How to Upgrade Your Wheel Bearings: Sealed, Ceramic, or Loose Ball?
Upgrading your bike’s wheel bearings can significantly impact performance, rolling resistance, and maintenance frequency. But with options like sealed bearings, ceramic bearings, and loose ball bearings, many riders are unsure which path to take.
In this guide, we’ll break down the types of wheel bearings, their pros and cons, and help you choose the right upgrade based on your riding style and maintenance preferences.
1. Types of Wheel Bearings
Sealed Cartridge Bearings
These are the most common in modern road and gravel wheelsets.
Features:
Bearings are enclosed in a steel or rubber-sealed cartridge.
Pre-lubricated, low maintenance.
Advantages:
Excellent protection against dirt and moisture.
Smooth rolling with minimal upkeep.
Easy to replace.
Disadvantages:
Limited serviceability—usually replaced as a whole unit.
Lower-end models may not spin as smoothly as loose ball setups.
�� Loose Ball Bearings (Cup-and-Cone)
Mostly found in older or some high-end Shimano hubs.
Features:
Bearings sit in a cup inside the hub, covered by adjustable cones.
Bearings can be cleaned, regreased, and tension adjusted.
Advantages:
Fully serviceable and long-lasting with proper care.
Bearings can handle lateral stress well.
Disadvantages:
Require regular maintenance.
Susceptible to contamination if not sealed well.
More challenging to set up correctly.
Ceramic Bearings
Available in both sealed and loose ball systems but more common in sealed cartridge upgrades.
Features:
Made from lightweight, super-hard ceramic materials (often silicon nitride).
Known for extremely low rolling resistance.
Advantages:
Exceptional smoothness and potential speed gains.
Better heat resistance and longer wear life (if high quality).
Disadvantages:
High cost.
Often overhyped: noticeable gains only in racing or very controlled environments.
Can be less durable in dirty, wet conditions if not perfectly sealed.
2. Which Bearing Type Should You Choose?
|
Bearing Type |
Best For |
Key Benefits |
|
Sealed Cartridge |
Road, gravel, commuting |
Low maintenance, reliable |
|
Loose Ball |
Touring, classic bikes, Shimano |
Serviceable, strong under load |
|
Ceramic |
Racing, speed-focused road riders |
Ultra-low friction, lightweight |
3. Signs You Should Upgrade Your Bearings
Noticeable grinding, roughness, or play in the wheel.
Reduced free-spinning time when you spin the wheel.
Water ingress or visible rust.
Frequent maintenance hassle with old loose ball setups.
4. Should You Consider Ceramic Bearings?
If you:
Race competitively.
Seek every possible watt-saving.
Ride mainly in dry, clean conditions.
Ceramic bearings might offer a marginal speed advantage.
If you:
Commute, tour, or ride in all weather.
Prefer durability and ease of maintenance.
High-quality steel sealed bearings are more practical and cost-effective.
5. Pro Tips for a Successful Upgrade
Check Hub Compatibility: Not all hubs can be retrofitted with different bearing types.
Invest in Quality Bearings: Cheap ceramic bearings may roll worse than good steel ones.
Consider Professional Installation: Proper bearing press tools and alignment matter.
Pair with Regular Maintenance: Even sealed bearings benefit from periodic inspection.
Final Thoughts
Wheel bearing upgrades can subtly but meaningfully improve your ride’s smoothness, durability, and efficiency.
If you’re aiming for low maintenance and reliability, sealed cartridge bearings are usually the best choice.
If you love fine-tuning and servicing your own wheels, loose ball systems might appeal to you.
And if you’re chasing marginal gains for racing, ceramic bearings could be your next step.
At Superteam, our carbon wheelsets offer high-quality sealed bearing hubs, and selected models are compatible with ceramic bearing upgrades for riders who demand ultimate speed.