source for wheel bearings

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by mt_biker
Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs?

I used to buy in bulk from a local bearing supply, and from Nashbar but neither is available anymore.

I get them from my LBS.

<< Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs? >>

loosescrews.comloosescrews.comOpen ↗

mt_biker said:

Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs?

I used to buy in bulk from a local bearing supply, and from Nashbar but neither is available
anymore.

--

Any competent LBS: yellowjersey.orghardware.htmlOpen ↗

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

mt_biker may have said:

Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs?

I used to buy in bulk from a local bearing supply, and from Nashbar but neither is
available anymore.

biketoolsetc.comindex.cgiOpen ↗

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My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy. Words processed in a facility that
contains nuts.

mt biker-<< Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs? >><BR><BR>

From your bike shop, dear Liazza, dear Liazza, Dear Liazza, from your bike shop, dear Liazza, dear
Liazza.......from yer bike shop.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

mt_biker said:

Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs?

I used to buy in bulk from a local bearing supply, and from Nashbar but neither is
available anymore.

Funny thing, I just posted about this (within the last month or so) and now can't find my posting on
Google Groups. :-(

Anyway, I buy my bearing balls locally from Motion Industries. They claim to have over 500 outlets
in the US. See:

motionindustries.commotion.jspOpen ↗

They have a "Locations" page to find your local outlet.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net home.earthlink.net~jeverett3Open ↗

mt_biker said:

Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs?

I used to buy in bulk from a local bearing supply, and from Nashbar but neither is available
anymore.

My LBS sells them - usually the Dura-Ace branded ones, which are horribly expensive. Do ensure you
replace the bearings with a complete set from the same batch - they do vary in size slightly.

I said:

mt_biker said:

Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs?

I used to buy in bulk from a local bearing supply, and from Nashbar but neither is available
anymore.

Funny thing, I just posted about this (within the last month or so) and now can't find my posting
on Google Groups. :-(

I just figured out why Google couldn't find my posting, it was actually sent to the Classic
Rendezvous email list. Anyway, here it
is:

I see someone has recommended Boca Bearings. I buy mine locally from Motion Industries in
Montgomery, Illinois at about half of Boca's price. They come in "Mini-Packs" of varying quantities
according to size. (1/4"x100, 3/16"x175, 5/32"x200, 1/8"x225, etc.) My last purchase of 100 1/4"
Grade 25 balls was in May for $5.32(US), tax included.

Motion Industries is a nation-wide chain that is also in Canada and Mexico. They have over 30
locations in Illinois alone. See:

motionindustries.commotion.jspOpen ↗

Hit "Locations" to find a branch near you.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net home.earthlink.net~jeverett3Open ↗

Zog The Undeniable may have said:

mt_biker said:

Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs?

I used to buy in bulk from a local bearing supply, and from Nashbar but neither is available
anymore.

My LBS sells them - usually the Dura-Ace branded ones, which are horribly expensive. Do ensure you
replace the bearings with a complete set from the same batch - they do vary in size slightly.

This should not be the case with new bearings. I couldn't measure the difference in diameter of
0.2500" bearings (yes, typically that's the level of precision involved even for the cheapest ones)
sold to me by any supplier I've ever used, and there have been a few over the years.

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John Everett <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I see someone has recommended Boca Bearings. I buy mine locally from Motion Industries in
Montgomery, Illinois at about half of Boca's price. They come in "Mini-Packs" of varying
quantities according to size. (1/4"x100, 3/16"x175, 5/32"x200, 1/8"x225, etc.) My last purchase of
100 1/4" Grade 25 balls was in May for $5.32(US), tax included.

hoo-boy. i know where im going for my next batch!

'while back i decided to try the local bearing supply for some common sizes. i thought their prices
a bit steep, but figured an enormous industrial supplier like them couldnt possibly be undersold by
even an internet bike store selling little packets of 20.

wrong. so very very wrong. i checked the internet prices *after* i bought them. i think i was paying
something like four times your price. New Haven bearing suppliers must stock campangnolo😉

anthony

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Qui Si Parla Ca
mt biker-<< Where does one buy ball bearings for rebuilding hubs? >><BR><BR>

From your bike shop, dear Liazza, dear Liazza, Dear Liazza, from your bike shop, dear Liazza, dear
Liazza.......from yer bike shop.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

At 20cents a piece, my LBS has priced themselves out of a customer!
The LHS (hardware) had them for 17 cents but were unmarked for grade.
I tried the above suggestions and found 100 grade 25 for < 4 dollars. Wow, 4 cents a piece, that pretty much covers shipping.

Montana "not happy with my LBS" biker

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by mt_biker
At 20cents a piece, my LBS has priced themselves out of a customer!
The LHS (hardware) had them for 17 cents but were unmarked for grade.
I tried the above suggestions and found 100 grade 25 for < 4 dollars. Wow, 4 cents a piece, that pretty much covers shipping.

Montana "not happy with my LBS" biker

Oh, and while I'm ranting, I bought a $2000 frame from my LBS and they wouldn't even face the bb & headtube unless I gave them an additional $50.

To answer your next response to find a new LBS - it's 120 miles down the road. Ah, life in Montana.

Montana "I guess the snow is getting to me" biker

mt biker-<< At 20cents a piece, my LBS has priced themselves out of a customer! The LHS (hardware)
had them for 17 cents but were unmarked for grade. I tried the above suggestions and found 100 grade
25 for < 4 dollars. Wow, 4 cents a piece, that pretty much covers shipping. >><BR><BR>

Whatever, we sell grade 25 for $.10 each. But for the convienence of just going down to the bike
shop...a hubset worth of beraings, even at $.20 per is only $7.60....

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

(Qui si parla Campagnolo) said:

mt biker-<< At 20cents a piece, my LBS has priced themselves out of a customer! The LHS (hardware)
had them for 17 cents but were unmarked for grade. I tried the above suggestions and found 100
grade 25 for < 4 dollars. Wow, 4 cents a piece, that pretty much covers shipping. >><BR><BR>

Whatever, we sell grade 25 for $.10 each. But for the convienence of just going down to the bike
shop...a hubset worth of beraings, even at $.20 per is only $7.60....

Let's see, two miles to the closest LBS (in my case, Performance) to spend $7.60 (@$.20 per), or
even $3.80 (@$.10 per) for 38 balls; or seven miles to the local bearing specialty shop to spend
$5.32 (tax included) for 100 1/4" Grade 25 balls. For me it's no contest. Even better, the bearing
specialty shop is on one of my ride routes. A Mini-Pack is small enough to easily fit into a
jersey pocket.

I'm guessing most LBSes buy their bearings from the same distributor they use for everything else.
These distributors probably buy in bulk from some bearing speciality house, like Motion Industries.
By going to the local bearing shop I'm eliminating two middle men, which easily accounts for the
price difference, even given the small lots we're talking about.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net home.earthlink.net~jeverett3Open ↗

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Qui Si Parla Ca
mt biker-<< At 20cents a piece, my LBS has priced themselves out of a customer! The LHS (hardware)
had them for 17 cents but were unmarked for grade. I tried the above suggestions and found 100 grade
25 for < 4 dollars. Wow, 4 cents a piece, that pretty much covers shipping. >><BR><BR>

Whatever, we sell grade 25 for $.10 each. But for the convienence of just going down to the bike
shop...a hubset worth of beraings, even at $.20 per is only $7.60....

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Yes, but now I have 200 bearings in my garage, delivered by USPS. Talk about convenient, I never even had to leave the house! Plus, I can now rebuild 10 wheels for the price of one trip to your shop.

Sorry Peter, I buy a lot of stuff from LBS's but I draw the line at 100% markups. Besides, all it takes is a website and you too can become a mail order shop.

Cheers,
mt_biker

(Qui si parla Campagnolo) said:

John-<< Let's see, two miles to the closest LBS (in my case, Performance) to spend $7.60 (@$.20
per), or even $3.80 (@$.10 per) for 38 balls; or seven miles to the local bearing specialty shop to
spend $5.32 (tax included) for 100 1/4" Grade 25 balls. For me it's no contest. >><BR><BR>

Except you also have to get 100 3/16 balls for the front hub...

With six bikes in my stable plus my girlfriend's two bikes, not to mention the friends' bikes I work
on, not much of an issue for me.

To be precise I should point out that 3/16" balls come in Mini-Packs of 175, at least at Motion
Industries. For completeness: 5/32" come 200 to a pack and 1/8" come 225 to a pack. Each of these
costs about the same as the 100 count 1/4" pack.

Why these odd sizes? My Peugeot PX-10 uses these in the Lyotard pedals, the Simplex RD jockey
wheels, and the Stronglight headset; but just now I can't recall which sizes fit where. Also, the
Vitus specific Mavic headset in my 992 takes 1/8" balls.

Come to think about it, many (most?) headsets use 5/32" balls. When I rebuild a headset I don't buy
a new caged set of bearings, I just pop the old balls out of the cage and replace with new.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net home.earthlink.net~jeverett3Open ↗

Mt Biker-<< Sorry Peter, I buy a lot of stuff from LBS's but I draw the line at 100% markups.
Besides, all it takes is a website and you too can become a mail order shop. >><BR><BR>

Without a doubt that last thing this shop wants to be...

Do you buy clothes or shoes from a LBS?, The prices are the same as MO for most of it and the markup
on soft goods is nearly always 100%.

a '100%' markup is a 50% margin, not much higher than the 'margin' or markup on most things
'bike'. Margins or markups for just about all other retail is much higher-in the 200% range for
some, like skiis.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Qui si parla Ca
Mt Biker-<< Sorry Peter, I buy a lot of stuff from LBS's but I draw the line at 100% markups.
Besides, all it takes is a website and you too can become a mail order shop. >><BR><BR>

Without a doubt that last thing this shop wants to be...

Do you buy clothes or shoes from a LBS?, The prices are the same as MO for most of it and the markup
on soft goods is nearly always 100%.

a '100%' markup is a 50% margin, not much higher than the 'margin' or markup on most things
'bike'. Margins or markups for just about all other retail is much higher-in the 200% range for
some, like skiis.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

When I said markup, I meant relative to an online option. 4 cents vs 10 cents is 150% higher. 20 cents from my LBS is 400% higher.

I don't want to get in a LBS vs mail order debate. I use both. LBS gets repairs, parts resulting from advise, and things I need today. Mail order gets my business when I can save money, have the time to wait for the mail, and have the knowlege and tools to make the repairs/install the parts.

When I lived near a decent LBS, they got more of my business. Also in that situation, since there was more competition, the prices were much more competetive with mail order and the service was better. I'm sure your shop is the same. You, no doubt, want to be the best shop in town. Thus your price and service, to some extent, is based on your competetive location (in addition to your morals, values, and love of the sport).

Here in Montana, its time to switch to the rec.snowsports.tech forum.
mt_biker