Guide to Bearings

Skateboard bearings are the metallic cylinders enclosing the wheels of a skateboard. They consist of an inner central shaft fitting around the truck axles and an outer shaft fitting into the wheels. In between the inner and outer shafts are small balls, usually made of steel or ceramic, rolling in a raceway. Skateboard bearings increase the a skateboard’s performance in rough and rugged surfaces.

Choosing Skateboard Bearings

Bearing ratings: Choose skateboard bearings with a high Annular Bearing Engineering Council (ABEC) rating. They are rated using the odd numbers from one to nine in the ABEC scale, where one is the lowest and nine is the highest. Cheap skateboards usually come with unrated bearings that do not ensure excellent performance.

Maintenance advice

Do not skate on dirty or muddy surfaces, as skateboard bearings wear easily and slow down when exposed to too much dirt and water. Replace rough bearings immediately. Nothing can be done to bring them back to their original form. Clean your skateboard bearings regularly to keep them in top form.