Bill Shook went to great lengths to select the finest bearings for American Classic’s product line. He designed adjustable bearings in our hubs so you can dial in your bearings for increased precision. The purpose of adjustability is to extend the life of your bearings, and reduce friction and rolling resistance to boost performance. All our bearings have been time tested on our wheel testing machines for durability, strength, smoothness, and precision fit in the bearing bores. Our hubs come standard with either 688, 6803C3 or 6805 fully sealed 440C Stainless Steel cartridge bearings. They have stood the test of time working reliably in our hubs for years. Bill Shook selected our 440C Stainless Steel bearings to resist moisture, corrosion and abrasion, and for their suitability for high speeds. Some of our new hubs are running 6902 52100 Chrome Steel bearings. He analyzed the load capacity and determined these bearings would meet his design goals of strength, performance and durability. The 52100 Chrome Steel bearings are big and made to last. All bearings contain water resistant, corrosion inhibiting grease.
CERAMIC BALL BEARINGS
Ceramic ball bearings have greater hardness than steel ball bearings which results in longer ball life. Ceramic balls have a smoother surface finish than steel balls which means less friction when your wheel is spinning and this translates into increased performance. Ceramic bearings require less lubrication and exhibit less lubrication degeneration, which results in increased bearing life. Our fully sealed Ceramic cartridge bearings are ABeC-5 and use Silicon nitride (Si3n4) ceramic balls with 440C stainless steel races. The Ceramic bearings produce an unparalleled ride feel in terms of smoothness, quickness and effortless rolling. Ceramic Bearings can be installed in new wheelsets or ordered as kits. The Road Ceramic Bearing Kit contains 2-688 and 4-6803C3 Ceramic Bearings. The MTB Ceramic Bearing Kit contains 6-6803C3 Ceramic Bearings. Look for the yellow seals signifying American Classic’s top quality Ceramic bearings.