Buying new Bearings
My K2 skates have 8-mm, TwinCam, ABEC-1, double-shielded bearings with the following inscribed on the casings:
TwinCam
ABEC-1
608 ZZ
Normally, the manufacturer or brand doesn’t make a lot of difference within the three categories of shielded, serviceable bearings, shielded, serviceable bearings with pop-up caps, and sealed, non-serviceable bearings. A bearing size of 8mm and the 608 designation are fine for recreational, inline skaters. The ABEC rating is another story!
ABEC Bearing
ABEC-1, 3, and 5 are the most common bearings that come with inline skates, as well as the newer ABEC-7s, which are gaining in popularity. Whether a skater can go faster with ABEC-5 bearings versus ABEC-1 bearings has never been proven, scientifically or otherwise.
Furthermore, the higher precision may not make a significant difference for the recreational skater who travels in the 10 to 20 mph range. The average skater doesn’t require a higher-rated bearing because the difference in performance is so minimal that it would only become apparent at speeds an inline skater never attains.
In addition, the higher precision eventually deteriorates down to ABEC-3 or 1 due to dust, dirt, and regular wear and tear. To increase your skating speed, you’d be better off to improve your technique and learn how to cut down on wind resistance. These are proven ways to make you a faster and more efficient skater.
Tips Skate Bearings and the ABEC Scale
If you think you need new bearings for your inline skates, it’s best to check your bearings for wear using the tests provided in this article. Your bearings are at the core of your wheels and reduce friction so you can skate smoothly and efficiently. Hence, they need to be maintained properly from season to season.
Skateboard Bearing
Checking for Wear
The following are indications of major, bearing wear from a no-load, finger-flick, spin test:
- One or more of your wheels stick(s) periodically
- One or more of your wheels (is) are seized
- One or more or your wheels require(s) a lot of force to spin
- One or more of your wheels spin(s) freely for only a second or two
In addition, the following are signs of major, bearing wear from a spin test with the skater as the load:
- While out skating you hear a loud, grinding noise from your bearings
- It takes a lot of effort to pick up and maintain speed when you skate
- Your bearings are hot to the touch after a roll
You may also want to replace your inline skate bearings if you decide to switch to a different type of bearing. You may want to change from shielded bearings to sealed or racing bearings.
Learning the ABEC Scale
Bearings are rated on the Annular Bearing Engineering Council (ABEC) scale. Ratings are numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 on the ABEC scale. The higher the number is, the greater the manufactured precision of the bearing.
However, there are no required materials to meet the ABEC specifications. The bearings only have to be made to a certain precision. That’s all!