Ceramic Friction Reduction Resources
Full Speed Ahead
FSA offers a full range of ceramic bearings and related products including derailleur pulleys, replacement bottom brackets, as well as cartridge wheel bearing kits and loose balls for most manufacturers. Prices range from $210 for a bottom bracket, $130 for derailleur pulleys and $60 to $105 per cartridge bearing depending on size.
Boca Bearings
Bocca only offers the nitty gritty, no nice pulley or bottom bracket packages here, only numbered bearings and loose balls. You can send in your own derailleur pulleys and have them fitted with ceramic bearings for $50 to $55. Bocca is one of the only manufacturers to offer full ceramic cartridge bearings (balls and races); prices range from $15 for a package of 10 grade 5 loose balls to $210 for ABEC#1-rated single Si3N4 silicone nitrite ceramic cartridge bearing.
Ceramic Speed
Ceramic Speed bearings were traded on the professional circuit long before ceramic bearings became a retail rage. Many professionals buying their own ceramic bearings still go to Ceramic Speed first. It sells neat wheel packages at retail as well as derailleur pulleys, bottom bracket bearings and whole bottom brackets. Ceramic Speed pulleys cost $167, a Shimano bottom bracket is $315 and wheel kits start at $255.
Enduro Bearings
Enduro's bearings are ceramic hybrids built with grade 5 pure silicon nitride balls and cryogenically-treated carbon chromium alloy races. This year, Katie Compton has been putting Enduro bearings to the test on the cyclocross course—with great success. Its pulley wheels cost $100, its bottom bracket costs $120 and wheel kits from $90.