What Quality are Manufacturer's Bearings?

[DaveTheWave 0]

I've always wondered what the differences between a BSB Swiss or a Mission Swiss set of bearings are. BSB Swiss bearings used to be the best and I think still are, but what are you experiences with brands of bearings? I mean a manufacturer could potentially say they're giving you a swiss bearing that is actually an ABEC 7 of inferior quality and no one would know.

[#96 0]

I'm not sure how it goes with bearings, but I'm thinking there might be some kind of OEM in place like with computer parts. A manufacturer like BSB, who has the capability to make bearings, will make them, and stamp Bauer or Mission on them instead of BSB.

Mission and Bauer are probably bad examples though because they are both big players and can probably produce them themselves.

However, I have definately noticed a quality difference with some brands. Bauer in particular. I have bought several types of Bauer skates, with "Bauer" bearings, and they never seem to perform as well as others like BSB. Early this year I bought 30-90s and they came with "Bauer Abec-9" bearings. I swear they were like Abec-5, maybe 7 at best. Just MHO.

[Justin 1933 134]

Are 2006 Bearings are modeled after the BSB bearings...We have the exact same supplier (except for Swiss)....

[#96 0]

Justin, when you say "same supplier" as BSB, do you mean that you (being Mission) and BSB both do not actually produce the bearings, that some 3rd party company actually is the producer?

[Justin 1933 134]

A supplier in Asia..

[lesterhenson 0]

abec is a spin rating based on tolerance (how fast it can spin before giving up etc). swiss bearings focus more on friction resistence versus rpm's. thats why swiss bearings dont have an abec rating.