Types of Skateboard Bearings

Skateboard bearings fit inside your skateboard wheel and sit in a cylinder that mounts between the truck axle and the wheel itself. Sitting between the wheel and the axle, bearings reduce friction on the wheel as it spins, helping wheels roll longer and conserve energy. Because bearings play an important role in skateboard handling and performance, picking the right one for your budget and needs is critical to get the most out of your skateboard.

  1. Shielded Bearings

    • Shielded bearings place the bearings inside a channel so you can open and remove the bearings for cleaning and maintenance. Shields keep larger pieces of grime out of the bearing casing, but they're not watertight nor are they sealed tightly enough to keep dust away from your bearings. Skaters who ride shielded bearings must commit to putting the maintenance time into their bearings, periodically removing them, inspecting them and soaking them in cleaning solution.

    Sealed Bearings

    • Sealed bearings come in an all-in-one casing. You can't open the casing itself for maintenance, but it's closed up tight enough to keep water, grease and other road grime from befouling your bearings, so maintenance isn't much of an issue. Sealed bearings are slightly heavier, though, and more expensive than shielded ones. Also, in the case of bearing failure, you'll have to replace the entire unit instead of simply swapping out a few ball bearings and rebuilding it. Most starting skateboarders opt for sealed bearings because of the ease of maintenance, while weight considerations aren't much of a concern to the novice rider.

    Thrust Bearings

    • Borrowing technology used by mechanical engineers for years, thrust bearings incorporate housing washers and cages inside the bearing mount. The ball-and-cage mount system provides more stability under extreme load stress, like when you drop in or land a launch from a high ramp. Rather than seizing with that brief sticking feeling you get on impact with other bearings, thrust bearings spin even under pressure. They're usually more expensive than sealed bearings and may require more maintenance depending on their design.

    Bearing Ratings

    • The Annular Bearing Engineering Committee or Council developed a system to rate the quality of all bearings used in mechanics. The scale rates bearings on a scale from 1 to 9. The higher the rating, the higher quality control in its manufacturing, and the more perfectly round and smooth it is. Higher rated bearings will roll better, but are more expensive.