Monday Mechanics: To MAX or not to MAX? Are they always better than Standard Bearings?
Published: 12th May 2025 Written By: Janice 
When it comes to precision components (like Bicycle bearings), not all types are created equal and not all bearings are suitable for all applications within your Bike.
Whether you're tuning up your MTB's suspension or looking at replacing your wheel bearings, understanding the distinction between MAX bearings and Standard bearings can help you make the right choice for your bike to not only ensure that your bike performs as best as it can but, also, to ensure your safety and enjoyment.
The Basics. What are Bearings?
Bearings are designed to reduce the friction that arises between moving parts. They are essential for making your Bike move, so not just a nice to have. The type of bearings that are most common in Bikes are Cartridge Bearings; these are bearings that house balls between an inner and outer race, with seals or shields (and quite often cages) to hold the balls in place.
MAX Bearings: Some amount of Balls!
(See Right of Photo)
MAX Bearings (aka "Maximum Complement Bearings" or "Full Complement Bearings") are designed to have no ball retainer.
"Why?" you may ask? No ball retainer means more space inside the bearings and more space means that the bearing can be packed with as many balls as physically possible. This, in turn, increases the number of contact points significantly.
Benefits:-
- Greater load capacity: More balls mean better surface contact making the bearing significantly stronger;
- Ideal for oscillating movement: Perfect for pivot points in Full-Sus MTB frames; and
- Longevity: Bearings last longer due to the high load capacity and slower speed.
Draw-backs:-
- Higher friction: As the balls inside the bearing are in contact, they create more heat and wear in high-speed conditions. Therefore, for applications where there is a high RPM (like wheels) , MAX bearings should not be used.
- Higher Cost: Are, generally, more expensive than a Standard alternative.
Standard Bearings: Fewer balls, less friction
(See left of Photo)
As detailed above, Standard bearings have either a cage or retainer that evenly spaces the balls inside.
Benefits:-
- Less Contact: As the balls inside the bearing do not contact each other, friction is reduced meaning less heat so less wear in the bearing;
- High-speed applications: Due to the lack of friction, Standard bearings can be used instead of MAX Bearings in high speed applications with higher RPMs.
- Cost-effective: Generally, cheaper than their MAX counterparts.
Draw-backs:-
- Strength: Given the fewer balls than in MAX bearings, Standard Bearings are not as strong and have a lower load capacity. Therefore, in high-impact, slow speed applications, wear and breakage is, often, much quicker.
The Perfect Combos!
| Application | Suggested Bearing Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Full Sus Frame Pivots | MAX Bearings | High-load and lower RPM |
| Bottom Brackets and Hubs | Standard Bearings | High-speed and low-load |
Wrapping Up!
Looking at the table above, you can see that choosing a bearing isn't just a matter of getting the right size. The part of the bike it's required for matters. Therefore, for Frame Pivots on Full-Sus Bikes, it is recommended that MAX bearings are chosen as they are strong and can handle greater loads at slower speeds.
However, there are many riders who choose to fit Standard Bearings to their Pivots despite the aforementioned drawbacks. This is, usually, due to the riders considering how often they are maintaining and/or changing their bearings, how often they ride their bike and the conditions they are riding in. I have a family friend who only uses his bike during the dry (well, as dry as they can be in Scotland), Summer months so replaces his bearings every year in the Spring with Enduro Standard bearings not the MAX version (and I hear that this is quite a common choice).
Therefore, here at The Grizzly Bearing Co., we offer four options (both individually and for our Full-Sus Kits); namely, Enduro MAX, Grizzly MAX, Enduro Standard and Grizzly Standard. A Kit for every budget!
So, thinking about the above, what will you go for during your next Bearing replacement? MAX or Standard? If you're still unsure, ride on into our Chat Box and we'll be happy to help you decide for sure!
If you'd like to receive our Blog posts straight to your Inbox, you can input your email address on the Home Page and we'll add you to our list!