CeramicSpeed

ITA SRAM DUB Road - Coated

If there's one thing we know about European bikes, its that tradition matters. As such, it comes as no surprise that many Italian steeds hitting the market are still crafted with threaded Italian bottom brackets, and we appreciate it. Maybe it's the fact that we still see elegance in wool kits and lace-up shoes, or maybe its purely our dislike of the squeak of a press-fit bottom bracket. Either way, we welcome the addition of CeramicSpeed's ITA SRAM DUB coated road bottom bracket. This bottom bracket allows you to enable the new SRAM DUB 28.99mm spindle with your Italian threaded steed, and it does so with the renowned ceramic bearings that CeramicSpeed offers to reduce friction, and make for some ultra-smooth rolling. The Coated version uses the same CeramicSpeed balls, however, they're installed on coated, hardened-steel races for even more durability, while a metallic coating on the bearing races adds a further reduction in friction.

Reducing friction not only saves watts, letting you ride faster with less effort, it helps the component last longer. The Danes at CeramicSpeed are downright obsessive in its quest to reduce friction which is why it offers bottom brackets for almost every standard on the market. And if you loathe friction as much as the crew at CeramicSpeed and want to optimize your bike to go as fast as it can, upgrade your bike with one of its bottom brackets and enjoy reduced friction as well as better resistance to contamination and corrosion.

Compared to steel ball bearings, CeramicSpeed's balls resist corrosion, which is in part responsible for why bearings start to feel gritty as they age as well as causing the bearings to run hotter which reduces the lifespan of the component. CeramicSpeed balls are also much harder than standard steel balls. Apply enough pressure to a steel ball and it will crack under load while under that same load the CeramicSpeed ball won't flinch, maintaining the exact surface finish and roundness which could affect spinning smoothness. Meanwhile, these non-round and rough ball bearings create increased friction and begin to quickly wear down the steel bearing races.

CeramicSpeed is able to achieve such high marks because it uses the highest quality Grade 3 Silicon Nitride for its bearings. Don’t be fooled into thinking that all ceramic bottom brackets bearings on the market are the same. In testing, CeramicSpeed claims its balls are 15% harder, can take 99% higher loads, and are more than 100% smoother than other ceramic balls typically used on the market. Included with the bottom bracket are dustcovers, special grease for maintenance, and a sticker sheet.