Bike hub bearings loose

gooch134 · 17-10-2015 01:20PM #1

You would think that choosing loose bike bearings would be a simple enough task.

I may be looking to replace my front and rear hub bearings on a set of campagnolo neutron ultra's 2015 sometime in the future. I like to have spares.

From tech so far the bearing part is HB re023. I can source that part from ribble for 5euro. I need 2 for each hub. I can get a full axle replacement part Hb re100 for about 60euro.

But all I want is loose bearings at the best possible standard for the task. Trying to source what type of bearings and who to buy them is mind boggling. There are various grades eg. Grade 5, 25 & 100. Weldtite offer them in g100 (are grade 5 or grade 25 better).

Then I have read that a grade 25 from one brand may not be as good as a grade 5 from another. (Fantastic)

No one mentions a reputable bearing dealer. Any ideas anyone. The bearings I need are size 5/32 inch I think. Correct me on size if I am wrong please.

I also have an ultegra 6800 rear hub and I will need bearings for that too sometime. I believe they are 3/16 inch but open to correction there too. I would prefer to buy the bearings at source and not from a bike shop unless they are distributed at source from reputable bearing maker (whoever they are).

I want steel bearings. I do not want to read anything here about ceramic ones. That is for another day and time.

I found this which helps a little.

Campy 10sp hubs - industry standard bearings? - Road Bike, ...

Good post from a ball bearing expert!? on the ball bearing grades and those that may be unsuited to cycling. Worth a read. Bimini post half way down the article.

Raymond

koutoubia · 17-10-2015 01:57PM

Dickson bearings just of the M50 J5 in Finglas should have the bearings.
But you would be better off taking out the bearings and bringing them in to match them with the best ones they have.
Are your bearings shot in your Nuetrons or you just wanna have a supply for when they do go.

gooch134 · 17-10-2015 04:08PM

The bearings in my neutrons are good. I took them out and had a look at them recently.

I just need to know where to source the best loose bearings for high end shimano and campagnolo hubs.

I service my own bike. I was just curious what bearings wheelbuilder choose.

A reputable wheelbuilder may best answes my query.

One thing for sure, very little comparisons between bearing manufacturers on the net. I thought there would be more info.

Alot of hub replacement/maintenance reviews who talk endlessly about bearing smoothness and quality but then do not suggest which bearing to use and where to get it.

It amazes me there is not more info on it. It appears that people just buy bearing replacements without having thought which company made the bearings, and how reputable they are. That may be ok when buying original parts.

I am sure campagnolo or shimano do not make their own bearings. So who makes them for them? Who do they trust? What bearing does shimano dura ace hub have it and where do I get it ? It can not be a mystery.

The shimano website is very unhelpful here too. I can not even find the size of the bearings used on the Ultegra 6800 rear hub from it.

Campagnolo site is not much better but I had little difficulty identitying the needed part HB RE023 from it. As for that ball bearing size. Sure who needs to know that!? Omitted also.

I am sceptical of a bike shop suggesting which bearings I should buy from them.

Must be folks/wheelbuilders in particular who replace their bearings and have have done research on it.

koutoubia · 17-10-2015 04:31PM

When I need to change the bearings i n my Scirroccos or Miche race wheels I GET SKF bearings which are probably the best their is without going high end ceramics.

gooch134 · 17-10-2015 08:19PM

Where do you get the SKF bearings. Do you buy them from a bike shop or through the internet.

koutoubia · 17-10-2015 08:39PM

Dicksons in Finglas.
But the bearings that I use/need are cartridge.

gooch134 · 17-10-2015 08:55PM

Sheldon brown gives harriscyclery a plug. They sell a grade 25 loose bearing in 1/4, 3/16, 5/32 & 7/32 inch diameters. They seem a little expensive but when I only have two sets to service a few extra bucks is here nor there.

I googled SKF and cannot see loose bearings. They were promising. They sell cartridge bearings only and in metric measurements (mm) which I can not say will be a perfect match.

That appears to be another problem now rearing its ugly head. Some dealers sell metric only and others imperial.

Simplybearings uk sell in imperial and metric but not sure of their quality. They sell grade 100 bearings. Weldtite uk sell grade 100 bearings also but no lower grades. Both can be sourced from amazon.uk

Harriscyclery.us sell bearings grade 25. They claim those bearings suit high end campagnolo hubs and shimano. They claim campagnolo and shimano use grade 25 bearings and higher.

However they dont say whether or not campagnolo and shimano use that exact bearing.

It appears harriscyclery.us is closest to what I am looking for at present. Help guys.

Thanks for your input.

koutoubia · 18-10-2015 10:48AM

Again I would advise you to take a bearing out and bring it to Dicksons. They will measure it and advise you on the size and grade that you can get.
Otherwise you are guessing tbh!
Buying bearings online when you are not sure of the size is a gamble.
Even if Dicksons cant get them you will at least know what size they are and advise you on grading!

cython · 18-10-2015 11:22AM

Just another one to put into the mix that might be more convenient, depending on where you are based, but I've had to get bearings from Fox's in Baldonnell for a shop to replace them in a few wheels (it was a rush job for a team doing the race around Ireland, so I was just doing the shop a favour by collecting them), so they might also be able to help.

gooch134 · 18-10-2015 11:34AM

Sound advice.

I am sure there are people who have done this for me already. I am based in Macroom, Co Cork.

After all bearings are bearings, right!?

Trying to convince the other half that I am off to Dicksons to source bearings for a bike wheel might be the straw that breaks the camels back.

She has been trying to get me to ikea with years and little success but voila bike bearings, now I am interested...

I will be abke to get the correct size bearings from a bike shop. Dicksons might be able to do the rest over the phone.

I am pretty sure that the campagnolo bearing size front and back are 5/32 inch. I will confirm this with the bike a shop or two.

My research so far has led me to believe that the Ultegra 6800 rear hub requires 3/16 inch bearings. I will need to confirm this also.

Cheers for your advice. I will give them a ring if I hit a dead end here.

NB: thecycleclinic recommends simplybearings grade 10 Chrome ball bearings in a post on the forum underneath and he is a wheel builder. I may take his advice

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Bike hub bearings loose

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