Most skateboarders are probably already aware that ABEC 9 bearings are the fastest and smoothest that money can buy (aside from ceramics), but what makes them so different than others? Skateboard bearings are rated on the ABEC scale from 1 to 9 using only odd numbers and are ranked by how smooth they are and how much friction they produce. ABEC 3 bearings and ABEC 5 bearings are usually standard for any complete skateboard that you buy, with ABEC 7 bearings as well as ABEC 9s being upgrades. The higher the ABEC rating, the less friction is involved in the skateboard bearing's rotation, thus making wheels spin more freely with very little drag to slow them down.