1" headset bearings - are they brand speciific?

[CountrySickness]

I've somehow lost the top 1" sealed form my wife's custom Mercian when reassembling it and google fails to find a direct replacement, are they very brand specific (it is a BBB) or can I even just put good old fashioned loose ball bearings in there if I can't find a sealed ball bearing?

BBB list replacement bearings on their catalogue but it just links to 1 1/8 bearings

Cheers in advance

[Brucey]

I've somehow lost the top 1" sealed form my wife's custom Mercian when reassembling it and google fails to find a direct replacement, are they very brand specific (it is a BBB)

there are very many types of bearing and yes some of them are brand-specific

or can I even just put good old fashioned loose ball bearings in there if I can't find a sealed ball bearing?

no, definitely not.

I would suggest that you have another look for the bearing (did it fall down somewhere? They tend to roll away....)

You can have a very careful look at the lower bearing and there may be some markings on it that will help you to search for a suitable replacement (in 1" headsets the upper and lower bearings are usually identical ). Failing that some careful measurements of the bearing (ID, OD, thickness, chamfer angle) should allow you to identify a suitable replacement.

If all else fails, you can always fit a new headset.

cheers

[The French Tandem]

I've somehow lost the top 1" sealed form my wife's custom Mercian when reassembling it and google fails to find a direct replacement, are they very brand specific (it is a BBB)

there are very many types of bearing and yes some of them are brand-specific

There are, indeed, many types of bearings, but I don't think any cycle part maker* makes their own bearings. Take your bearing to your local SKF retailer (or browse through their online catalogue) and you will probably find out that it is a fairly standard part. Sometimes you may even read the name of a manufacturer on the bearing, and I guess it is not BBB!

*:  except for the two big ones.

[Cunobelin]

As above, When I replaced the bearings on the Catrike, I bought them from a bearing Manafacturer.

All you need to do is read the spec numbers on the original and you can order easily

Except of course.......

Can Mercian themselves not help?

[Paul]

I've somehow lost the top 1" sealed form my wife's custom Mercian when reassembling it and google fails to find a direct replacement, are they very brand specific (it is a BBB) or can I even just put good old fashioned loose ball bearings in there if I can't find a sealed ball bearing?

BBB list replacement bearings on their catalogue but it just links to 1 1/8 bearings

Cheers in advance

Is it threaded? If so I probably have a complete top half you can have foc (the top ones usually outlive the bottom one). Not sure about colour - probably bare alloy.

Let me know.