Bearings allow one part of your bike to rotate relative to another, and as such they play an integral part in creating a bicycle. Almost every component that moves on your bike, from the wheels to the pedals to the fork, is facilitated by the use of bearings.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, bearings get put under a lot of strain and can get a bad rap for causing all sorts of creaking and clicking whilst riding. We’ve all got that one friend whose bike sounds like an ominous opening door in a horror movie, right?

Bearings, like any component, require regular maintenance and correct handling to ensure they can function properly and with the appropriate lifespan, but that is not all.

There are two main styles of bearings used in bicycle wheels: cartridge bearings, also known as sealed bearings, and cup and cone bearings, also known as loose ball bearings.

Cup-and-cone bearings have been used throughout history to enable mechanical movement, with cartridge bearings a comparatively recent innovation.

Both have their benefits, and both require different types of servicing and maintenance to get the best out of each.

It is important to note that bearing types are not cross-compatible and a cartridge bearing cannot be used in a cup-and-cone bearing wheel and vice versa so when we talk about bearing types, we are also talking about the products that are built to support them.

What are cup and cone bearings?

Photo: Paul Norman

Cup-and-cone bearings are systems where ball bearings sit inside a metal cup, trapped in place by a cone that threads onto the wheel axle.

The cup is typically an intrinsic part of the hub and though some can be removed, it is not standard practice as manufacturers such as Shimano do not recommend it as part of hub servicing.

The ball bearings either sit inside a cage which keeps them equidistant from one another, or loose inside the cup.

The hub will be packed with grease from factory to allow the bearings to roll smoothly against the cup with minimal friction.

Bearing tightness is determined by how closely the cone holds the bearings against the hub. It’s adjusted by moving the cone along the axle thread and securing it with a lock nut.

What are cartridge bearings?

Photo: Joseph Delves

Cartridge bearings are an evolution of cup-and-cone bearings, where the ball bearings sit inside a sealed unit rather than directly against the hub internals.

Like cup and cone bearings, the ball bearings in a cartridge unit will usually sit inside a cage to maintain equal spacing and will be packed with grease.

Cartridge bearings will feature an inner and outer race – equivalent to the cup and the cone – and a rubber seal on the inner and outer faces.

These sealed units are designed to fit tightly inside the hub to prevent the whole cartridge from moving rather than just the internal loose bearings and, as such, should ideally be pressed in with a bearing kit to prevent damage.

Cartridge bearings are not adjustable and are replaced as a complete unit when they wear out.

What is inside a wheel hub?

Photo: DT Swiss

Hub internals will vary from wheel to wheel, with many brands having proprietary individual mechanisms, however some parts remain the same throughout.

The hub shell is the outermost part of the hub, where the spokes are laced in to connect the hub to the rim. The shell acts as the housing for the rest of the components.

The hub bearings will sit inside the shell, held in place either by cones and lock nuts or end caps that sit on the outside of the bearings.

Photo: Paul Norman

Through the middle, there will be an axle. This will either be equipped to house a skewer, for a quick release wheel, or a hollow tube, called a through-axle.

Rear wheels have an additional element – the freehub. This is where the cassette fits onto and has its own individual bearings so that it can spin freely from the wheel itself and allows the rider to freewheel. To learn more, see our guide to bicycle freehubs.

Some manufacturers will use a cup-and-cone system for axle bearings and cartridge bearings for the freehub and vice versa, though neither typically allow for any freehub adjustability.

Are cartridge bearings better than cup-and-cone bearings?

Cartridge vs. cup-and-cone bearings: Load

Photo: Shimano

Some manufacturers swear by cup-and-cone wheel bearings, most notably Shimano and Campagnolo. Shimano says that cup-and-cone bearings ‘use angular contact to effectively displace lateral and vertical loads for smooth rotation and excellent durability’.

This means that the ball bearings can roll up and down the sloped internal edge of the cup, which the brand claims is better for cornering and any sort of side-to-side movement.

Cartridge bearing manufacturers say that Angular Contact sealed bearings are also equipped to handle radial, axial and lateral – read vertical, diagonal and horizontal – loads, the recommended type for wheels.

Cartridge vs. cup-and-cone bearings: Wear

Photo: Sam Challis

One of the biggest selling points for cartridge bearings is their enclosed design. With the ball bearings fully housed within a replaceable unit, the bearings are not wearing into the hub as they move.

This means that when the ball bearings or races wear out, which happens over time due to friction and impact, the whole cartridge can be replaced with no damage to the hub itself.

Cartridge vs. cup-and-cone bearings: Servicing

Photo: Pete Goding

Cup-and-cone hubs require regular servicing as they suffer damage from dirt and water ingress over time. Microscopic pieces of metal from wear will also gradually contaminate the grease and cause extra friction, so regularly cleaning and replacing the grease is key to extending bearing life.

When well maintained, cup-and-cone hubs can have a long lifespan but, when not regularly serviced, can deteriorate quickly. This is especially true for those riding in wet or grimy conditions or if not protected whilst cleaning.

Cartridge bearings are usually designed to be single-use and, when worn out, are removed and replaced with new units. They fit tightly inside the hub so generally require specialist tools to press in smoothly.

When well serviced, fresh cartridge bearings can allow the wheel to feel as good as new as the whole unit has been replaced.

The cartridge can become seized inside the wheel if poorly maintained, though this is rarely irreparable.

Cartridge vs. cup-and-cone bearings: Adjustment

Photo: Pete Muir

Cup-and-cone bearings have greater degrees of adjustability than cartridge bearings, thanks to the threaded cone. Whilst some cartridge wheels will have pre-load adjusters, this is more to fine tune initial set up than to adjust tightness as you go.

Can you service cartridge bearings?

Whilst cartridge bearings can be serviced to some extent, there are only a few cases where this is recommended by manufacturers. In most cases, it is better to replace the whole cartridge.

Photo: Nick Busca

The only time cartridge servicing is recommended is with units using ceramic ball bearings. Ceramic bearing specialist CeramicSpeed claims its ball bearings have a 3-5 times longer lifespan than steel ones and have lower rolling resistance, although the real-world benefits of ceramic bearings are hotly disputed, and they typically come with a large price tag.

These claimed benefits require an optimal environment and the bearings need to be regularly serviced, i.e. stripped of the old grease and repacked with ceramic-specific lubricant.

To learn more on the subject, see our article on whether ceramic bearings are worth it.

Are cartridge bearings more expensive than cup-and-cone bearings?

Photo: James Spender

Wheels that use a cup-and-cone bearing system typically fall into two camps. Some manufacturers will use cheaper cup-and-cone systems to keep the costs down on entry-level wheels. These bearings tend to be poor quality and have much shorter lifespans.

Photo: Shimano

Other brands, such as Shimano and Campagnolo, feature much higher quality cup-and-cone bearings in their wheels. The increased quality and performance of these systems is reflected in higher overall costs.

However, it’s not just initial starting costs that make the overall price of a product.

If not properly maintained with regular servicing, a cup-and-cone hub generally has a much shorter lifespan than its cartridge counterpart as, once the bearings have excessively worn into the hub, there is little that can be done to salvage it.

Cartridge hubs are designed to be serviced over and over, with little wear to the internals when serviced correctly. When used in combination with disc brakes, the wheels can have significantly longer life than alternatives.

So which is best for me?

There are many people who like the simplicity of a cup-and-cone system. They provide a much more user-friendly option for those looking to maintain their own bikes and, if using high quality cup-and-cone wheels, offer excellent rolling resistance.

Cartridge bearings offer a great solution for those who prefer to leave the mechanics to the professionals and tend to leave servicing until their bike starts throwing up problems, as they can take more of a beating with less risk of damaging the wheels.

No one-size-fits-all, however, and investing in good quality wheels – whether that be with cup-and-cone or cartridge bearings – that can be serviced again and again is key to ensuring you get your value for money.

Want to learn more about all the other bits and pieces on your bike? Have a look at our ‘what is a road bike?’ guide.