New build and grease

[Tim]

I'm doing my first ever new build this weekend. I have a new blue 52cm
Sam coming on Wednesday and all the parts and am building it up for my
girlfriend. So what kind of grease do you guys think is best? And do
you use the same grease for everything, BBs, stems, seatposts, cranks,
etc.? I was reading some of the old Peeking Through the Knothole and
Grant likes the blue, Sta-Lube marine grease. Has anyone tried that.
BTW, my girlfriend is not an avid rider like me, so I doubt that the
new Sam will be ridden in the rain and muck, etc., but still, I want
the good goop, since I only have just your everyday, any ol' grease
right now. Also any other suggestions for my first build would be
great. I have had every part of a bike off and on at some time or
another except deraillers. Thanks all.

[Tim McNamara]

Grease pretty much be grease. Any automotive, marine or "bicycle" grease is fine. I use Phil because I have a lot of it. I do think that white greases don't last as long.

Now that I think of it, I don't grease much stuff any more. I have sealed bearing wheels, BBs, headsets on most of my bikes. I'd rather ride than overhaul my bikes. In the old days I overhauled my bikes once a year in the winter and that was more than often enough. Now my maintenance schedule is replacing the chain when needed and wiping the crud off the frame once in a while.

[William]

I agree with Tim that for the most part "grease is grease".  The differentiator for me is smell.  Everything I've ever used that was automotive smelled really bad to me.  I'm satisfied with the dark green Park brand, which is suspiciously similar to the dark green Phil brand.  

I was not pleased at how the Lanolube that Riv sold seemed to get really gummy over time.  I had used it for seatpost and stem installation, and it was like tacky glue after 18 months or so.  I'm back to grease in those areas.  

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

+1 on the "grease is grease" front. 

[Peter Morgano]

I like park grease since it is sold at my local REI...if they sold something else I would probably just buy that too though park stuff has a non-automotive smell which is nice.  Nothing has as satisfying of a smell as frame saver though, I could wear that like cologne, haha.

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[Brian Campbell]

I too used the Park grease. A tub lasted me 5 years. I built many bikes and repacked many wheels. Good stuff.

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012 2:04:26 PM UTC-4, Peter M wrote:

I like park grease since it is sold at my local REI...if they sold something else I would probably just buy that too though park stuff has a non-automotive smell which is nice.  Nothing has as satisfying of a smell as frame saver though, I could wear that like cologne, haha.

On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 1:55 PM, Andy Smitty Schmidt <54c...@gmail.com> wrote:

+1 on the "grease is grease" front. 

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012 3:44:15 AM UTC-7, Tim wrote:

I'm doing my first ever new build this weekend. I have a new blue 52cm
Sam coming on Wednesday and all the parts and am building it up for my
girlfriend. So what kind of grease do you guys think is best? And do
you use the same grease for everything, BBs, stems, seatposts, cranks,
etc.? I was reading some of the old Peeking Through the  Knothole and
Grant likes the blue, Sta-Lube marine grease. Has anyone tried that.
BTW, my girlfriend is not an avid rider like me, so I doubt that the
new Sam will be ridden in the rain and muck, etc., but still, I want
the good goop, since I only have just your everyday, any ol' grease
right now. Also any other suggestions for my first build would be
great. I have had every part of a bike off and on at some time or
another except deraillers. Thanks all.

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[rcnute]

I use the Phil grease. I figure I'm not running a shop so I can buy
fancy expensive grease. Tried white lithium but it tends to get dry
and tacky.

Ryan

[Joe Bernard]

Phil. Because it's a cool company, and their stuff works.

 

Joe Bernard

Vallejo, CA.

[Frank Brose]

What Joe is saying and Tim speaks with the same frame of mind I have.
Buy sealed everything and ride the bike. But bottom line is if I'm
greasing something it's with Phil grease and as far as I'm concerned
it smells like bicycle grease which stinks just as well. Avoid white
grease. Grease is not suppose to be white.

[PATRICK MOORE]

Me, I use cheap auto wheel bearing grease from NAPA or somesuch. Nice
'n' sticky -- and cheap. Stick a cheap hobby paintbrush through a hole
in the lid for easy access for threads, nuts and such. Use your finger
for larger quantities, or pack into a grease gun.

If I buy another Phil lubricant, it will be their Tenacious Oil -- do
they still make it? Great for threads, too.

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[ted]

Many years ago, on the advice of "Uncle Al" I bought a tube of blue
marine wheel bearing grease (like for boat trailer wheel bearings) at
a local hardware store.
By tube I mean the big cardboard things you can put in calking guns if
you want to.
It was very economical and has worked very well.

[EricP]

Another vote for either Park or Phil.  Whichever is easier to get locally.  I've also used marine wheel bearing grease and that works, too.  Have even used "white" grease in the past.  That was my least favorite as it didn't seem to last as long.  And wasn't as waterproof. 

 

Eric Platt

St. Paul, MN

[Bill M.]

You can use Phil for everything and be just fine.  If you want to get obsessive, read on...

I particularly like boat trailer wheel bearing grease (the tacky blue stuff) for headsets.  Rolling friction isn't an issue there, so a thick, tacky grease that resists water washout is appropriate. If I lived in Seattle I'd use it in hubs too.  

For those few loose-ball hubs I have left in the fleet I'm currently trying out some Mobil 1 automotive grease, which has a synthetic base (should resist oxidation well, for long life without turning into a tacky varnish), and a nice smooth consistency that I think gives a bit less friction in rolling bearings.  Probably not measurable, but what the heck.  I haven't seen any negative results so far, and anything from the auto parts store is cheaper than the alternative from a bike shop.  I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to use the tacky blue grease in a Phil or White Industries freehub.  (Yes, I have one of each and while the bearings are sealed the freewheel ratchets do need to be cleaned and lubed occasionally).  I think it would be too thick to let the ratchet pawls to work properly.  The Mobil 1 grease seems to work fine for those.  Phil Tenacious Oil would probably work, too.

Any grease is probably OK for stems and seatposts, but in theory anti-seize compound should be better than grease at keeping those non-moving parts from welding together.

Whatever you use, it's best not to mix greases in any application.  If you are converting to a different grease, clean out all of the old stuff before introducing the new.  Different thickeners and additive packages can react chemically and cause big problems.  

One more thing, I wouldn't use motor oil for lubricating anything that's not a motor (like a bike chain).  Wrong additive package entirely.  A gear oil with EP additives is a far more appropriate choice.  My oil can has Mobil 1 75W-90 in it (left over from my Miata's transmission).  I use tiny drops of that on brake pivots and such.  

Bill

Stockton, CA

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012 3:44:15 AM UTC-7, Tim wrote:

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

Phil grease is "waterproof", which means that the smell lasts on your hands for many washings. My oldest daughter's first impressions of her doting father undoubtedly included the slightly minty smell of Phil grease. Someday when she's being pursued by young men, they'd do well to dab some Phil behind their ears. By the time my next two kids were born, I ran out of Phil and started using Park grease, which if it has any discernible smell, it's a mild one.

[jimD]

This is great.

More than I thought! More than I thought I could ever know about grease!

Ciao,

JimD

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[Michael_S]

Sta-lube boat axle grease... my tub is at least 10 years old.  Works like a charm.  A greasy charm.   Think I bought it based on some comment Gary Fisher wrote. Guess he and Grant can't be wrong.

~mike

On Tuesday, May 22, 2012 3:44:15 AM UTC-7, Tim wrote:

[cyclotourist]

I have both boat axle and Phil. Depends on what I'm feeling like that day. Between the two you can't go wrong!
Use lots and use often!

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Redlands, CA

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