Cartridge bearings vs cups and cones?

[User]

 

[Fab Foodie]

My summer wheels with Reynolds hubs have sealed bearings, 4 in the rear! and 2 in the front. The front have always been turbine smooth, the rears a bit tight. I have found them not to be brilliantly weatherproof, the rears particularly. getting the bearings out is a bit of a faff and I prefer to let the LBs tackle that. Replacement bearings not too dear though.
My other hubs are cup and cone Ultegra hubs and they're a piece of piss to clean and service. Don't seem to get as much crap in them either which is strange considering their winter usage.

Personal preference is for cup and cone.

 

[02GF74]

sealed ones are less maintenance, well you can't really, are supposed to keep water out but if water gets in, then it can't come out.

i like roller bearing headsets better than ball bearing ones.

 

[tyred]

I've never owned one with cartridges but I think I like to stick with cup and cone. Ridiculously cheap and easy to service, what's not to like?

 

[GilesM]

Cartridge Bearings for me everytime.

When I first started mountaining biking I bought a bike that had Shimano Deore hubs, I was forever working on the hubs, the bearings and cones seem to wear very quickly, they definately didn't like Scottish off road conditions, now using Hope hubs on both bikes, and I've changed one set of rear bearings in the last two years, everything else is still super smooth. The freehubs are also much easier to repair on the cartridge bearing hubs.

 

[GrasB]

Cups & cones are easy to service & can be upgraded with decent quality ball bearings if required but they do require some maintenance. However I'd prefer cups & cones to cheaper/lower quality cartridge bearings as the latter don't keep the internals contaminant free & thus become stiff & run badly. Higher quality cartridge bearings are the best option ime as they just work & require no maintenance besides replacement when they're worn out.

So I'd go for high quality cartridge bearings but of course the problem is working out what's high quality & what's overpriced.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Cartridge bearings for me. Last for ages without the need to touch them, I wouldn't want to go back to the days of regularly sodding about with bottom brackets, headsets and hubs.