Debate: old school grease packing vs modern sealed bearings, which side are you on?

I used to pack bearings by hand every 6 months, grease everywhere, felt like I knew my hubs inside out. Then about 2 years ago I switched to sealed cartridge bearings on my commuter bike, now I just pop them out and drop in new ones when they get rough. But I keep my old touring bike with loose bearings because I trust them more on long trips. Which method do you think holds up better in the long run, especially if you ride in wet conditions a lot?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia28617d ago

You know what nobody talks about? The fact that sealed bearings can trap water INSIDE them if the seals get even a tiny bit damaged. Had a buddy who rode through a deep puddle on his fancy new gravel bike and didn't realize a seal was compromised, next thing you know his hub was grinding like a coffee mill from the inside out. With loose bearings at least you can feel the water getting in right away when you spin the wheel, the grit just feels different under your fingers when you repack. Plus on a long tour you can find loose bearings at literally any bike shop in the middle of nowhere, try finding a specific cartridge bearing size in a small town in Montana.

ivan_perez16d ago

Honestly, gotta push back a little on that "grit feels different" thing. Water and grit in loose bearings isn't really something you can feel by just spinning the wheel unless you're really paying attention. Usually you don't know until you take the wheel off and spin the axle by hand, and by then the damage is already done. And finding loose bearings in a small town might be easier than finding a cartridge, sure, but you're still hoping they have the right size and grade. I've been in shops where the only loose bearings they had were for a kids bike, not what you need for a high end hub. So both systems have their headaches, it's not as clear cut as one being way easier to service on the road.