Cup and cone bearings are better than cartridge and other sealed bearings, the main advantage of these bearings is that they are much easy to install and uninstall, and there is no complicated process and steps in the maintenance of these cups and cones, but cartridge and other bearings are not easy to install and uninstall when you have installed cartridge bearings then it is not possible to remove and wash them after few rides or after some months, but the cup and cone bearings are easily replaceable and their installment and replacement is much simple, you can easily grease and service these bearings in your home without referring to any mechanic shop.
The lifespan of cups and cones is greater than that of cartridges and other bearings, Shimano company is the most popular and famous brand all over the world, it also needs specific bearings which should last for a long time to increase the credibility and popularity of Shimano brand. if you cannot afford to buy or replace the bearings of your bike after a few months or a year, then cups and cones are best with more durability because you can easily wash and service these bearings which will also increase the durability of these bearings and these would last for a long time.
Bearings are small parts of the hub which need to be changed and replaced after a few months, so it will also require bucks to spend on your bike hub, based on that point, these bearings are also lower in their prices as compared to other bearings. These small balls are the most important parts of your bike hub. 80% of your body weight is dependent and aligns on the rear wheel, and the rear wheel rotates and puts a lot of pressure on the central hub region, experiments have proved that if you are a heavy rider and you are also carrying extra weight and luggage on your bike, then cup and cone bearings are much better to carry, lift and bear extra weight, without affecting bike hub and bike wheel, due to which Shimano recommend cup and cones for bike hubs.
Strength:
The strength and durability of cups and cones are much better and greater as compared to the cartridge and sealed bearings, all products and accessories of Shimano brands use those things which have greater strength, that’s the reason Shimano has chosen cup and cones for hubs. cup and cones do not have any limit for lifting heavier weights as compared to other bearings of the hubs.
Sealing:
Cup and cones have better sealing and are sealed thoroughly within the hubs, so there are least chances of sticking of dust and dirt particles on the trail and atmosphere, better sealing of cup and cones have forced the Shimano brand to recommend these bearings for their bike hubs.
Longevity:
Mountain bikes and road bikes are mostly two wide categories of biking and both of these categories widely use those bike parts which are of the Shimano brand, this brand does not use cheap and low-quality products for their customers, and bikes, cups, and cones have greater lifespan and are comfortable for all bike hubs based on any category.
Maintainability And Adjustability:
Cups and cones are easily maintained and adjusted within the drivetrain of the Shimano hubs as compared to other bearings, you can easily wash and grease these bearings, and their process is most comfortable, even a beginner biker would easily mount and unmount these bearings with comfortability, you just need recommended or compatible spanner or wrench for these bearings. you have to grease and service cups and cones even after every ride which will increase their working capacity when you run your bike on the trails.
But it is not possible to maintain cartridge bearings, also it is impossible to give a proper service and grease cartridges, when you will know that cartridge bearings have worn out and are ruined totally, you just have to replace these bearings with new bearings, but cup and cones would last forever if you will properly grease and service them at regular intervals as recommended by the Shimano company.
Rolling Resistance:
Cup and cones will rotate much better with the Shimano hubs and there is the least resistance between these bearings and hubs especially when you pedal in the clockwise direction. these bearings do not cause any friction and rolling resistance when the wheel is rotating with torque force.
Cost:
Cups and cones have least price level, these are not much expensive, if you are poor you can also easily afford them. cost and prices of bearings are the most disappointing part of bike accessories which would bring a large difference between the products, due to which most riders are not able to buy better expensive things, but in this case, you can easily afford and buy them through online stores or near your mechanic shops.
Discovery Of Cup And Cones For Shimano Hubs:
Cups and cones are old and traditional discoveries, Shimano brand is also many years old but cartridge bearings are new and advanced, almost all modern bikes, cartridge bearings are installed, it is also proved through experiments, if you want longer mileage rides, then it would be better for you to install cartridge bearings and avoid these cup and cones because these would fail on longer mileages.