The bicycle is a self-explanatory machine. Almost every part of it is there to be seen at a glance. So it’s all too easy to neglect or underestimate the hidden ball bearings which keep the moving parts on the move.In any mechanical device, where two bearing surfaces make frictional contact with each other, some means must be found of minimising the friction.
In many cases, a well-lubricated “plain” bearing will do the job, especially if the bush is of phosphor-bronze or some similar hard alloy. In the more advanced “ball” bearing, however, the load or thrust is borne by a number of hardened alloy-steel balls which are themselves free to move along a narrow circular channel or “race.” In a theoretically ideal ball-bearing, the load is concentrated at areas which are merely points. The steel balls are theoretically perfect spheres and therefore make direct contact with the opposing surfaces at two points, reducing the area liable to frictional wear to an absolute minimum. Also, as the balls themselves are of a specially-hardened steel and are free to move in a rolling manner, any slight amount of wear which they undergo during the course of time will be equalised over the entire surfaces of the balls. The balls, therefore, may ultimately become slightly reduced in size, but they will all be reduced equally; and thus they will keep their spherical shape, so that the working efficiency of the ball bearing is maintained.
In practice, ball-bearings are not perfect in their proportions, and signs of wear occur after a time. A
theoretically perfect ball bearing would need no lubrication at all. Since it is impossible to manufacture
absolutely spherical hardened steel balls, a true rolling motion of the balls within their race cannot be
guaranteed; and the ball-race itself is always slightly concave – this concavity increasing with wear. So
commercial ball-bearings must be lubricated.
*All ball-bearings in a bicycle should be dismantled and examined at the minimum once a year. Twice a year is much better. If the balls have not been adequately lubricated they will be worn sharp or rough, with small pits or depressions in the surfaces of the races. The best thing to do with such an article is to chuck it out.
Contact us
MBP BEARINGS PVT. LTD.
902/290, SHALIMAR INDUSTRIAL AREA,
NEAR LANE NO. 3,
MAIN ROAD, Delhi – 110088, India
In many cases, a well-lubricated “plain” bearing will do the job, especially if the bush is of phosphor-bronze or some similar hard alloy. In the more advanced “ball” bearing, however, the load or thrust is borne by a number of hardened alloy-steel balls which are themselves free to move along a narrow circular channel or “race.” In a theoretically ideal ball-bearing, the load is concentrated at areas which are merely points. The steel balls are theoretically perfect spheres and therefore make direct contact with the opposing surfaces at two points, reducing the area liable to frictional wear to an absolute minimum. Also, as the balls themselves are of a specially-hardened steel and are free to move in a rolling manner, any slight amount of wear which they undergo during the course of time will be equalised over the entire surfaces of the balls. The balls, therefore, may ultimately become slightly reduced in size, but they will all be reduced equally; and thus they will keep their spherical shape, so that the working efficiency of the ball bearing is maintained.
In practice, ball-bearings are not perfect in their proportions, and signs of wear occur after a time. A
theoretically perfect ball bearing would need no lubrication at all. Since it is impossible to manufacture
absolutely spherical hardened steel balls, a true rolling motion of the balls within their race cannot be
guaranteed; and the ball-race itself is always slightly concave – this concavity increasing with wear. So
commercial ball-bearings must be lubricated.
*All ball-bearings in a bicycle should be dismantled and examined at the minimum once a year. Twice a year is much better. If the balls have not been adequately lubricated they will be worn sharp or rough, with small pits or depressions in the surfaces of the races. The best thing to do with such an article is to chuck it out.
Contact us
MBP BEARINGS PVT. LTD.
902/290, SHALIMAR INDUSTRIAL AREA,
NEAR LANE NO. 3,
MAIN ROAD, Delhi – 110088, India
