Abstract: A roller bearing assembly and a method of forming a rolling bearing assembly. The bearing assembly includes a shell formed from a cold-rolled strip having a carbon content greater than 0.65%. In one aspect of the invention, the circumferential raceway has an as hardened surface hardness of at least 58 HRC without the application of a carburizing treatment to the formed shell. In another aspect of the invention, the cold-rolled strip has a carbon content greater than 0.65% and an ASTM grain size no. of 8 or finer. The circumferential raceway has an average surface roughness Ra less than or equal to 18 microinchs without the application of any finishing process to the formed shell.