Celebrate the CeramicSpeed 20th Anniversary With the Most Expensive Pulley Yet

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Celebrating the CeramicSpeed 20th anniversary has to mean something audacious. Not to disappoint, today CeramicSpeed introduces the brand’s most expensive oversized pulley to date with a price of $2,960 / 2.680 € . Of course price probably doesn’t matter anyway, there’s only 200 being made.

The point isn’t to make a fortune though, these are limited edition pieces to mark the occasion and bring attention to what CeramicSpeed stands for. Most people likely associate CeramicSpeed with oversized pulleys but there’s a lot more to the brand. In 1998 founder “Jacob Csizmadia broke a world record by inline skating 505 kilometers in 24 hours, using skates equipped with ceramic ball bearings.” That record wasn’t just one for the books though, it was also proof of concept and Csizmadia used it as an opportunity to bring ceramic bearings to professional cycling at the 2000 Tour de France and to launch the CeramicSpeed brand in 2004.

Since then the brand has gone on to move beyond sports applications. 2008 saw a move into industrial applications. Then, in 2014, the brand expanded again with an FDA certification allowing for “direct contact with food products” and in 2021 CeramicSpeed received ISO 9001 certification.

Twenty years later, CeramicSpeed continues to hand build ceramic bearings in Holstebro, Denmark but the company has grown considerably since those early successes. More than 100 people now support distribution to over 50 countries and it’s time to mark the occasion.

A special bike

To properly celebrate the CeramicSpeed 20th anniversary founder Jacob Csizmadia built a special bike. The process started with a blacked out Colnago C68 that trades the Italian flags and Colnago logo for a simple white CeramicSpeed logo against a matte background on the seat tube. As with all C68 builds, the “headset bearings are treated with Ceramic Speed’s SLT technology” and you’ll also find the Colango CC01 integrated handlebar as well as proprietary carbon seat post. Rounding out the touchpoints are Wahoo Speedplay pedals and a Specialized Phenom Pro Elaston saddle. There are also Black Inc carbon bottle cages and a Garmin Varia mount on the saddle rails.

For rolling stock, Csizmadia opted for the suitably exotic Lightweight Obermayer EVO wheels. Of course these aren’t the standard Obermeyer Evo but instead the Schwarz ED edition which offers a number of features including an upgrade to CermicSpeed bearings. Continental GP5000 tires finish off the wheels.

The latest SRAM RED takes care of the groupset however you can see CermicSpeed’s Dutch heritage reflected in the gearing choice. Given Denmark’s flat landscape Csizmadia chose a 52-tooth aero chainring with integrated powermeter in a 1x setup. The final touch though is at the back of the bike where you’ll find a CeramicSpeed oversized pulley unlike any other.

CeramicSpeed 20th anniversary OSPW RS

Hanging off the back of Csizmadia’s custom Colnago is the most exotic OSPW RS that CeramicSpeed has ever created. You can’t buy it because the brand only created 200 and they’ve already been sold. If you did happen to have a fortune to drop on one and some special connection though, it would come in a special box.

On the left of the box is a mirrored 20th anniversary logo. Below that is a bit of text marking the occasion but also offering explanation as to the nature of the single bearing inset on the left of this panel. What’s there is a 608 hybrid ceramic bearing that’s the same as the 16 in Csizmadia’s record breaking skates. Those bearings started CeramicSpeed on the path that continues today and they are being celebrated.

Then on the right side, presented on a mirror, is an OSPW RS. This special 20th anniversary edition features 3D printed hollow titanium DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coated pulley wheels with a black finish. The wheels are then fitted into an injection molded cage with hand finished details including a 20 year anniversary logo etched on the back and a dark prism logo. Depending on your build you can opt for Shimano or SRAM compatibility.

Pricing and availability

Obviously this isn’t for you. Who do you think you are? Clearly you’d be better off with the CeramicSpeed OSPW RS 5-spoke at a cost of $599. There’s also the ALPHA Disc version which features a solid wheel with a two-piece construction to reduce noise and eliminate the “potential of external objects getting stuck between the spokes of the pulley wheel” which will run $699.

Still feeling like these options don’t stand out enough?  Surely an oil slick finish 3D printed titanium OSPW RS system will do the trick. There’s options available for both SRAM and Shimano at a mere $2000 each.

For those still looking for something even more exclusive, you’d better act fast. CeramicSpeed is only producing 200 pieces total.  Of those, 190 have already gone to “trusted dealers globally” who may, or may not, have them available at local shops. The last 10 are available as of today via the CeramicSpeed website at a cost of $2,960 / 2.680 €.

Check out the CeramicSpeed website to explore OSPW options.