Originally Posted by
MyRedTrek
Does any lube stand up well to water intrusion? I keep seeing people say to be careful when washing a bike to avoid it. As I understand it that's why boat trailers constantly have bearing failures, because people don't stay on top of re-lubing them after they're submerged.
The marine bearing greases do pretty darn well. A local bike mechanic years ago turned me onto the stuff. Hubs with less than great seals will go several winters with the stuff and the grease will stay as blue as when it went in. (Any auto parts store. Pre-COVID, $8 a tub of grease cartridge.) Think about it. That grease was formulated to lubricate a hub at highway speeds, then be immersed while still warm in salt water. Re-dipped in that salt water, then run down that highway while still wet. Not much we can do on a bike that will come close to that level of abuse. (Targeted pressure spray just might be that one exception. A gentle garden hose spray won't touch the stuff. I do that all the time.)
Now, on a boat trailer that gets submerged in salt water - that's a different story entirely. Yes, regular maintenance with grease is required. And if you regularly do downhill competitions on bike and come off that last jump into a salt water pond with hot bearings, you might have to also. But routine Portland, OR winters of commuting 25 miles round trip, 3 days a week? I try to remember to look at the hubs every two years. (I pack them with all the marine grease I can stuff in, so it oozes out first roll.)