Seatpost question - Alternative to grease....
01-13-20, 11:47 AM
#1
Very Slow Rider
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: E Wa
Posts: 1,274
Bikes: Jones Plus LWB, 1983 Centurion Japanese CrMo bike
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 132 Times
in
101 Posts
Seatpost question - Alternative to grease....
I just purchased a bike with a CrMo frame and alloy seatpost.
I was advised to lightly grease the post with all purpose white lithium grease to avoid seizing in the seat tube.
I don't want that to happen; however, I would like to preserve my option to switch to a carbon post.
Is there something else I can/should use? Assembly paste?
I was advised to lightly grease the post with all purpose white lithium grease to avoid seizing in the seat tube.
I don't want that to happen; however, I would like to preserve my option to switch to a carbon post.
Is there something else I can/should use? Assembly paste?
01-13-20, 12:01 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Roswell, GA
Posts: 8,319
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1438 Post(s)
Liked 1,092 Times
in
723 Posts
Use grease now, swab out the seat tube with mineral spirits and use carbon paste when you decide to switch to a carbon post.
Likes For dsbrantjr:
01-13-20, 12:02 PM
#3
Full Member
Use grease when and if and when you switch to a carbon post use the recommended paste the residual grease wont effect any future choice what ever you do dont fit a post dry
Likes For headasunder:
01-13-20, 02:07 PM
#5
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,515
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2747 Post(s)
Liked 3,398 Times
in
2,057 Posts
Likes For dedhed:
01-13-20, 03:06 PM
#6
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,515
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2747 Post(s)
Liked 3,398 Times
in
2,057 Posts
80-90% CAS 64742-54-7
Chemical Name CAS-No Weight %
Petroleum distillates, hydrotreated heavy paraffinic 64742-54-7 80-90
Basically a petroleum product
https://echa.europa.eu/substance-inf...fo/100.059.216
Chemical Name CAS-No Weight %
Petroleum distillates, hydrotreated heavy paraffinic 64742-54-7 80-90
Basically a petroleum product
https://echa.europa.eu/substance-inf...fo/100.059.216
01-13-20, 03:33 PM
#7
Very Slow Rider
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: E Wa
Posts: 1,274
Bikes: Jones Plus LWB, 1983 Centurion Japanese CrMo bike
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 132 Times
in
101 Posts
80-90% CAS 64742-54-7
Chemical Name CAS-No Weight %
Petroleum distillates, hydrotreated heavy paraffinic 64742-54-7 80-90
Basically a petroleum product
https://echa.europa.eu/substance-inf...fo/100.059.216
Chemical Name CAS-No Weight %
Petroleum distillates, hydrotreated heavy paraffinic 64742-54-7 80-90
Basically a petroleum product
https://echa.europa.eu/substance-inf...fo/100.059.216
01-13-20, 03:50 PM
#8
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,363
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,218 Times
in
2,365 Posts
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Likes For cyccommute:
01-13-20, 04:10 PM
#9
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,984
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26422 Post(s)
Liked 10,380 Times
in
7,208 Posts
I just purchased a bike with a CrMo frame and alloy seatpost.
I was advised to lightly grease the post with all purpose white lithium grease to avoid seizing in the seat tube.
I don't want that to happen; however, I would like to preserve my option to switch to a carbon post.
Is there something else I can/should use? Assembly paste?
I was advised to lightly grease the post with all purpose white lithium grease to avoid seizing in the seat tube.
I don't want that to happen; however, I would like to preserve my option to switch to a carbon post.
Is there something else I can/should use? Assembly paste?
I have never experienced something like that myself, but I don't use lithium grease and it's pretty dry here most of the year.
So I'm in no position to judge the issue, or whether it's a problem at all. I just thought I'd mention it, because any grease (and a lot of the different anti-seize greases) will work.
01-13-20, 04:21 PM
#10
Advocatus Diaboli
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,637
Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4736 Post(s)
Liked 1,532 Times
in
1,003 Posts
I suppose the alternative to grease for the CroMo/Alloy combo is to use eg. Park Anti-seize instead. You don't see it as often recommended for some reason though. And.. there's nothing wrong use Park Assembly paste even if there's no CF involved, though be careful as that stuff can cause scratches to the finish of eg. your seatpost - I usually note with eg. tape wrap around the post exactly how far I'm want to insert into the seat tube, and then smear some of the SAC paste on the inside of the seat tube as opposed to putting on the post.
01-13-20, 04:29 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Roswell, GA
Posts: 8,319
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1438 Post(s)
Liked 1,092 Times
in
723 Posts
...there have been several people here in the past few years who have expressed concerns about the lithium in lithium grease, as a contributor to galvanic corrosion.
I have never experienced something like that myself, but I don't use lithium grease and it's pretty dry here most of the year.
So I'm in no position to judge the issue, or whether it's a problem at all. I just thought I'd mention it, because any grease (and a lot of the different anti-seize greases) will work.
I have never experienced something like that myself, but I don't use lithium grease and it's pretty dry here most of the year.
So I'm in no position to judge the issue, or whether it's a problem at all. I just thought I'd mention it, because any grease (and a lot of the different anti-seize greases) will work.
01-13-20, 04:38 PM
#12
Very Slow Rider
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: E Wa
Posts: 1,274
Bikes: Jones Plus LWB, 1983 Centurion Japanese CrMo bike
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 132 Times
in
101 Posts
The lithium in grease is in the form of a soap formed by saponifying a lithium salt with a fatty acid; there is no lithium metal to participate in a galvanic reaction. Red herring IMO. If there is still a concern use a synthetic grease, I like Permatex Ultra Slick with PTFE. I WOULD avoid copper- or nickel-containing anti-sieze for that reason, but they are designed for high-temperature use like exhaust system fasteners.
01-13-20, 05:32 PM
#13
Senior Member
I've used this stuff on seat posts:
https://www.autozone.com/greases-and-gear-oil/lubricant-grease/permatex-di-electric-grease-3oz/34495_0_0?spps.s=6233&cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000
ER:71700000060527801&gclid=CjwKCAiAx_DwBRAfEiwA 3vwZYouudQvXiGw23kV68pKnhstJCySA4jO_zl95zD_s9qb6_as3aLvfnBoCWOwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
It's clear, thick & sticky. Doesn't make a mess like waterproof grease.
https://www.autozone.com/greases-and-gear-oil/lubricant-grease/permatex-di-electric-grease-3oz/34495_0_0?spps.s=6233&cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000
ER:71700000060527801&gclid=CjwKCAiAx_DwBRAfEiwA 3vwZYouudQvXiGw23kV68pKnhstJCySA4jO_zl95zD_s9qb6_as3aLvfnBoCWOwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.dsIt's clear, thick & sticky. Doesn't make a mess like waterproof grease.
01-22-20, 02:13 PM
#14
Very Slow Rider
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: E Wa
Posts: 1,274
Bikes: Jones Plus LWB, 1983 Centurion Japanese CrMo bike
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 132 Times
in
101 Posts
UPDATE - Thanks all for your feedback.
Absent any waterproof grease or any other razzu products, I reinstalled the seat post with garden-variety general purpose grease. So far so good, the seat post clamp is not slipping at all, which I am told these QR clamps which come on the Jones bikes are prone to do.
Cheers and hopefully I don't get struck down by the cycling gods for doing so!
Absent any waterproof grease or any other razzu products, I reinstalled the seat post with garden-variety general purpose grease. So far so good, the seat post clamp is not slipping at all, which I am told these QR clamps which come on the Jones bikes are prone to do.
Cheers and hopefully I don't get struck down by the cycling gods for doing so!
01-23-20, 09:24 PM
#15
Generally bewildered
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Eastern PA, USA
Posts: 3,037
Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 6.9, 1999 LeMond Zurich, 1978 Schwinn Superior
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1152 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
251 Posts
It's grease. Don't overthink it. Use this. And you could clean it off with min spirits when you use carbon assembly paste, but a quick wipe with a rag and application of carbon assembly past (which is about 10% glass and silica powder and the remainder ... wait for it... grease).
Likes For WizardOfBoz:
