Which bearings? 6902rs

So which bearings are considered the best by STW? Had a search, KaTec bearings seem like they get a good report.

Problem is, they’re £6.99 a pop off ebay, hope ones from wiggle are £3.79 a pop. Makes no sense… would expect hope’s to be more expensive.

Assuming they’re all like for like and any 6902 will fit my superstar hubs, which ones? And does plain/r/rs etc make a difference?

My take on this: if you’re able and happy to replace them your self then the cheapest ones are fine. If you’re paying a shop to do them then the labour rate favours paying for the top dollar ones as they’ll probably last longer and work out cheaper in the long run. YMMV.

BTW – which bearings went first?

From a Switch Evo owner (still on originals).

#Edit – you need 2RS ones: 2 Rubber Seals. Check out simplybearings, bearingboys, ….

Rears gone, freewheel seems fine it’s the ones in the main body that are knackered. Fronts also fine, the wheelsets about 14 months old.

Changing them’s looking more tricky, when you get it apart there’s a metal sleeve of some sort behind them, which makes it impossible to drift em from the back or pull them.

Hopefully this helps.

I’d saved it for the future but not needed it yet:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B382x_6sspHCRUJDeGV4cTJOOG8/edit?pli=1

I’ve had katec bearings and they are no better or worse than anyone else.
To be honest my fave bearing supplier is terry at bearing options[/url]
Good quality and very cheap.

I’d recommend not to put cheap bearings in. My mate has down that with his Hope hubs recently and it’s lefting him changing bearings every month. He’s never doing it again either. Just get some high quality SKF or INA bearings and you’ll be fine. If you’ve got a bearing supplier local to you then go there.

That metal sleeve inside the hub will be for supporting the inside face of the bearings. You should be able to get something inside it and push it to one side of the hub shell to give better access to drift the bearings out. It looks similar to how you would service a pro 2 front hub.

FWIW I have had good results from keasae’s bearings but I would also second what others have said and if you buy your bearings by one of the big three, FAG, INA or SKF from a bearing supply shop you will also be fitting good bearings.

I got a full front and rear set for £35 from Katec/Keasea on ebay (they were EZO bearings) and they’re all running smooth 6 months later, in fact I recently picked the seals off the bearinsg I could reach to check them and they were all uncontaminated proving the seals are working. Cheap bearings have poor tollerances but more importantly poor seals so get SKF, INA, FAG, EZO (from Katec)

This is how you change the front bearings, the rear are easy…

Pull the end cap adapters off which will leave the bearings and the inner half of the end caps still in place. Using a drift/screwdriver/socket extension etc and hammer knock out a bearing and end cap still in the hub by pushing the spacer between the bearings down to compress the o-ring so you can get the drift on the edge of the bearing then do the same for the other bearing. It’s best to press the bearings in place but I used an old bearing on top of the new bearing and carefully knocked it in with a hammer, even if you do use a press make sure you push on the outer race of the bearing as applying too much force to the inner race will damage them. Make sure all the spacers and end caps go in with the o-rings seated correctly which can be a bit tricky if the o-rings have magically grown like mine had.

http://db.tt/D3vUOJEb

http://db.tt/2vZUIP8s

http://www.youtube.com/user/Milanslav

http://www.novatec.com.tw/novatec/english/p_show.php?sid=280

http://www.novatec.com.tw/novatec/english/p_show.php?sid=278

Just bought a set off katec for my superstar evo front. These have gone first after about 15 months. Same as my hope pro 2, they went first on the front too?
Anyway ive always had good results from katec/kasae so went straight to him.

FAG, SKF or Enduro.

However, expect to pay at least double the going rate over mid market products. Whether they last at least twice as long is another matter – I’ve found Enduro a good compromise for hubs but their BB bearing is no better then Deore for example as its not as well sealed.

I’d recommend not to put cheap bearings in. My mate has down that with his Hope hubs recently and it’s lefting him changing bearings every month. He’s never doing it again either. Just get some high quality SKF or INA bearings and you’ll be fine. If you’ve got a bearing supplier local to you then go there.

This.

But…Hope reckon that they use Schaeffler bearings exclusively, and Schaeffler own both the INA and FAG brands…

It’s SKF all the way for me, from my local bearing factor. Who happen to be these guys…Bearing Factors (Nelson)[/url], but I always go to the trade counter.

Another option, ceramic for £7 each. No idea what thy’re like though

http://www.bearings-online.co.uk/item/Brand_Deep-Groove-Ball-Bearings_61902-2RS-Ceramic_0_0_2405_0.html