Technically these have been available direct from Wheels Manufacturing for about eight months now, offered in what they’ve called a “soft launch”, but they’re making their formal introduction at QBP’s Frost Bike this week. This means they’re going prime time with broader distribution, and as their reps show them off in below freezing temps, the story of what makes the Zero ceramic bearings special will seem right at home.
Using solid ceramic bearings, the races are cryogenically frozen to make them ultra hard. That increases the smoothness and durability, and then they swap in a single-lip seal rather than the usual dual lip seal to further reduce drag. Here’s the nuts and bolts of it…
The bearings are Grade 3, which they say are the rounded balls you can get unless you’re building for the military. The real secret sauce is the races, which are treated with a black oxide coating, reground to a mirror finish and then cryogenically treated at -300ºF. This realigns the crystalline structure of the metal, making it incredibly hard. This hardness helps it hold up to the ceramic balls’ hardness, thus increasing the lifespan of the entire assembly.
The bottom bracket design itself uses their threaded shell, which pulls both sides into place in perfect alignment, boosting the performance even further. The Zero bearings be available in PF30 Outboard, BB30 Outboard, standard PF30, BB86/92, and Standard BSA BB. This includes the PF30-to-24 and 24/22 designs, allowing Shimano and SRAM GXP spindles to spin freely on PFBB30 frames. Retail is $175.
