about 2 weeks ago, i got a new longboard, a sector 9 player. I ride it around almost everyday. I noticed that the bearings are turning black. Does this mean i need to clean them? Also, they are abec 5 bearings. I want my longboard to ride fast and a long distance without having to push so much. Should i replace them with better ones? i heard bone reds r good.
This Site Might Help You. RE: how often should u clean longboard bearings? about 2 weeks ago, i got a new longboard, a sector 9 player. I ride it around almost everyday. I noticed that the bearings are turning black. Does this mean i need to clean them? Also, they are abec 5 bearings. I want my longboard to ride fast and a long distance without having to push so much....
clean them every 2 weeks! Just oil them up with silocen spray (works for me) Churr
If you see the bearings turning black, it just means that the outside of the bearing is getting dirty. The rubber/metal seal should still be blocking the dirt from really getting into the bearing. You can wipe down the bearings with a paper towel, but as long as it still spins well and doesnt feel slower, you wont need to complete clean and lube the bearing. Bones Reds are just fine, but any bearing that spins well will perform the same. MileHighSkate bearings are one of the most recommended bearings within the longboarding community. They have better seals than Bones and and are cheaper.
You only need to clean the bearings if they don't roll well, don't roll smoothly, or make rough noises. ABEC is meaningless for skates in that there is almost no difference between ABEC 1 and 7. The rating is based on vibration that would be at speeds above 200 mph. The brand is much more important and some of the better ones (Bones, Zero Drag, Twin Cam) make bearings that don't meet any of the ABEC standards because they can roll better with more gaps in the right places. Your choice of wheels will make a bigger difference in your speed than your bearings.
