About Us

Cheezeball Bearings was founded by Zack “ Zackeroni N’ Cheeze” Johnson, a longtime referee for the Jacksonville Rollergirls, to find the most durable and long-lasting bearings for the lowest possible price, and to pass those savings along to the men and women that make Derby so freakin’ awesome.

"Derby wrecks stuff. It’s a well known fact. We all spend way too much money every year on gear that seems to get smelly, rusty and torn up in a matter of weeks. And that’s the GOOD gear! Have you ever taken a chance on a neat set of pads, cheap no-name wheels or some lightly used plates only to have it all fall apart or not work as advertised? I have, and it really sucks. Enter Cheezeballs.

I started the quest for the best bearings about 3 years ago after running the stock set on my first skate setup into the ground. After looking at the overpriced and underperforming options to choose from I decided to go in search of my own. Derby bearings should first and foremost be tough as nails to take the hard shots top level derby skaters endure. They must be fast and smooth, since any increase in bearing efficiency results in a longer roll and less physical effort to maintain consistent speed. They must be durable and require less maintenance, since very few skaters take the time to properly clean and lube their bearings. And finally they must be as corrosion resistant as possible, as most bearings spend most of their lives stuffed in a steamy, salty (and usually pretty stinky) skate bag; there is nothing worse for steel ball bearings than moisture and salt!!!

So, after years of testing materials, Identifying strengths and weaknesses in different configurations, speaking to manufacturers and beta testing possible combinations I finally settled on the 3 best bearings I could find and brought them to market. Skaters from all over the world have tested these bearings and I’m proud to say the response has been overwhelmingly positive!

And finally… I value your feedback!! This is a by skater/for skater company, so if you have any questions, recommendations or complaints, feel free to shoot me an email at mrcheeze@cheezeballs.com

Thank you!!"

Zack, A.K.A. Mr. Cheeze