Question for the Mechanics - Lubes

Nambra

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
I'm trying to put together a few bits and pieces to allow me to properly maintain my bikes; to save a few bucks and know that the job is done 'the way I want' - not necessarily 'right' though!

Whilst I'm cool with understanding what the general tools are that I'll need to start collecting, I'm buggered if I can work what lubricants will be necessary and wanted to know what other home or commercial bike mechanics use and suggest. I'm not looking for brand vs brand arguments, just a good combination of lubricants and greases that you'd typically need for a bike strip down and rebuild type of activity. Let's leave fork and shock service out as it's a) not something I want to attempt just yet, and b) if/when I do, I'd just use the OEM spec lubes anyway. I think I have parts cleaning sorted as well.

Here's my initial thoughts:
1. Anti-seize (pedals, BBs, stuff you don't want to bind)
2. Carbon assembly paste (carbon bits obviously)
3. Blue Loctite (not a lube, but for brake rotor bolts, stuff that you don't want to come undone)
4. Chain lube
5. Grease - here's where I'm farked - how many different greases are out there and what do you need?
- assembly grease?
- bearing grease?
- low viscosity hub grease?
- lithium, calcium, PFTE greases?

What do folk use on:
a) Headsets
b) BB threads
c) BB bearings
d) Hub bearings
e) Derailleur pulleys
f) Dropper posts
h) Shifter cables
and so on...

Is there 'one grease to rule them all'? What minimum number of types should the average Joe home mechanic have on the shelf?
 
A

avd316

Likes Bikes
Nambra said:
I'm trying to put together a few bits and pieces to allow me to properly maintain my bikes; to save a few bucks and know that the job is done 'the way I want' - not necessarily 'right' though!

Whilst I'm cool with understanding what the general tools are that I'll need to start collecting, I'm buggered if I can work what lubricants will be necessary and wanted to know what other home or commercial bike mechanics use and suggest. I'm not looking for brand vs brand arguments, just a good combination of lubricants and greases that you'd typically need for a bike strip down and rebuild type of activity. Let's leave fork and shock service out as it's a) not something I want to attempt just yet, and b) if/when I do, I'd just use the OEM spec lubes anyway. I think I have parts cleaning sorted as well.

Here's my initial thoughts:
1. Anti-seize (pedals, BBs, stuff you don't want to bind)
2. Carbon assembly paste (carbon bits obviously)
3. Blue Loctite (not a lube, but for brake rotor bolts, stuff that you don't want to come undone)
4. Chain lube
5. Grease - here's where I'm farked - how many different greases are out there and what do you need?
- assembly grease?
- bearing grease?
- low viscosity hub grease?
- lithium, calcium, PFTE greases?

What do folk use on:
a) Headsets
b) BB threads
c) BB bearings
d) Hub bearings
e) Derailleur pulleys
f) Dropper posts
h) Shifter cables
and so on...

Is there 'one grease to rule them all'? What minimum number of types should the average Joe home mechanic have on the shelf?
Click to expand...
Slikoleum is the go to grease for me.... works a treat. But you have opened a can of worms get ready :)

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link1896

link1896

Mr Greenfield
You want a grease in NGLI 2 thickness.
Lithium so it sticks to metal
Moly (Molybdenum disulfide) as it helps ball bearings

One of the challenges is working out a method to not contaminate your new grease, no point dropping dirt into your grease tub and then applying it to your wheel bearings.

This stuff from super cheap auto is inexpensive. Ticks all the boxes. Any lithium, moly, NGLI2 grease will do.

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Product/Penrite-Moly-Grease-Tub-500g/1935
 
Ky1e

Ky1e

Likes Bikes and Dirt
For grease I use a Fuchs moly grease on bearings, works a treat.
Slickoleum for seals.
 
merc-blue

merc-blue

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Nambra said:
What do folk use on:
a) Headsets
b) BB threads
c) BB bearings
d) Hub bearings
e) Derailleur pulleys
f) Dropper posts
h) Shifter cables
Click to expand...
Most of these are the same, I use afair bit of motrex bike grese 2000 (same as duraace grease), also the morgan blue lineup is nice cause it givess you abit of info what the grease is for. if the bike is unlikly to be looked after and really trashed (pub bikes/uni bikes) I will use boat grease in unsealed hubs or unsealed BB its not as nice but will stay put longer

Where you get differences is when you are looking for different properties, eg same grease in an unsealed hub as in on your seatpost, this is where i differ,

Firstly anything suspension I used sliko (including droppers)

For anything anti seize eg threadded BBs, I have a tub of the shimano anti seize paste, or would use morgan blue calcium, I also have a non reactive one I use for things that may needed it (if im concerned about galvanic corrosion somtime boat grease or morgan blue aquaproof (if it was a fat bike that hits the beach)
For Derailer pulleys, hubs I use Motrex or Morgan Blue Campa
Headset bearings Motrex or Morgan blue aquaproof

the only other one you mentioned is shift cables, for that I would use a light oil, a chain oil without anything fancy in it, alot of the fancy chain oils gum up in cables

Hope this make sense although you could do all this with one or two greases and it would probably be fine.. something like the stuff link through up, or any of the main bike greases rock and roll red devil, maxima water proof, morgan blue aqua proof, Motrex bike grease 1000.. there all a thickish quite sticky (although greases and lubrication is abit more complex than the feel) water proof grease great for keeping water out of places which is mostly what grease does on our bikes these days. and get sliko for your dropper and fork and some float fluid for your air chambers
 
Oddjob

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
After 10 years of trial and error these are the lubes etc that I use.
1. Castrol blue marine grease. Goes anywhere, plastic safe, super water resistant and never dries out like white lithium grease. I use it for bbs, hubs, waterproofing the head of bolts, lubing cables etc etc.
2. Loctite 243 blue for things like brake and chainring bolts.
3. A good chainlube. I use rock and roll blue.
4. Citrus degreaser for the chain.
5. Silicon spray for cleaning and lubing forks and shocks.

For carbon parts add
6. Carbon friction paste. This is also good for alu seat posts.

For rebuilding forks
7. Manitou m prep or weldtite teflon grease.

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Flow-Rider

Flow-Rider

Burner
Oddjob said:
5. Silicon spray for cleaning and lubing forks and shocks.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's one good lube to keep in your toolbox for bikes.
It's good to spray inside shifters and on droppers as well.
Can be used to chase down squeaks, just don't spray it near brakes.
 
G

goobags

Likes Dirt
Personally think any spray should be kept away from droppers/suspension. Clean rag to get the dirt and grime away from seals and regular lower servicing or internal clean and re lube for the dropper


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Flow-Rider

Flow-Rider

Burner
goobags said:
Personally think any spray should be kept away from droppers/suspension. Clean rag to get the dirt and grime away from seals and regular lower servicing or internal clean and re lube for the dropper


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Why? Contrary to a lot of internet belief it's harmless to dropper posts. I've got a KS dropper post just on two years old and it works flawless.
 
The Duckmeister

The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
Answers in red.
Nambra said:
I'm trying to put together a few bits and pieces to allow me to properly maintain my bikes; to save a few bucks and know that the job is done 'the way I want' - not necessarily 'right' though!

Whilst I'm cool with understanding what the general tools are that I'll need to start collecting, I'm buggered if I can work what lubricants will be necessary and wanted to know what other home or commercial bike mechanics use and suggest. I'm not looking for brand vs brand arguments, just a good combination of lubricants and greases that you'd typically need for a bike strip down and rebuild type of activity. Let's leave fork and shock service out as it's a) not something I want to attempt just yet, and b) if/when I do, I'd just use the OEM spec lubes anyway. I think I have parts cleaning sorted as well.

Here's my initial thoughts:
1. Anti-seize (pedals, BBs, stuff you don't want to bind)Only you have titanium frame or components. Otherwise grease.
2. Carbon assembly paste (carbon bits obviously) Also where carbon and aluminium parts contact, especiallyaluminium post in carbon frame
3. Blue Loctite (not a lube, but for brake rotor bolts, stuff that you don't want to come undone)Rotor bolts are typically supplied with threadlocker applied, so not necessary
4. Chain lube Pick your type depending on conditions; wet lube for wet weather, dry lube for dry weather
5. Grease - here's where I'm farked - how many different greases are out there and what do you need?
- assembly grease?
- bearing grease?
- low viscosity hub grease?
- lithium, calcium, PFTE greases? Unless you have odd combinations of potentially reactive materials, lithium grease will adequately cover all thos purposes. If concerned about potential reactions, use a neutral, non-metallic-based grease.

What do folk use on:
a) Headsets Grease
b) BB threads Grease
c) BB bearingsGrease
d) Hub bearings Grease
e) Derailleur pulleys Grease, applied to the bushings.
f) Dropper posts Grease or carbon paste as applicable to the frame material it's going in, nothing unless dismantling for service
h) Shifter cables Silicon or PTFE spray lube
and so on...

Is there 'one grease to rule them all'? What minimum number of types should the average Joe home mechanic have on the shelf? As above, for bike purposes pretty much any general-purpose grease is fine, so really all you need for general maintenance is a tub of grease, carbon paste if applicable, wet & dry chain lubes for seasonal variation & some PTFE or silicon spray lube for cables.
Click to expand...
 
Z

Zaf

Guest
My go-to grease for most applications is Park Tools HPG-1, bearings and freehubs, both packed within and usually also between the covers wherever applicable, headsets, BB's etc. I also find that it works well and spreads nice and thin for any join points that warrant it, but I usually default to a lithium based grease for that.
For any suspension applications I use Stendtec Easy Glide in a "super fine" variant, this includes dropper post maintenance.
 
G

goobags

Likes Dirt
Flow-Rider said:
Why? Contrary to a lot of internet belief it's harmless to dropper posts. I've got a KS dropper post just on two years old and it works flawless.
Click to expand...
What's the difference between suspension lube and dropper lube?

My first bike, I was told by the shop to spray and clean etc. Ended up with no oil in the fork lowers and ripped up the stanchion with grit stuck under the seal.

If the dropper needs more lube for any reason step one is to pull up the wiper seal (knowing KS and Giant only) and clean and relube while it's still on the bike.

Below is a 750km service on my dropper and the cleanliness of the grease usually I do it every 500km and forks at 750km. I'll keep servicing mine off personal history regardless of what the Internet says.






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redbruce

redbruce

Eats Squid
goobags said:
What's the difference between suspension lube and dropper lube?

My first bike, I was told by the shop to spray and clean etc. Ended up with no oil in the fork lowers and ripped up the stanchion with grit stuck under the seal.

If the dropper needs more lube for any reason step one is to pull up the wiper seal (knowing KS and Giant only) and clean and relube while it's still on the bike.

Below is a 750km service on my dropper and the cleanliness of the grease usually I do it every 500km and forks at 750km. I'll keep servicing mine off personal history regardless of what the Internet says.
Click to expand...
Short and long term maintenance requirements are two different things (they work in unison, one does not replace the other).

External spray is the former (although I once believed, no longer subscribe myself) and for the latter (internal), I use Slick.
 
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G

goobags

Likes Dirt
redbruce said:
Short and long term maintenance requirements are two different things.

Spray is the former (although I once believed, no longer subscribe myself) and for the latter, I use Slick.
Click to expand...
What does the propellants and solvents in the spray do to Slick or any other grease?


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redbruce

redbruce

Eats Squid
goobags said:
What does the propellants and solvents in the spray do to Slick or any other grease?


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Click to expand...
Nothing unless you drench it so the solvent can get into and dilute the grease.

Solvent is a light volatile hydrocarbon that (is designed to) evaporates quickly.

goobags said:
What does the propellants and solvents in the spray do to Slick or any other grease?
Click to expand...

Propellants, nothing. Solvents will dilute and wash lube down system (so less left where needed).

yuley95 said:
I'm sure there are plenty of differing views and ways to go about things but this is an interesting article from these guys (I trust they know a thing or two): https://www.cyclinic.com.au/fork-lubes-and-juices-why-not-to-use-them/
Click to expand...
Why I no longer do. Hard to tell the point where external lubing becomes drenching for most folk.
 
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redbruce

redbruce

Eats Squid
goobags said:
I got to step 5 on my last forks. When I did eventually service the lowers, they felt like a new fork, just leaked oil


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Click to expand...
They also offer no evidence that link theory/explanation for this.

Intrinsically doesn't make sense unless there was evidence that "juiced" forks had more muck in wipers (and what else was a variable in the equation). One of my forks had wipers that looked like that at first service and had never had "juice", similar, pressure washers, etc near them.

Whilst not doubting their ostensible credentials, I remain skeptical of the theory they propose due to insufficient evidence. It has not been my observation of my bikes (forks, shocks, dropper).

None the less, I found the benefit of "juice" to be short lived and not worth my effort, let alone the prospect it has deleterious effects, I cant justify verifying or otherwise.
 
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