A process for producing a roller bearing and roller bearing

The invention relates to a method of producing a rolling bearing having an inner ring (1) having an inner ring raceway (2), an outer ring (3) having an outer ring raceway (4) and rolling elements (5) which on the inner ring raceway (2) and on roll off the outer ring raceway (4). The inner ring (1) is made of a steel having a sulfur content of 0.002 to 0.015 mass% and an oxygen content of less than 15 ppm. The inner ring (1) is subjected to a curing serving heat treatment is completed by carrying out a final heat treatment step at a predetermined temperature. In the inner ring (1) by work hardening in the region of the inner ring raceway (2) residual compressive stresses in an outer layer are formed. The inner ring (1) is burnished after the hardening. The blackened inner ring (1) is subjected to a thermal aftertreatment at a temperature below the temperature of the final heat treatment step.