Ball bearings are the most common type of bearing for rolling components. These bearings can handle both radial and thrust loads, but they are typically used where the load is relatively thin. There is not much interaction with the balls on the inner and outer races due to their composition. If the bearing is overloaded, the path can bend.

This article will cover the major types of Headset Bike Bearings for your bike.

Ball Bearings Deep-Groove:

 Deep-Groove is the most commonly used type of roller bearing because of its flexibility and overall performance. They are distinguished by deep raceway grooves in which there are circular arcs with a slightly greater radius than that of the balls in the inner and outer circles. They have non-separable rings as well.

Ball Bearings with Angular Contact:

Angular contact ball bearings can withstand and achieve high speeds with high radial-axial loads. For manufacturing purposes, they are asymmetrical and can only withstand unidirectional axial loads. Angular bearings are typically mounted with rigid or elastic spacers in a group of two or more opposing pre-loaded modules.

Ball Bearings Self-Aligning:

The inner ring has two raceways in a self-aligning bearing. The outer ring has a single spherical raceway with its curvature center coinciding with the bearing axis. This helps the inner circle, balls, and cage axis deflect around the bearing center to automatically correct the misalignment caused by housing and shaft machining or installation errors.

Bearings for the cup and cone:

Typically, bicycle bearings use bearing balls mounted in a cone compressed with a cup (cup and cone-bearing). The balls are held in a cup with curved sides, while the cone pushes on top, keeping them in place.

Bearings with cartridge:

New patterns are leaning towards bearings with cartridges. It consists of a cartridge inserted into a “sleeve” in the right part of the bicycle that needs to be converted into a wheel hub, headset, BB case, etc. Compared to cup and cone bearings, the advantage is that only cartridges are replaced, even though very neglected and worn, much like non-worn cartridges. Cup and cone hub bearing, for example, in case of cups get worn, calls for the whole hub replacement. Only cartridges are replaced with cartridge bearings so that the hub will be perfect, except in the case of a fully damaged old cartridge requiring replacement.

Bearings of ceramic and special cartridges

Unique models of cartridge bearings are designed to be “faster,” i.e., to have the lowest possible rolling resistance. Bearing races don’t overlap with seals. This means a little less drag but also a better way of bringing dirt into the bearings. This implies that the bearing would be “faster” when brand new but stop being faster and even quickly become slower with use than a comparable bearing with an overlapping seal.

Roller bearings (“needle”)

Two conical races and a cage containing conically mounted rollers consist of such bearings. They are also (wrongly) referred to as needle bearings (the needle bearings are much longer and smaller, needle-like “rollers”). Rolling resistance is higher than with ball bearings, but due to a higher contact area with races offered by rollers, they can withstand much higher loads than balls.

They are used on some (older) bicycles as headset (steering) bearings. For this usage, the fact that these bearings produce more rolling resistance is meaningless since handlebars are not turned around all the time, only rotated to steer from time to time.

With this information, get the best possible Headset Bike Bearings for your bike!

Paul watson