Zealous Bearings for Skateboards and Longboards (Steel)

Hey, fellow skaters! Let's get real for a second - these Zealous Bearings are legit, and they're totally worth that 5-star rating I'm slapping on 'em.So, confession time: I'm not exactly what you'd call "conscientious" when it comes to bearing maintenance. But that's the beauty of these Zealous babies - they don't need me to baby them. They've got this built-in, no-fuss, self-healing design that pretty much takes care of itself. It's like having an auto-pilot for your bearings!Now, when you first slap these on, you might notice they're a bit stiff, like a pair of new shoes that need breaking in. But give 'em a minute! Once they've warmed up to your board, they offer a ride smoother than a fresh jar of peanut butter. We're talking less friction, more glide, and an overall performance that'll make your previous bearings look like they were rolling in molasses.And the durability? Man, these things are like the tanks of the bearing world! Even after the countless hours I've spent doing tricks, shredding parks, and cruising streets, these bearings are still rolling strong.So to sum up: If you're all about that skate life, but could do without the regular bearing maintenance, you gotta get yourself some of these Zealous Bearings. They're the chill, low-maintenance, reliable friend that every skateboarder needs. So go on, hit the pavement and enjoy the smooth roll. Happy skating, y'all!

I've bought a few sets of these, and they are way better than bones reds. I can ride these in water, dirt, etc and they don't make noise for ballpark of 6 months. The magic therein is the Archoil AR8300 grease that is used inside of them. The same riding around my home in 1 day, and Bones Reds are already making all sorts of noise. Also, the fact that you don't need speed rings or spacers is awesome. Honestly, you can buy the Archoil grease and use it on your bones, but you still need the rings and spacers... who has time for all that? and why? when the zealous bearings are so cheap?? The only reason I would consider going with ceramics, is if I intended on extensive, high-speed downhill at speeds of 50+, which I don't. Now, the Archoil AR8300 (grease) is higher viscosity than Bones Speed Cream (oil), which may require a little more effort for cruising around town. Another thing to note that seems obvious to me now, which wasn't before, is that you should be sure not to set your bearings onto their flat side after a run. If you do this, the grease inside the bearing, which is likely in a more fluid state due to heat created by riding, will leak right out of the bearing. I just yesterday finished a run with a brand new set, and I set my board on it's side while waiting for the train. I later noticed that the grease on both bearings on that side of the board have seeped out, quite visibly, and the bearings are now already making some noise and are not as smooth (1st day)! Now, this is probably true of all bearings, however if you never planned on opening/maintaining your Zealous bearings, this could be a problem.For advanced folks already familiar with taking apart bearings for cleaning: I have removed the Archoil grease from one of my sets and I use either Speed Cream or Singer sewing machine oil for a lower viscosity and better cruising effectiveness. DISCLAIMER: this could damage your bearings if done incorrectly and Zealous does NOT recommend you try to open/clean your Zealous bearings.1. CAREFULLY open up the outer seal of your bearing using a box cutter or thin edge by gently prying the seal from the inner edge. Note: the nylon bearing cage is on the outer side, so don't dig too deep with the box cutter or you'll cut/scar the cage.2. After you've completely removed the outer seal, use a paper clip and gently insert it through the bearing, between the outer edge of the bearing cage and the outer race, and gently push the opposite/inner seal out and away from the bearing. Try not to scratch the seal.3. Wash the seals with degreaser and water (I use dish soap), and dry with a microfiber towel. I set them out on a paper plate with a couple layers of paper towels underneath to allow for additional drying before continuing.4. To clean the bearings, I use the Bones Bearings Cleaing Unit. Be sure to have removed ALL the seals from the bearings. Place the open bearings onto the threaded shaft of the lid and secure with the wingnut. Obviously you don't need to use the included spacers from the cleaning unit, as the bearings have built-in spacers.5. Fill the bottle to the bottom line only (it's like 3/4" from the bottom or so) with Acetone. NOTE: Rubbing alcohol and Citrus degreasers will NOT work (I've tried). The AR8300 contains silicates; the alcohol and degreasers will indeed remove the grease, but you'll find chunks of silicate throughout your bearings, and this is bad.6. Secure the lid of the bottle, with the bearings applied to the lid's threaded shaft. Shake vigorously for 3-10 minutes. The more you shake the less time it will take. Open the bottle over a sink, and carefully inspect the bearings to ensure that no grease or silicate remains. The bearings should each spin quite freely if all of the grease agents have been dissolved properly. If not, resecure the lid to the bottle and continue to shake.NOTE: this next part tends to make people VERY nervous7. Once you are confident all the grease particles have been removed from the bearing it's time to remove the residual Acetone from the bearings. For this, you'll need to have Compressed Air and a Blow Dryer AT-HAND. While still on the threaded shaft of the lid, run your bearings under cool water for about 20 seconds, thoroughly rinsing away the Acetone from each bearing. Then QUICKLY remove the bearings from the lid shaft, blow the water out of each individually with compressed air (over the sink) and place onto another paper plate with underlying paper towels as fore-mentioned. Now hit the bearings with the blow dryer to ensure you get the rest of the moisture out with heat. Be careful not to overheat the bearings to the point that you cannot hold them in your hand. Flip over the bearings and hit again with the blow dryer from the other side. It is important to note that you want this step to be as QUICK AS POSSIBLE, as water will cause the bearings to rust in MINUTES; this is why it makes people very nervous.8. Once you are finished drying the bearings, IMMEDIATELY apply your lubricant of choice: AR8300, Singer sewing machine oil, white lithium grease, Bones Speed Cream, etc. DO NOT use WD-40, or any other petroleum-based lubricant, as this will cause damage to the nylon bearing cage. Use a small amount of grease per bearing ball, or a few drops of oil per bearing, depending on which lubricant you use, and spin the bearings to distribute the lubricant. Most people will tell you that a little goes a long way, which is mostly true. However, if you open up a brand new Zealous bearing, you'll notice there's a fairly generous level of grease inside, but definitely not completely filled/packed. If you go with AR8300 you should consider mirroring the amount Zealous provides with their bearings if you want them 'as new.'9. After applying your lubricant, it's time to put the seals back on. Check each seal to ensure they are not bent; if they are, simply massage them back to normal with your fingers, gently bending them straight again. A bent seal can rub against the bearings or cage, causing unwanted friction. To put the seal back on the bearing, gently press the seal against the sides of the bearing with your fingers in circular motions around the outer edge of the bearings until the seals naturally pop back into place.DISCLAIMER AGAIN: It's very easy to damage your bearings at any of these stages, so if you have any doubt, just buy another set as Zealous has intended these bearings to be dirt cheap and maintenance free. I could not find a guide online on cleaning these bearings (I ruined a set figuring this all out), so figured this would be as good a place as any.

DON'T LISTEN TO THE BAD REVIEWS. They are from people who have no clue what they are talking about and are writing these bearings off without letting the bearings properly break in.I was skeptical at first. I've skated for 14 years, on the streets and in parks. I've skated Bones religiously, though i've tried a decent variety. Bones Swiss was always my go to. They felt the fastest out of everything i've ever skated. They've lasted longer, and they were just smoother. But, now that i've tried these bearings, I'm sold.I've got a brand new set of both Swiss and Zealous which are broken in. I tested them in a park setting where I could pump around and really feel the bearings, and I tried some downhill longboarding. The Zealous felt faster in both regards. It's crazy the a set of $16 bearings can be as good, if not better than a set of $40 Swiss bearings. I'm completely sold. I'm keeping the Swiss in my skateboard and the Zealous in my longboard.The built in spacers and speed rings are also super convenient. I often times preferred no spacers in my wheels because the separate spacer always seemed to slow me down when the nut was tightened all the way down. But these just free spin while tightened all the way down like it's nothing. Super fast, super stable, you can't go wrong. If you take care of these and don't ride through muck and dirt or a dirty skatepark, they will last years, easily. For how inexpensive they are, at that point you can just buy a brand new set and be good to go.These bearings are crazy versatile. Get them, you won't be disappointed. And again, don't listen to the bad reviews, they are just ignorant and don't know how to properly use bearings. All the people complaining about the thick grease obviously never let the bearings break in, because the grease is only thick at the beginning, then it spreads out and settles properly after about a week to a month depending on how often you skate. After that, the bearings just take off.

Honestly, I was expecting the same quality as bones reds which I'd be satisfied with, but these so far are way better. They're well designed, seem to be built well too and are so quiet. If they last as long as my usual bearings, I'll be buying these again.

Good quality, need to be broken into.

Outstanding. Great for my cruising needs. These allow me to roll forever.