# One Drop Flat Bearings Are Outdated: Change My Mind **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [May 17, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430 "2019-05-17T15:57:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![smileypants707](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/smileypants707/32/19045_2.png) [@smileypants707](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/smileypants707)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 12:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/41 "2019-05-18T12:50:43Z")
> I don’t think anyone ships with both (which would mean you are still paying for one you don’t want) Also, pretty sure g2 does this. I know he has in the past anyway ---
**Author:** ![TheThrowingGnome](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/thethrowinggnome/32/14231_2.png) [@TheThrowingGnome](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/TheThrowingGnome)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/42 "2019-05-18T13:44:45Z")
> [@ThrowButcher](#): > > I believe the evidence to be pretty empirically conclusive that there are better bearings out there (G2 Boss and Buddha Ripples come ro mind, NSK gold KK) “Better” is a very personal and relative thing when talking about anything yoyo. If by better you mean more competition geared longer spinning and more forgiving sure. I would argue that if you want a buttery smooth unique feel that lends itself to a more relaxing feel in play then a OD flat is certainly “better”. I like to have my more competition geared throws with a centering bearing and a fresh snappy response, but generally prefer my organics with a recessed response and a flat bearing. ---
**Author:** ![SpyseaRice](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/spysearice/32/82121_2.png) [@SpyseaRice](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/SpyseaRice)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/43 "2019-05-18T14:17:52Z")
I’m fine with what OD is doing, but I’d love to see their take on centering bearings. just my opinion :yo-yo: ---
**Author:** ![eternalmetal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/eternalmetal/32/44877_2.png) [@eternalmetal](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/eternalmetal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/44 "2019-05-18T16:06:48Z")
I am fine with One Drop or any yoyo company using whatever bearing they want in their yoyos. Their company, their choice. What I don’t really understand here is why modified bearings of any kind that aren’t Dif e yo are being shamed. Sure, Frank was the first person in the yoyo industry to decide to modify a bearing. He patented his specific design. So now nobody can make a modified bearing without showing him some sort of disrespect? Heck, the entire yoyo industry is predicated on taking the design of a yoyo and slightly modifying the dimensions, but for some reason the bearing is different? I get that making a clone Konkave would be a patent violation as well as design theft and I would not condone that, but suggesting that Frank has the idea of a modified yoyo bearing hostage to the point that nobody can put their spin on it is ridiculous. Innovation in any industry has never worked this way, and I don’t see why bearings should be an exception. He gets his credit for furthering the yoyo industry, One Drop’s moral views on this seem a bit extreme imo. They don’t even use his design. How much respect is that? For the hell of it, I was looking up the patents, and Frank only has one patent, and it is specific to the radius of the concave part: [US7175500B1 - Yo-yo having a concave bearing surface for performing string layering maneuvers - Google Patents](https://patents.google.com/patent/US7175500) Funny thing is, at the moment, the patent is expired. ---
**Author:** ![SpyseaRice](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/spysearice/32/82121_2.png) [@SpyseaRice](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/SpyseaRice)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/45 "2019-05-18T17:00:58Z")
> [@eternalmetal](#): > > nobody can put their spin on lol nice ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/8/c/e/8ce09bcf9de0235fdab53763626a95460b2c82dd.png) this is amazing. * * * ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/46 "2019-05-18T17:04:58Z")
> [@eternalmetal](#): > > Funny thing is, at the moment, the patent is expired. For Chinese companies that have copied the design, the patent’s status has always been irrelevant. For those who want to “respect” Frank’s contribution to yoyoing by honoring his patent even though it has expired, its status is also irrelevant. What a wacky world we live in. :wink: ---
**Author:** ![SpyseaRice](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/spysearice/32/82121_2.png) [@SpyseaRice](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/SpyseaRice)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/47 "2019-05-18T17:09:13Z")
Petition to put together a petition to get OD to make centering bearing 🗞 ---
**Author:** ![zslane](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zslane/32/19816_2.png) [@zslane](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zslane)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 5:18pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/48 "2019-05-18T17:18:19Z")
> [@SpyseaRice](#): > > OD to make centering bearing They wouldn’t need to make their own centering bearings; there are plenty of existing places from which to source them. ---
**Author:** ![hobbygod](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/hobbygod/32/120997_2.png) [@hobbygod](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/hobbygod)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/49 "2019-05-18T17:24:59Z")
I think the big thing between flats and centering bearings are how the yoyos feel different with each bearing, and it’s generally different for every yoyo too. For example, my punchline feels a lot more relaxed on the string with a flat, and a little more speedy with a centering bearing, but my Hatrick is actually the opposite. I like my Hatrick with a centering bearing because it slows it down a little bit for me in terms of play… it’s a little too zippy for me with a flat bearing. ---
**Author:** ![SpyseaRice](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/spysearice/32/82121_2.png) [@SpyseaRice](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/SpyseaRice)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/50 "2019-05-18T17:58:27Z")
I know there are plenty out there, but I just love the quality of their flat bearings and I’d be excited if they did centering ones. ---
**Author:** ![SpyseaRice](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/spysearice/32/82121_2.png) [@SpyseaRice](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/SpyseaRice)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/51 "2019-05-18T17:59:32Z")
It’s all preference really. That’s why I think it’d be cool for OD to provide their bearings in both flavors. Not just some bearings they source from some other manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![Applepooh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/applepooh/32/40751_2.png) [@Applepooh](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Applepooh)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/52 "2019-05-18T18:01:03Z")
> [@SpyseaRice](#): > > Petition to put together a petition to get OD to make centering bearing 🗞 No. Just no. ---
**Author:** ![eternalmetal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/eternalmetal/32/44877_2.png) [@eternalmetal](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/eternalmetal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/53 "2019-05-18T18:07:35Z")
This is true, which is why I don’t have a specific bearing preference that I would apply to all of my yoyos. As per the topic, I agree to a certain extent. It is very realistic to view the progression of yoyo as gradual increases in performance, and in that case yes, the invention of a string centering yoyo bearing now makes flat bearings a thing of yesterday. The general consensus of yoyoers is that string centering bearings offer better stability and more consistent binds. If peak performance was everything when it comes to yoyo, the conversation would end here. And while I agree that flat bearings may be out-dated, I would also argue that they are not obsolete. Flat bearings are loved by many people including myself because of the way they feel. I like them in some throws, but almost never in a “performance” throw. Some bearings work better in some yoyos, and I usually try to match the characteristics of a yoyo to the bearing (grippy yoyos get grooved or concave bearings for instance). Flat bearings seem to accentuate the feel of a yoyo, so they are good for organics. ---
**Author:** ![ThrowButcher](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/throwbutcher/32/54388_2.png) [@ThrowButcher](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/ThrowButcher)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/54 "2019-05-18T19:42:33Z")
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Throwers/comments/bq1b2b/flat\_bearings\_memejpg/?utm\_medium=android\_app&utm\_source=share](https://www.reddit.com/r/Throwers/comments/bq1b2b/flat_bearings_memejpg/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) ---
**Author:** ![AaronW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/aaronw/32/49251_2.png) [@AaronW](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AaronW)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/55 "2019-05-18T20:10:19Z")
> [@ThrowButcher](#): > > make the product _even greater_ by maximizing potential through implementation of superior internals A centering bearing isn’t a “superior” bearing. Just as a flat isn’t “superior”. They’re just different. ---
**Author:** ![AngryGumball](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/angrygumball/32/683872_2.png) [@AngryGumball](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AngryGumball)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/56 "2019-05-18T20:43:04Z")
Currently throwing a mid-wall’d “2010 sized” One Drop with a flat bearing. Sure it may not be as forgiving but at the same time if you play cleanly, the yoyo will perform rather well. Then when I go back to my Edge Beyond with a centering bearing, it feels almost “too easy” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kingwillythe3rd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/kingwillythe3rd/32/53494_2.png) [@Kingwillythe3rd](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Kingwillythe3rd)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/57 "2019-05-18T20:44:31Z")
Personally like the crucial grooved bearing. ---
**Author:** ![edhaponik](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/edhaponik/32/150896_2.png) [@edhaponik](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/edhaponik)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/58 "2019-05-18T20:49:33Z")
I mean… all bearings are cheating anyway, so… :wink: ---
**Author:** ![G2\_Jake](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/g2_jake/32/446_2.png) [@G2\_Jake](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/G2_Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/59 "2019-05-18T21:14:38Z")
It’s always going to come down to preference. Flat bearings could be considered outdated in a competitive sense. Last time I had this conversation top tier competitive players were using the CT style. ---
**Author:** ![G2\_Jake](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/g2_jake/32/446_2.png) [@G2\_Jake](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/G2_Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430/60 "2019-05-18T21:17:21Z")
I still run flats for suicide combos. Always get the best openings with those. [Previous page](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430.md?page=2) [Next page](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/one-drop-flat-bearings-are-outdated-change-my-mind/302430.md?page=4)