Grease

[buck91]

Whats your favorite bike grease? Historically I have used just about everything with adequate results. Notably I did not like Triflow Synthetic (clear) for bearings nor did I like CRC Staylube Marine for seatposts. Mobil 1 has done well for me. As has Slick Honey and, of course, Phil Wood. Park polylube 1000 works fine as well. Out of my general purpose bike grease, thinking about going with some type of axle grease in the 1lb tub. Thoughts on marine vs lithium complex? Although I think Yamaha actually makes a lithium complex rated for marine!

 

[Cressida]

I've been using Dow Corning Molykote 33 Medium Grease for the past 5 years now.

 

[maxdustington]

Have you tried super lube grease? I read that it is good. I agree 100%, bicycle specific stuff is way overpriced for what it is.

 

[nthach]

I'm using M1 grease. I'll be switching over to a calcium complex grease eventually. Shimano's Dura-Ace "Special Grease" is a product of Agip(Autol Super 2000 Long Life) that's Ca-based. WD-40 Specialist Multi-Purpose Grease and Loctite ViperLube are two decently-available Ca-based greases.

 

[buck91]

Originally Posted by maxdustington

Have you tried super lube grease? I read that it is good. I agree 100%, bicycle specific stuff is way overpriced for what it is.

I actually use that a lot, especially lately. Forgot to mention it, but its one of my favorite true multi purpose greases. Its a bit more than I want to spend, and I don't necessarily "trust" it for auto applications even though its lb-cg rated.

 

[Kestas]

I use Kluberplex BEM 34-132. It's a grade 1.5 calcium-based grease, which makes it resistant to water.

 

[NYEngineer]

I like Finish Line grease for bike assembly and maintenance but I like Caterpillar's ball bearing grease for any bearings. That stuff is excellent.

 

[Lubener]

Automotive blue wheel bearing grease. No need for fancy "snake grease".

 

[853okg]

Campagnolo makes the best bicycle grease.

 

[buck91]

Originally Posted by 853okg

Campagnolo makes the best bicycle grease.

Any the most cost effective!

 

[BikeWhisperer]

Bel Ray Waterproof on bearings, Slick Honey on fork stanchions and shocks.

 

[Wheel]

LubriPlate Marine grease in NGLI2

 

[Michael_P]

I use John Deere Corn Head Grease. It is a #1 NLGI. Its polyurea based so its compatible with Park Tools PPL-1 PolyLube 1000 which is another go to grease I use for bikes. PPL-1 PolyLube 1000 looks like an NLGI #1 as well. Park PPL-1 PolyLube 1000 and Corn Head grease are the same color and smell almost the same. Corn head grease has added EP additives which is probably not needed in bike applications. I would never use a NLGI #2 grease in a bike. IMO its too thick.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by buck91

Originally Posted by 853okg

Campagnolo makes the best bicycle grease.

Any the most cost effective!

And it's made by Kluber - https://branfordbike.com/accessories/letour-campagnolo-professional-grease And the much vaunted Phil Grease is actually Mobilgrease 33(and AeroShell 33 is compatible with it).

 

[853okg]

Originally Posted by nthach

Originally Posted by buck91

Originally Posted by 853okg

Campagnolo makes the best bicycle grease.

Any the most cost effective!

And it's made by Kluber - https://branfordbike.com/accessories/letour-campagnolo-professional-grease And the much vaunted Phil Grease is actually Mobilgrease 33(and AeroShell 33 is compatible with it).

I have a lifetime supply of Campy grease. Would not pay for today's prices, but it's good. And Phil? That is some horrible stuff. It oozes right out. I know some love it, but I don't get it. I knew Phil pretty well. He was a weird old guy. He, Roger Durham, and Keith Shook were all onto the same basic idea in the 70s. Phil's hubs, in addition to looking as if they were made in his shed, had the deal-breaking (for me) requirement of needing to be sent back to him for replacement. And his BBs were abominable. The bearings failed and the axles shifted...and still do. Man, that sounds harsh, and I really liked the guy. He did make a great spoke threader. But that grease? It's terrible! And who wants to use dark grease on a bicycle? It makes no sense (IMO).

 

[nthach]

It seems like except for Shimano who uses yellow Ca-based Agip/Eni grease as OEM bikes do use dark grease even though I think Park Polylube is the devil.

 

[miro]

I have been using many greases in the past. 1. Expensive Campa grease - rolls good, but not as good as modern Finish line greases. It wash out easy. 2. Many lithium/lithium complex greases - reuires more frequent chages. 3. Bell ray waterproof grease - excellent water resistance, but too sticky. 4. Calcium sultanate grease - My favorite now almost as Lithium greases but is water resistant as Bell ray waterproof+ it works OK even in presence of contaminants. I used it everywhere in shimano click pedals, bottom brackets, hubs and headsets. 5. Mobil SHC 100 and SHC 220 - used exclivly for shimano internal gear hubs. SHC only for the big ball bearings and SHC220 for the rest. I find MOS2 greases not-practical for bicycle application.

 

[vortex-5]

I'm using Mobil Polyrex EM for ball bearings everything else either Parktool Polylube or Superlube recently been switching more to superlube as it seems to stay cleaner longer. Polyrex EM seems to be a smoother rolling than polylube and stays put longer than superlube. But it's not really rated for sliding elements so I use it on ball bearings only.

 

[miro]

Originally Posted by miro

I have been using many greases in the past. 1. Expensive Campa grease - rolls good, but not as good as modern Finish line greases. It wash out easy. 2. Many lithium/lithium complex greases - reuires more frequent chages. 3. Bell ray waterproof grease - excellent water resistance, but too sticky. 4. Calcium sultanate grease - My favorite now almost as Lithium greases but is water resistant as Bell ray waterproof+ it works OK even in presence of contaminants. I used it everywhere in shimano click pedals, bottom brackets, hubs and headsets. 5. Mobil SHC 100 and SHC 220 - used exclivly for shimano internal gear hubs. SHC only for the big ball bearings and SHC220 for the rest. I find MOS2 greases not-practical for bicycle application.

Just forgot to mention Finish line PTFE and Ceramics greases - works great but way expensive.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by miro

5. Mobil SHC 100 and SHC 220 - used exclivly for shimano internal gear hubs. SHC only for the big ball bearings and SHC220 for the rest.

There's a shop in Seattle that has been using Al-complex marine grease and gear oil for servicing Shimano IGHs. If it were me, I'd use a semi-fluid truck hub grease and HV ATF instead.