Do expensive skateboard bearings really make a difference? Bearings reduce friction (the rubbing between moving parts) inside each wheel. Higher-precision bearings should produce less friction and let the board roll farther. You set up a ramp on a flat surface and release a skateboard from the same starting line every time. You swap in five different bearing sets, ranked from most to least expensive. Each set gets five runs, and you measure the distance from the ramp to where the board stops. The most expensive bearings average 5.38 meters. The cheapest average 3.40 meters. The pattern holds across all five brands: higher price means longer roll distance.