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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!nbs-amrf!libes
From: libes@nbs-amrf.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: sealed bearings
Message-ID: <193@nbs-amrf.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 22-Feb-84 07:46:31 EST
Article-I.D.: nbs-amrf.193
Posted: Wed Feb 22 07:46:31 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 23-Feb-84 05:34:31 EST
Organization: National Bureau of Standards
Lines: 17

I'm considering several bikes, some of which have sealed bearings, some
of which don't.  I would like to hear people's stories on sealed
bearing and also the answers to some questions, which I have never
heard (probably because sealed bearings are relatively new):

How long do sealed bearings last?
How do you know when they need to be replaced?  Do they suddenly
freeze or do they slowly go bad like unsealed bearings?
Are they inordinately expensive to replace when the time comes?
I've seen most sealed bearings on hubs, but I've also seen them on
headsets, rear derailleurs and bottom brackets.  Do they really make
sense in all these places or is this just gimmickry?
Are they a compromise?  Do they not work as well as carefully adjusted
unsealed bearings?

Thanks for all replies.
Don Libes		[allegra!seismo]!umcp-cs!nbs-amrf!libes