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Boca Releases Ceramic Bicycle Bearings
Boca Bearing Company (USA; website ) has announced availability of a new line of hybrid ceramic ball bearings for bicycles.
The product line, Lightning Bearing Technology (LBT), covers wheel hubs, bottom brackets, headsets, and pivot points. The depth of the line includes sizes for all popular manufacturers and applications. The product list is here.
The modern bearing industry traces its origin to the bicycling craze which swept the world beginning in the late 1800's.
Most of the advances creating the modern bicycle involved adding precision ball and roller bearings at key points. The explosion in demand for these bearings fueled worldwide bearing demand, just as mass production techniques were embraced. Following quickly after bicycle demand, the spread of mechanical industrial production drove bearing demand even higher, as did the later introduction of mass produced automobiles, rotating electrical equipment, and modern appliances.
Boca said its new line of hybrid ceramic bearings is particularly well suited to bicycle applications, being lighter, stronger, and with less dynamic rolling resistance than bearings with standard steel balls.
Using Si3n4 silicon nitride balls typically reduces the inherent internal friction of a ball bearing by approximately 10% over a bearing with steel balls. Similarly, ceramic bearings require less lubricant, reducing parasitic losses from lubricant drag.
Hybrid ceramic bearings are also inherently stiffer than bearings with steel balls while being up to 1/3 lighter. And finally, because of all the inherent construction advantages, hybrid ceramic bearings have a service life up to five times longer than all-steel bearings.
LBT bearings have a C3 fitup, and are prelubricated.
Two varieties are offered, depending upon the seal.
Yellow Seal Ceramic Hybrid bearings have an aggressive contact seal offering maximum protection in off-road and mountain biking conditions where water, mud, gravel and dirt are concerns.
Ultra Seal Ceramic Hybrid bearings have a non-contact seal for less rolling resistance and are best suited for on-road applications.
| Product Model | Inside Diameter | Outside Diameter | Thickness |
| KBS3068PPAS bearing | 30 | ||
| KB3068PPAS bearing | 30 |