For quite a while now, the new low-friction, maintenance-free FAG Cronitect® hybrid bearings have been attracting considerable attention as bottom bracket and wheel hub bearings in bikes. Now this innovative bearing technology is also available to give inline skaters exactly the kind of impetus they need for even more dynamics, smooth running and skating fun. In particular it is the materials that make all the difference: High-performance ceramic balls rotate in high-tech plastic cages on wear-resistant, hard Cronitect® raceways, giving skaters the edge over those fitted with conventional bearings.
Low-friction, corrosion-resistant and virtually maintenance-free
Cronitect®, developed by Schaeffler, is a special steel offering extremely high load carrying capacity and corrosion resistance. Used in combination with only five ceramic balls, the result is a bearing weighing merely 10.5 grams – 12 percent less than conventional solutions. Friction has been reduced by 49 percent compared to current bearings on the market. The new Cronitect® bearings are fitted with non-contact plastic seals on one side. Altogether they offer excellent smooth running characteristics thanks to minimal friction and minimal weight. Use in wet weather or washing with water present no problems at all, since the materials are extremely corrosion-resistant and therefore virtually maintenance-free.
FAG Cronitect® hybrid bearings have already demonstrated their special qualities during initial tests in professional speed skating. At the European Inline Skating Championships 2009, they helped skaters to win numerous medals and achieve outstanding results. So it comes as no surprise that the new bearings are meeting with keen interest among professional skaters. Some even call them “Magic Bearings” due to their noticeably smooth running characteristics. FAG Cronitect® hybrid bearings are available in size 608, which is the most frequently used size for inline skates. A set consisting of 16 bearings is available in Powerslide inline skates and as an add-on kit under the full designation FAG 608 Cronitect® PS12.
Inline skating: More than just a trend sport
Inline skating became a new trend sport at the beginning of the 1990s. Today around about every sixth German goes skating at least once a month. Many variations have developed in the meantime: street hockey, inline football or basketball, freestyle slalom, street skating, aggressive skating and night skating, downhill, Alpine and speed skating, to name a few. The choice of wheels depends on the specific discipline. Normal skaters move on wheels with diameters between 74 and 90mm, while stunt skaters prefer small wheel sizes between 54 and 60mm. The most frequently used wheel size in speed skating is 100mm. All the wheels are equipped with ball bearings exclusively, which come in two different sizes. The larger and most frequently used bearing has the designation 608 (bore diameter = 8mm, outside diameter = 22mm, width = 7mm) and the new FAG Cronitect® hybrid bearing come in this size too.
By the way, FAG Cronitect® hybrid bearings are not only used in inline skates. Their high-grade features make them ideally suited for a wide variety of sports and fitness equipment, including top of the range bike wheel hubs, bottom brackets and pedals as well as for sliding-seat rowing boats, fishing reels and yacht winches.
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