CeramicSpeed has taken another step into the off-road market with their new SLT bearings. These maintenance free bearings claim to be highly durable and resistant to contaminants, and will be launched at this year’s Eurobike show.
CeramicSpeed has spent more than 18 months creating the SLT Bearings, which they hope will revolutionize the off-road bearing market. Along with their current line of bottom bracket, headset, fully wheels, and wheel bearings the SLT Bearings complete the last remaining bearings on mountain bikes. They were developed completely in house using expertise from both the cycling and industrial sides of the company. Something that really sets them apart is that they are a solid lubrication bearing. What that means is the SLT Bearings use a polymer matrix saturated with lubrication oil. This matrix keeps the lubrication where it needs to be, even under the worst conditions. It also prevents contaminants from entering the bearing, keeping them clean and running smooth. The rest of the bearing is made up of CeramicSpeed balls and stainless steel races.
“We’re very excited about this product and strongly believe it has the potential to revolutionise the off-road bearing market,” said Martin Banke, Executive Vice President of CeramicSpeed. “For a long time, we have been presented with the longevity challenges that face bicycle and component manufacturers in the off-road scene. SLT Bearings can overcome those challenges with impressive results and a unique maintenance-free characteristic.”
As part of testing, the Danish brand invested in a proprietary pivot bearing test machine to their stable of test equipment. Its main purpose is to collect data on the life of the bearing in simulated real world conditions the bearings would face. This means subjecting it to loading and force conditions that would be faced in full suspension pivots. Check out the machine in action.
CeramicSpeed isn’t just about speed and efficiency. Their bearings are also made to outlast competitors, with proper care. The new SLT Bearings have been tested to outlast the market leader by as much as three times. The latest round of test results saw the SLT Bearing go through 1.8 million cycles at 2500Nm of radial force, while the competition tapped out at 600,000. Below are some some photos from testing at different time points.
2500 Nm Radial force
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MARKET LEADER |
 
CERAMICSPEED |
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CYCLES
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Races: 100Cr6 (Hardened Steel) Balls: 100Cr6 – Full ball |
Races: 440C (Stainless Steel) |
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200.000 |
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600.000 |
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1.800.000 |
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“Our development of SLT Bearings has received overwhelming interest from our OEM partners. The demand for a high performing and more durable bearing for pivots has confirmed and validated our investment in using this technology for this application.” said Jonathan Small who leads CeramicSpeed’s implementation of SLT Bearings for the off-road market.
This isn’t actually new technology for CeramicSpeed though. The industrial side of their business, which makes bearings of all shapes, sizes, and configurations for machinery, has been using the same solid lubrication technology. These hybrid bearings with SLT have increased service life by eight times in conditions that bearings should not be able to last in. This includes partial submerging and exposure to detergents. They have even been subjected to an acetone solution, which should strip the bearing of lubricant.
Initially, CeramicSpeed will be focusing on the OE market and will announce aftermarket availability in due time. Pricing was unavailable at the time of publication, but expect to pay a premium for these high end bearings that should outlast the bike. They will be showing the bearings at Eurobike, so check their website for more detail after the show.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
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