Please get more people who actually know what they're talking about on the channel. Someone who actually knows aero (incidentally, Hambini could do that too), stiffness, etc.
I congratulate GCN in regard to having "courage" to introduce our learned friend Hambini to the greater cycling public . Here is a man who will tell it as it is and back up all his views with data and knowledge gained over a career within the aerospace industry. I have had the pleasure of viewing all of Hambini's videos and each one imparts knowledge which cuts through the never ending hype used within the cycling industry. Hambini is still prefer the bright orange overalls however you are the man. I'm sure The dark install would approve. Well done GCN , well done Hambini !!
This guy should become a regular, no insult to Jon but GCN could use an engeneer together with riders. Its cool to see both perspectives, one of the designer and one of the user.
@@0GekkeGerrit0 might be, but regarding Hambinis critique of SRAM, I dont side with him on that one. SRAM might have inferior quality control but their ideas are sometimes brilliant and made Shimano to stop slacking so in the end a part doesnt have to be mechanically good to be a great product for cycling if you follow my point but its very interesting to note the difference between cyclist and engeneer thinking.
Gekke Gerrit No shit! There is so much marketing hype and BS thrown around. It all seems rather irresponsible to me. But thats why they retain lawyers! The lack of proper QC in the larger bike industry, particularly Asian made products is alarming. Certainly where it concerns safety. I know, I used to be an inspector both in Aerospace and at Rockshox. Ive also machined and built carbon structures for satellites. I know what to look for, it was part of my job. Now I wrench in a shop for fun in my semi retirement. I cut up crashed and trashed frames to inspect lay ups, voids, quality etc, Just out of curiosity! Quality varies widely and issues are obvious from mid to high end. I can demonstrate it to anyone. I am obviously forced to keep my mouth shut at work. I have been ‘been warned’ LOL! In 50 years of hardcore cycling I have seen a handful of steel frames that couldnt be repaired. Mostly because they just werent worth the cost. In 4 years wrenching in shops Ive seen dozens of plastic frames relegated to the dumpster! Needless to say, I ride custom metal bikes. I couldn’t afford a ‘good’ custom carbon frame and I don’t like the ride. Welds are easy to inspect without cutting them up! I get exactly what I want, I ride with my builders and I can witness my frames being built.
Excellent. Now let’s get him back on to talk about his aerodynamics testing on deeper section wheels. That should be fun. Although GCN might lose another sponsor or two 🤣
Bought replacement bearings from Hambini, great service and price. Best available. His videos on BB30 etc are invaluable, especially if you want to replace them with something better engineered.
Washing bikes, especially if you use degreaser is the number one way to kill your bearings prematurely. Bearing seals are very good at keeping water out, but add some surfactant such as soap/degreaser to it and the the surface tension drops right off, allowing it to wet into places normal rain/spray will never go. In the MTB world it's usually the cleanest bikes, especially full suspension ones, that have the worst bearing life. I read and article by a Santa Cruz mechanic a few years ago where they found bearing life on bikes with similar use was worst on the ones that are washed and polished the most often, with bikes that get no maintenance at all second and bikes that get the big dirt knocked off, but no degreasing/deep cleaning lasting the best. The folks who keep their bikes spotless (But ride in dirty conditions) spend too much time cleaning the bike in the first place and then have to spend even more time and money on maintenance they've caused by too much cleaning. The bike component companies love these people, I'll stick to dirty looking bikes that run for thousands of km between significant maintenance work instead.
@@peglor I don't wash my bikes either. I wipe it down with a towel and will do some other spot cleaning but find any insane deep cleaning to be a waste of my time.
You can actually see Hambini sweating to hold himself from swearing. I can only imagine the burst of accumulated tension in an endeless stream of insults at the end of the video.
You can't win when you're a technical expert explaining to the average viewer. You either make it comprehensible to the viewers and other 'technical experts' think you don't know what you're talking about, or you keep the knowledge true and viewers can't understand. I find myself in this situation sometimes and I totally got that vibe from Hambini.
i tried to explain drag to my friend. so, i showed him his cheap bearings create more drag than good ones. we went down a mild hill without peddling. i glided much further. now he understands.
I've been watching Hambini for awhile now. He knows his stuff, keeps it simple, and gets rid of all the B.S. Hope to see him more on the GCN network of channels.
If GCN starts bringing more of these experts in they will start losing sponsors. GCN is a marketing tool. Expert engineers shred marketing BS like lettuce.
I have sealed ceramic bushing in my jockey wheels. I have a shimano deore xt rd-m735 sgs. That's from 1990. Pretty revolutionary stuff. I took it apart to clean and regrease about 6 months ago, everything is still functioning really smoothly. Shimano really knows how to make quality bike components.
I have to say I'm very impressed to see Hambini here. He realy knows engineering very well. I've seen a lot of his videos on bottom bracket tolerances or lack thereof. Thank you.
*This was a great video. Thanks!!!* But it seemed like a mere introduction to a summary of a synopsis to the subject. ;-D It left so many questions hanging, like "Which of the two bearing types presented in the video is superior for the various applications in a bicycle (wheel hubs, BB, headset, jockey wheels, etc)? And there were so many characteristics and specifications of bearings that were not discussed. Please bring your Hambini engineer back for some followup videos. In addition to the above, here are some more questions that come to mind... _Question 1:_ Regarding the problem of mixing materials of different hardness in a bearing, some manufacturers like CeramicSpeed claim to treat the steel races in their bearings with some kind of coating that makes them harder or smoother so they wear better with the ceramic balls they use in their bearings. They often charge a premium price for this extra coating. How much can a coating really help? If coatings do provide significant help, how long do they last? _Question 2:_ Many properties of bearings were not discussed. For example, ball bearing quality is specified by roundness, smoothness, hardness and elasticity. It's commonly understood that ceramic ball bearings are usually much harder than steel. But what about the other properties? Is there a point at which a steel ball bearing is a better choice than ceramic because of these other properties? _Question 3:_ Some manufacturers like Shimano still make high-quality wheel hubs with cup and cone bearings. Why? What advantages do cup and cone bearings have in a wheel hub over cartridge bearings? Better lateral force handling? Would it be unwise to replace the steel ball bearings in a cup and cone hub bearing with ceramic ball bearings (since it's easier for ceramic balls to score the races if dirt gets in, thereby ruining the hubs)? Or would the benefits of ceramic ball bearings in a cup and cone hub bearing outweigh the disadvantages (assuming they're kept clean)?
One of the reasons Shimano stay with cup and cone is because they do their own bearings and bearing seats (Cups and cones) AFAIK. If you manufacture in huge volume, it's possible to get similar performance at a lower price with cup and cone. Most hub manufacturers don't do enough volume for this, so by putting crappy unreliable bearings that spin smoothly enough to feel good in the shop and claiming their products are better because they have cartridge bearings, they can easily make a sale. Standard grooved cartridge bearings die very quickly if they have side loads or alignment issues because they're not engineered for them. At the high end, the likes of Hope and Chris King will engineer their own cartridge bearings and I suspect a lot of their work goes into making sure the bearings tolerate misalignment well. In fact Chris King hubs use angular contact bearings rather than grooved bearings AFAIK. Most off the shelf cartridge bearings (Especially in bike sizes) are built for machinery where loads are low and speeds are high rather than for bikes where car levels of torque are being applied, but at heading for 100 times lower rpm. Even a beautifully aligned hub/BB that's built to a competitive weight will flex enough under the pedalling/braking loads normal cyclists put through them. The genius of cup and cone bearings is that they realign themselves dynamically by running up and down the cones/cups as the bearing alignment changes, without self destructing. This can be seen by the way the wear line visible on the bearing cones when a cup and cone hub is dismantled is much wider than the contact patch of the bearing. The corollary to this however is that it's not cheap to make cup and cone bearings that are genuinely good. Basically in Shimano's MTB lineup, the only setup that lasts more than a couple of years (Or a little as a few months in the case of Deore hubs and below) without getting grindy is XTR, and it's all about the bearing material, surface finish and the hardening on the bearing races (Shimano's marketing blurb implies they're using a cubic boron nitride type coating on their cups and cones, but whatever they put on XTR it's literally 5+ times more durable than XT), combined with slightly better sealing. In fact anyone who wants their Shimano hubs to run better for longer could do a lot worse than spending the extra 2 or 3 Euro to get Durace/XTR bearings for their cheaper hub instead of just replacing with the same level of bearings the hub came with, or worse, a bag of random bike shop bearings the right size. The downside of cup and cone bearings is that when the cups are damaged the hub cannot be economically repaired, while you can keep feeding a cartridge bearing hub new bearings until the bearing seats are wallered out, which will take a while if good bearings and careful installation are used.
Recently found Hambini's channel which brought me here. If you really want to geek out on Aerodynamics and other engineering science, I highly recommend. The best part is that it debunks alot of the marketing claims e.g. Ceramic bearing BB's - wish I seen it before I bought mine....
What I took away from the video was that this guy has a vested interest in us buying new bearings rather than regreasing the ones we have on a regular basis to ward off rust and contamination, because if we do that they won't wear out for a long long time.
You are incorrect, bike bearings are not designed to be maintained. The principle failure mode is through contamination removing the seal will easily damage the seal, cleaning the bearing is simply cleaning a bearing that has started to wear, putting clean grease back in will not be the same grease as the manufacturer recommends or in the correct quantity. Reapplying the seal will likely damage it increasing the chance of further contamination. To do all this with the bearing removed increases the chances of failure by removal and repressing the bearings into the housing. All to save a few quid. Daft.
@@mattsiviter430 I put better grease in there than what came with it, and removing the seals with no damage is not a problem. Mine are clean enough and in good enough shape I can care for them as they sit. No need for pressing out. You want to replace, be my guest.
GCN has access to some of the most educated people in the various industries covering the different parts of cycling, who explain clearly the principles involved. This video is a peach, and very enjoyable.
i love when hambini talks about components from brands he used to shit on on his channel but here he gets really polite with it and lets out a slight grin, thats funny to me xd
Been a massive fan of Hambini for a while. Learnt so much about bottom brackets and bearings from his channel. Gcn for sure needs to get him involved a lot more on their channel.
They'll lose advertising if they do. Marketing has very little to do with engineering. Engineers like Hambini shred BS marketing claims daily. They speak the truth. Marketing is just another word for propaganda or brainwashing!
Thanks Jon, that was my fav Tech Show ever! I've tapped into Hambini videos before for tips however between you and the viewer questions that was a pretty comprehensive all I need to know presentation! Specifically the part about stainless galling other materials, that 411 was priceless! Love GCN!
HA first thing I thought when I saw this video posted was "I'm not sure GCN would have much to add over the great stuff I learned from Hambini on bearings". Wha...look who it is! Kudos to GCN for going out and finding the best.
Great to see Hambini nerding out on super specific details of bearing types, codes, and race frequencies. But I couldn’t but notice that questions being asked were not actually being answered!
One of the best videos GCN has ever put together! And I've been watching for years. As an avid cyclist and bike builder I found this information very interesting and helpful. I never really considered the complexities of the motion and wear...always taken bearings for granted I guess. Thx guys!
Thanks for the insightful video of you guys with Hambini. What was missing was that many of them also press in on the loose side of the bearing instead of on the fixed side. With the bottom bracket, the fixed side is the outer ring to the frame and the loose side is the inner ring to the crank / shaft. Greetings Nils
Top marks for letting Hambini on GCN. Proves GCN independence as this guy has given some pretty full on roastings, (backed up with his knowledge), to big beasts in the cycle industry.
Thank you for this refreshingly candid overview. Having engineering training myself, I'm glad you're not afraid to raise the technical bar occasionally.
I use an NLGI grade 2 full synthetic grease for my cup and cone hub. Its PTFE based instead of lithium, which is a soap base and does NOT play well w/ water. Its been put through its paces in all of my fishing reels (heavy salt-water use) and passed w/ flying colors. It doesn't emulsify in contact w/ salt water and stays right where you put it. It goes by the name of Super Lube :)
@@thelawnet it may be but its the only place that it goes in the drive-train too. I ride/race a track bike on the south Texas coast so I'm always in contact w/ that salty sea breeze. Since repacking my hub when it rains got pretty old. i decided to use the lube that i use in my reels, which recieve heavy inshore/surf abuse, to keep me from repacking as often. Lol you may lose a fraction of a watt but hey, I aint complaining. Besides, my rear wheel is fixed and acts like a flywheel while spinning. So i have that mechanical advantage that sorta cancels it out right?
Can we have Hanbini on again talking about various issues. Wheel and spoke fatigue, and bike aerodynamics including wheel aerodynamics what works and what does not. Hub servicing etc. The guy is a legend and very entertaining to boot.
Amazing! Been waiting for this for a long time. One complaint is that it seemed GCN attempted to distance their sponsors from blame of hyping ceramic hybrid bearings.
If GCN keeps having fact spewing engineers as guests, they will lose advertising. Marketing is just another word for propaganda or brainwashing. GCN is a part of that. I'll watch GCN for their comedy now and then. For technical facts I go elsewhere such as Hambinis channel.
Nice, got flashbacks to my first semester of technical emgineering xD It is so nice to hear a fellow engineer speak out on a topic thats his home playing field and knock out some of the myths flying around in the cycling community.
I loved the expression on Jon’s face when the load centre and logarithmic scale were explained - completely blinded by science! I am nerdy enough to now subscribe to hambini’s channel.
Love Hambini. Super super knowledgeable and not afraid to say it how it is. Amazing engineering know how and love to watch him cut through industry bullshit.
Saved a fortune by learning to remove and press in fresh bearings. Use a Hope external bottom bracket bearing tool to refurb my HT2 bb's. Also replaced the bearings, fluid and seals in my turbo trainer. It's better to use a vice or threaded rod and press them in or out, but sometimes whacking them with a hammer is the only way.
He was so humble and informative in this video! Cheers GCN and Hambini! Very useful. Why can’t he be like that in his videos? Suppose that’s just his unique charm?!
Great video! I love the fact that he’s an advocate for replacing rather than continuingly regreasing older bearings. I’ve got a buddy who is so cheap he tries to get every last mile out of them, but you have to figure what your time is worth for a relatively low priced replacement item.
The best bearings are made to be serviceable like Chris King, Campagnolo or Shimano, Sugino, Hatta. Ive got bearing components from all of these manufacturers that last and last and roll as good as new. 15-40 years old! Why? I maintain them!! Nothing lasts forever! This tells us much about today's materialistic and consumptive society. You know, the use it and throw it away attitudes. Cycling is supposed to be a green sport! Let's try to save some resources and stop being lazy wasteful pigs!
A great input. He obviously didn’t know the amount of time you’ve spent plugging Ceramic Speed. Basically take your seals off and relube regularly if you’re that interested in saving watts AND saving pounds.
