Hybrid ceramic bearings are pretty much the worst of both worlds in high-contamination areas like a BB... The ceramic balls are so much harder than the SS that they can abrade the races quicker than if everything was steel. Then, ceramic balls won't deform over an imperfect race, so it'll just get worse. Add a bit of grit, and the balls will crack until you have dust for bearings.
To make matters worse, because people expect more when they pay more, ceramic bearings tend to have lighter seals and grease so that they live up to the myth of lower rolling resistance. For mountain bikes, ceramic and especially hybrid bearings are a hoax.
Feb. 26, 2018, 8:24 a.m. - Skyler
Hybrid ceramic bearings are pretty much the worst of both worlds in high-contamination areas like a BB... The ceramic balls are so much harder than the SS that they can abrade the races quicker than if everything was steel. Then, ceramic balls won't deform over an imperfect race, so it'll just get worse. Add a bit of grit, and the balls will crack until you have dust for bearings. To make matters worse, because people expect more when they pay more, ceramic bearings tend to have lighter seals and grease so that they live up to the myth of lower rolling resistance. For mountain bikes, ceramic and especially hybrid bearings are a hoax.