Sealed vs Cartridge Bearings Hi All! Discussion starter here... Sealed or cartridge bearings?? A lot of different manufacturers are going to sealed it seems... Why does Shimano (quality products in my opinion) stick with the cartridge? Are their cartridge bearings better than others? What do you do for maintenance on those and would that be a deal breaker or maker on a new wheelset for you? Thanks! Kyle https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654,1654#msg-1654 Mon, 25 May 2026 08:27:11 -0500 Phorum 5.2.19 https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Re: Sealed vs Cartridge Bearings https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Skye Cycling Forum Tue, 28 Jul 2020 15:49:07 -0500 https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Re: Sealed vs Cartridge Bearings https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Just a follow-up, I have heard with Cup and Cone bearings that regular maintenance is key to longevity. I have put about 2,000 miles on my rims so decided I would man up and try to repack them. Watched a couple YouTube tutorials, and seems like it was a pretty easy task! I was pretty nervous, but it went well and they are a lot quieter now. ^ CLICK TO REPLY]]> kyleiniowa Cycling Forum Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:14:10 -0500 https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Re: Sealed vs Cartridge Bearings https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Perhaps you mean the cup & cone (angular contact) bearings Shimano still uses in their wheels?
According to Shimano this is why they use them:
From: https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/technologies/component/details/cup-cone-bearing.html
Quote
Shimano
Angular contact bearings of the cup & cone type offer greater strength than sealed cartridge industrial bearings due their ability to displace lateral and vertical loads more effectively for super smooth rotation and longer durability. Angular contact bearings also allow easier maintenance, adjustability and serviceability.

From what I understand, cup & cone are going to have more friction losses than a radial bearing under normal use (eg vertical and not lateral load) unless they are set up very carefully. I haven't done it myself but it sounds like the Shimano bearings can be set up by feel with a high degree of precision to reduce drag as much as possible, and are easier to dismantle and service.
I have a set of older Dura-Ace wheels but I'm considering going to a sealed cartridge bearing hub for my next wheels because frankly I would rather just replace the cartridge bearings every X years than fiddle around, but I'll rebuild the Dura-Ace first to see how much of a hassle it really is... ^ CLICK TO REPLY]]> Skye Cycling Forum Tue, 09 Jun 2020 14:09:43 -0500 https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Sealed vs Cartridge Bearings https://staminist.com/read.php?1,1654# Discussion starter here...
Sealed or cartridge bearings??
A lot of different manufacturers are going to sealed it seems... Why does Shimano (quality products in my opinion) stick with the cartridge? Are their cartridge bearings better than others?
What do you do for maintenance on those and would that be a deal breaker or maker on a new wheelset for you?
Thanks!
Kyle ^ CLICK TO REPLY]]> kyleiniowa Cycling Forum Sun, 07 Jun 2020 13:37:32 -0500