CeramicSpeed Ceramic Race Coated Bottom Bracket - BBright to GXP (SRAM)

CeramicSpeed Ceramic Race Coated Bottom Bracket - BBright to GXP (SRAM) Info

Cervélo fans who are also SRAM and Quarq fans are lucky that CeramicSpeed has figured out how to fit GXP-spindled cranks to Cervélo frames. This is a Ceramic bottom bracket with Coated races designed so users can install their favorite 24mm/22.5mm spindled cranks onto their BBright Press Fit frames, and get nearly no frictional drag from the marriage.

The BBright standard was created by Cervélo, but is open to anyone. The idea is to make the bottom bracket area both stiffer and lighter than what is possible with the BB30/PF30 standard. The bottom bracket shell is oversized, with a 46mm inner diameter for the Press Fit and 42mm for the Direct Fit. And asymmetric, measuring 79mm wide, rather than the BB30/PF30 68mm width. The extra 11mm are on the non-drive side. This allows builders to design a wider left chainstay, which can dramatically improve lateral rigidity. Note that this is for BBright Press Fit, which is closer in design to the PF30 standard than to the BB30 standard. BBright Direct Fit is only compatible with BBright-compatible cranks.

CeramicSpeed utilizes Grade 3 Silicon Nitride balls that possess the best possible surface finish and roundness. In testing, the balls are 400% smoother, 128% harder, and 58% lighter than standard steel balls found in most bike components. They’re more than 100% smoother and 15% harder than standard ceramic balls. The balls are installed into hardened steel races in dust-free clean rooms and then checked again before assembly is complete. Not only is low friction the result, but so is increased bearing life. Like three to five times longer than standard bearings.

The CeramicSpeed bearings are pressed into aluminum cups that themselves are on the inside of aluminum sleeves. The pieces are machined by Rotor of Spain. And the bearings are pressed into place at CeramicSpeed in Denmark.

Tech geeks who are also speed fiends obsess over ceramic bearings because the right design can have dramatically less frictional resistance than standard steel bearings. CeramicSpeed is an innovator in bearing technology. They mastered the use of ceramic ball bearings pressed into hardened steel races for both reduced friction and improved durability. You can go faster with less maintenance. Great things both. These are the reasons why pro teams seek out ceramic bearings. CeramicSpeed has the pro teams coming to them, begging for bearings. Even the ones they don’t sponsor might well be buying them in order not to be left behind.

If you replace all your bike’s bearings with CeramicSpeed, you could be looking at a savings of 25 seconds in 40km if you’re riding at 48kph. The savings goes up to two minutes if you’re riding at 32kph. Extend that to an Ironman-length ride, and the savings could vary from 1:50, if you’re going 48kph to nine minutes if you’re going 32kph.

Another step they take in assuring the lowest-possible frictional drag is using grease they designed as lubricant. It comes in the bearings and a syringe comes with the bearings as well.

Part of CeramicSpeed’s commitment to having the lowest-friction bearings on the market is keeping up their research and development. That led them to a special metallic coating that can be applied three microns thick on the races. It makes the treated surface 80% harder than hardened steel. In terms of friction, the already low-friction CeramicSpeed bearings with the treatment see friction reduced by over 50%. In terms of service life, these coated bearings last even longer, like over 60% longer, than the standard CeramicSpeed bearings. Better yet, the coating means the races better resist contamination from water, dirt, degreaser, etc. Aka, the risk of bearing failure due to corrosion has been reduced to near zero. They can even run without grease or oil, though CeramicSpeed recommends their blue all-around grease for regular use, and their TT grease for achieving the lowest-possible friction.

The kit comes with the bearings, cups, grease, dust cover, spacers, and sticker sheet.

The CeramicSpeed Coated Ceramic Race Bottom Bracket that converts BBright to GXP-spindled cranks makes it possible to install your favorite SRAM or Quarq crank on your Cervélo frame.