrivera8890]

It’s so sad that every day it’s becoming much difficult to find good videos like this one. Thanks a lot for you time.

[@MrMokey24]

I've used the Wicked bearings for a while now and they seem to maintain their speed really well.

[@henkychen]

Very good information 👍🙂👍

[@xxblatxx]

that was fun... :) i actually learnt something.. thank you

[@victorlopez8585]

Things I got from this, you want smooth balls, the harder the better, grease is better for lubing up. Thank you! I asked a lady at a skateshop what she uses and she showed me some bionic bearings, I ended up getting them, they were very middle of the road in pricing. This because I bought some light up wheels because my inner child wanted them but straight out the box they had no roll to them, I tried some 3 in 1 oil but it didn't help, I switched out the bearings and now they roll free

[@mrabelone31]

Wow! You gave so much information. Very good video. I definitely learned quite a bit. Thank you so much. I will go check out the wheel video, now... +1 subscriber :)

[@CbassGSX400S]

this was so helpful thanks :)

[@MiaOnline]

New skater here...I thought it was a fitting size...like if my quad wheels have ABEC 3 in them then I would always have to buy ABEC 3...and I couldn't find them online...so I can buy ABEC 1 to 9 and they will always fit my new wheels...thank you so much!!!

[@Thisissoul]

haha good that you now know. 608 is the size. abec is a precision rating that is basically irrelevant. Material is the main difference between bearings.

[@edusam666]

Excellent!

[@daveman9468]

Thanks for the information I had no idea I just thought most expensive is best

[@aroundtheworldineightyskates]

Good stuff 😃

[@Smots]

Very cool instructional video with lots of background info. It’s cool to to hear this from somebody who’s actually studied this stuff. I’m just wondering: what letters are used to indicate bearings that have metal shields, but that can be removed and put back in using the small circular piece of metal running along the inside of the outer ring of the bearing?

[@imaxinebrown694]

Thanks for sharing

[@shaunbarnett2972]

Oust bearings are the only bearings that have been specifically redesigned for the unique forces placed on them during skating and skateboarding, that is to say, axial and torsional forces in addition to radial force. Best skateboarding bearings available are the Oust MOC 9 Air Bearings.

[@user-te1pb1fv3p]

Big THANKS !!!!

[@StaceyFoxx]

Very informative thanks, it says “page not found” when clicking the beating cleaning article in the description though…

[@TinhNguyen-ri6om]

Good video

[@spiruandy]

Best of the best man

[@Thisissoul]

thank you!

[@dreamingdust7667]

Thanks!

[@funwheels3307]

If you have the time, hope you can do a video on the sounds bearings make and when is a good time to replace them. The spinning the wheel part can help a little, but doesn’t solve the problem of my wheels making funny noises while skating. Some noises go away after around 5 mins of skating (I have many pairs of skates). The contact area (say the bearings and the bolt or the spacer) can make these noises? I tried to lube the bolt but the noise doesn’t go away. Could the bolt be bent?

[@funwheels3307]

I managed to find out the reason. It is the wheels. 😂 boy, now I know “warped” wheels could be an issue making noises. Anyway, nice video indeed. I saw people spinning the wheels to check how fast those bearings will spin. 😂 hilarious. Your 16:00 has a good description of this strange behavior.

[@Jabaltaya]

Great video man. A bit too technical but really enjoyed it! The only thing I would have liked to get some explanation is the difference between steel and ceramic bearings. You passed by it like it means nothing and some in depth analysis would be nice.

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks for the tips! my advice would be is to get 5 sets of abec 5 bearings and replace those often, instead of having one set of ceramics for the same price. unless you are the type that likes to maintain their bearings and put in allot of work. a set of ceramic bearings can last you very very long but you have to clean and lube them like any other bearing. they need less lube so that makes them faster (lube slows you down). however having less lube makes the lube go out of the bearing sooner as well, leaving it entirly dry and ready to destroy itself.

[@rodrigoalmeida2434]

tks for video. 1 question ABEC X ILQ?

[@videoomaster]

When using oil, how often should you maintain your bearings? After every session or once a week or month?

[@joonpark2135]

Every other week if you ride everyday.

[@yoshikilai81]

do new bearings need be broken in?? Some say yes, because new grease is thick. Thank you.

[@catsmeow4003]

THANKS A BUNCH!

[@CR-qr8xr]

Great video, thank you! I will definitely be checking out your other videos. Do have an opinion on six ball bearings vs seven ball bearings? Is it all marketing hype as well?

[@Thisissoul]

Thanks! I would put my money in better bearing materials like titanium and ceramics instead of going crazy over the specs of a metal bearings.

[@colore76]

@@Thisissoul I'm not getting your answer which seems completely the opposite of what you are claiming in the video. You are suggesting to "go cheaper" but here you are saying "go for ceramic/titan" which is much more expensive. So I was wondering whether you were referring to a full ceramic bearing (not only the balls) or not. thanks

[@Thisissoul]

@@colore76 the general advice is to just get a cheap bearing at a skateshop, if you still want to get a better quality, then look at ceramics or titanium and not for differences in abec, that is the advice

[@im_Spade_]

Just bought some ceramic bearings from inline warehouse since they were 1/2 price if you buy a set of wheels (I got some FR Luminous Wheels in white glow/80mm/85A). Coming from stock rollerblade RB wheels and bearings that definitely needed cleaning or replacing after I fell in some mud/water 😂 Here's to hoping for some style and performance

[@Kimochisuki]

I see they marketing the ceramic as the best, and it catch my attention because I live in Costa Rica were is very humid and it rains a lot so I want it to invest in some ceramic ones to be able to skate in the rain and avoid problems with rust and all the problems you can get from the water, but they are so expensive that now that I watch your video saying buy the cheap ones it make me confuse😅 can you tell me if ceramic is better idea? Should I invest in $200 ceramic bearings?🤔 thank you for the explanation🙏🏾

[@pit9623]

there are also stainless steel bearings for less money. For example from Wicked

[@kippillustration]

What if the bearings are sealed on one side and has plastic ball retainer (the ones that looks like crowns) on the other side? Do you have to remove the retainer to clean the bearings?

[@Thisissoul]

No you don't, just clean and lubricate

[@JackMott]

The same conclusion applies to bicycle parts. Really fancy bearings might save a fraction of a watt. Dirty/dry/broken bearing waste a meaningful handful of watts.

[@illitrait]

...great video - makes a lot of sense. I miss the Netherlands and the straight-talking Dutch.

[@secession77]

I’ve always struggled with understanding one thing and you seem to know that 😅 So what happens to bearings while putting them into wheels and then into a frame? I can’t get rid of feeling that they’re much slower after assembly.

[@SuuzieQ]

Ik heb ooit zealous lagers gekocht voor mn longboard. Kan ik ze ook voor mn fitnessskates gebruiken?

[@michaelmore]

What bearings do you recommend for skating in the rain or wet conditions? Thanks!

[@Thisissoul]

Cheap ones. replace them when you wear them out. www.thisissoul.com/products/random-bearings

[@mephistopheles5327]

How did you go from mechanical engineering to skate shop? i would love to do that

[@Thisissoul]

allot of passion and hard work. If you want to learn more about how the company was built up kn the beginning, then check out our Thisissoul History video

[@pravdagorkaia]

Hi,I'm writng from Kazakhstan and I havn't found liquid lubricants for abec - 9,can you advice what type of oil can I use that easy to find(somthing like motor oil)?

[@BLUEX2022]

Hi there could you please help I’ve brought some abex 11 are they good to go or should I put oil on them ? First

[@Thisissoul]

Abec 11 does not excist as a standard so the brand you bought is lying to you. Abec 9 is the highest abec rating there is. Regarding the oil: most bearings come pre lubricated. If the bearing spins super fast and has some sound when doing so, then it is too dry and needs oil.

[@yesno2582]

So the harder the better for bearings; would you recommend the full ceramic or the hybrid?

[@pit9623]

if you want to make jumps then full ceramic bearings are too fragile

[@chenlee3240]

Its called tolerance in the US also.

[@Dark_Oopa]

​ @Thisissoul hello :) in case of 608 RS bearings, with a rubber side and a metallic side, what side should be on the ouside of the wheel? Thx Have a nice day Loïc

[@pit9623]

the rubber side would make sense