Downhill Longboard Full Ceramic Bearings

 

 

Full Ceramic Bearings from Boca Bearings
Written by Sergio Sebastian-Spain
Revista DH, Nov 2010

 

Full ceramic bearings are made entirely of Zirconia ceramic for the races and Silicon Nitride for the balls which is superior to conventional steel bearings in many respects. The ceramic is a perfect material without any pores or imperfections as opposed to steel which has pores, pits and gaps on the surface. Ceramic is also a very light weight material, which can achieve more RPM's (revolutions per minute), reduce overall weight and be resistant to both high temperatures and corrosion.

 

One of the most important points to consider in our sport, downhill longboard, is that because the ceramic has an extremely low coefficient of friction it can be used without lubrication and in wet conditions. Also because of the lightness of the overall bearing they can accelerate much faster than a traditional steel bearing. Full ceramics are capable of dissipating heat buildup very quickly and do not produce as much friction and heat as a steel bearing so they have the added advantage of functioning more efficiently at high speeds found on longboard wheels with no danger of core meltdowns.

 

Since the bearings are 40% lighter than metal bearings they will reduce drag and centrifugal load so that the bearing can spin up to 50% faster than conventional bearings. By reducing friction and rolling resistance we can ultimately achieve faster runs and use less energy. All of these features added together make full ceramic bearings the best choice for many applications.

 

Personal experience of Pro-Rider Sebastian Sergio - Boca Bearings :

 

From my experience, Boca's full ceramic bearings are by far the best that I have ever used. The difference in both acceleration and top speed is much better than any bearing I have used before including the ceramic hybrid bearings I have used previously. The feeling is spectacular with them and the absence of friction makes me feel as if I were riding on air. Riding circuits with uneven acceleration is brutal, so the comparison is very noticeable. Because they do not corrode and require no lubrication they can last a lifetime. I have been using them for more than 3 years now and they are still like new. There is no doubt these are a marvelous bearing, thanks to the team of Boca Bearings!