Best Skateboard Bearings: Which Material Should You Have on Your Ball Bearings?

Skateboard bearings might be born equal, but some are born more equal than others. Thus, when designing, repairing or simply switching out the skate bearings on your unit, you want to make sure you know all there is to know about the various types you are dealing with.

In this piece, we will talk about the different materials of make which skate bearings come with – and you can decide on which is the best skateboard bearing material for you.

 

Steel

Most skateboards will come with steel bearings in them out of the box. The obvious choice of steel is due to the durability this material supplies, but that is subject to the grade of steel being used too.

On the flipside, steel is prone to rust which can come faster or slower, depending on what conditions the skateboard is used in.

From becoming less functional to downright dangerous, rust on steel bearings is nothing to joke with.

Ceramic

The first advantage of ceramic ball bearings is that they do not rust at all. Given their unique nature, they don’t expand neither do they deform at higher temperatures. Thus, they are at a lesser risk of getting jammed or expanding to become too loose during extended usage/ extreme temperature conditions.

Comparing with steel ball bearings, ceramic ball bearings are lighter and roll faster due to less friction. As they can act as self-lubricated mechanism at very low speeds. Yet, suitable lubrication is required for higher speed applications.

One thing you should keep in mind, especially if you are a big gap skater, though, is how ceramic can fail you on the long run. Due to its inherent property of being brittle, high impact skating will send direct pressure to the ceramic build, causing it to break away bit by bit.

Trust us when we say you don’t want that happening at high speeds.

Titanium

To the untrained, this could be mistaken for steel too.

Of course, they are close in what they offer, but titanium manages to bring even more to the table.

For one, titanium is usually combined to make an alloy, thus it gets to leverage the strength of two different metals to bring better strength and resistance where ordinary steel would have failed. They are also highly resistant to corrosion, making them highly applicable in humid areas and on water without much damage to the system.

Like steel, though, you can ensure the longevity of your titanium skate bearings by greasing them from time to time.

However, titanium ceramic bearings are generally top of the line. It’s recommended for freestylers.

Which is the best for you?

Now that you have seen the top options out there, the question remains which one you should go for.

We have tried to provide contexts for when each one of these bearings should be used.

If you would be doing a lot of hardcore skating, downhill racing or competitive longboarding, ceramic or titanium bearings are your best bet. For simple skating, training, short distance trips and low impact activity, steel bearings provide great value for the money.

If you are still confused, reach out to us today and we will provide just the ideal pick for your needs.

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