The Fallacy of Bearing Free-Spin Testing - Inline Skates

Free-spinning bearings or wheels by hand, under zero load, is not a true or meaningful test of bearing performance. Advanced lubricants, such as those used in Tekton bearings, are designed to perform best when “warmed up” by real-world stresses.

Bearings that are under-lubricated, or lubricated with very thin oil, may have a long free-spin.  The same may be true of bearings with sloppy assembly tolerances.  But during actual riding, they won’t perform as well or hold up as long.

Bearings with good assembly tolerances and high-quality lubricant are usually FASTER during actual skating, even though they may have a shorter free-spin.  In fact, most world speed records have been set on bearings with modest free-spin.

All that really matters is how bearings handle under the load of bodyweight – rolling, turning, and sliding on real roads.

A number of external factors, outside the control of the bearing manufacturer, can also shorten the free-spin time (and create added noise).  These include:
• incorrect size spacers
• poor axle tolerances
• crooked / incorrectly-spaced bearing seats in the wheels
• bearings that are not fully or correctly seated within the wheels
• contamination with dust, dirt, or grime

Free-spin time truly has no significance (unless of course the bearing is absolutely locked or frozen).