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Old 11-02-22, 09:20 PM
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Cycologist
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Bike grease recommendations

I tried to search the forum but nothing come up as far as a general all purpose grease. I did buy some at HF and the stuff smells so bad I want to throw it away.

Whats a good all purpose grease for parts vs hubs and rims or can I use them interchangeable?
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Old 11-02-22, 09:30 PM
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Lucas Oil White Lithium Grease $6.48 at Lowe's
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Old 11-02-22, 09:33 PM
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You probably bought the marine grease. Anyways I like Phil Wood grease. It's lighter than general purpose grease.
Just don't buy it in tube form. It will separate. Buy it in a tub.
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Old 11-02-22, 09:35 PM
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Marine grease

Originally Posted by Cycologist
I tried to search the forum but nothing come up as far as a general all purpose grease. I did buy some at HF and the stuff smells so bad I want to throw it away.

Whats a good all purpose grease for parts vs hubs and rims or can I use them interchangeable?
l used to use Phil’s Grease and then I noticed that it looked suspiciously like run of the mill marine grease that they sell in large tubes in auto supply stores.

Switched over a few years ago and I have been very happy with its performance and the cost savings. Perfect for bottom brackets, hubs and headsets. Lithium style grease is more appropriate for some parts that need a lighter grease and of course, it is not appropriate for chains.
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Old 11-02-22, 09:37 PM
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Marine grease does not have a bad smell.

Originally Posted by icemilkcoffee
You probably bought the marine grease. Anyways I like Phil Wood grease. It's lighter than general purpose grease.
Just don't buy it in tube form. It will separate. Buy it in a tub.
I find marine grease very similar to Phil’s and it costs a lot less.
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Old 11-02-22, 10:08 PM
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Rock n Roll Red Devil.
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Old 11-02-22, 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Cycologist
I tried to search the forum but nothing come up as far as a general all purpose grease....

...that's pretty amazing. People used to go on and on about various lubricant preferences. And on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on... Any lightweight grease sold as an "all purpose" grease works OK. There are a couple of specific applications, like filling up a headset of BB race with loose bearings, where something with a little more body and stickiness helps your efforts. Stay away from the heavyweight stuff with fiber in it, that they used to sell for truck wheel bearings.

Bacon fat would probably work if it was all you had, but the dogs it attracts is problematic.
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Old 11-02-22, 10:40 PM
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Old 11-02-22, 10:52 PM
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Originally Posted by 3alarmer
Bacon fat would probably work if it was all you had, but the dogs it attracts is problematic.
Strictly olive oil on Italian bikes.
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Old 11-02-22, 11:08 PM
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https://www.amazon.com/Green-Grease-.../dp/B004Y06YT8

You can find it at AUTOZONE & NAPA for more than $1 less than you can source it from Amazon. O'Reilly's and Advance also has it priced slightly lower than amazon.



This 14oz plastic cylinder is actually a grease gun cartridge.
YOU SIMPLY OPEN One End of it. USE a McDonalds/Kentucky Fried Chicken PLASTIC SPOON or PLASTIC KNIFE to SCOOP OUT & REMOVE THE GREASE THAT YOU NEED. Use Aluminum Foil & Rubber Bands to Reseal container after use. I then suggest that you place it into an EMPTY BREAD LOAF WRAPPER with twist tie closure from that empty bread loaf wrapper.
That 14oz amount of GREEN GREASE will last you a very very long time, even if you always work on a lot of bicycles.
There is no better grease than GREEN GREASE!
Remember that it is Waterproof synthetic grease, thus it is supremely difficult to get off of the skin on your hands. I suggest that you wear disposable surgical style gloves to avoid that.
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Old 11-02-22, 11:38 PM
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Would you use this in the hubs and bearings as well?

Lets say on a pair of Vintage C-Record Hubs with the oil port what's the recommended grease for that application?

I was surprised nothing came up under the search but the search function for "recommended grease" brings up What did you wrench on today and other hits.
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Old 11-02-22, 11:39 PM
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Originally Posted by P!N20
Strictly olive oil on Italian bikes.
EVOO? or is EVO ok?
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Old 11-03-22, 12:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Cycologist
EVOO? or is EVO ok?
EVOO, DOC certified.
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Old 11-03-22, 12:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Cycologist
I was surprised nothing came up under the search.
Go to the advanced page and search for "grease" by thread title only and limit the subforum to c&v:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ghlight=grease
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ur-grease.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...u-all-use.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ghlight=grease

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...o-you-use.html
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Old 11-03-22, 01:45 AM
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Mystic JT6 Medium Amber

I have been using:

Mystic JT6 Medium Amber

grease since 1972 when I began working at Custom Sports Cyclery.

Available at auto supply stores.

I purchase the cartridges and transfer the grease into smaller containers for use and as gifts to friends.
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Old 11-03-22, 01:58 AM
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I’ve been working on the same tub of CRC blue marine grease for close to a decade, but I’d probably be equally satisfied with any similar marine grease. No white lithium or other lightweight stuff for me.
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Old 11-03-22, 06:15 AM
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Originally Posted by icemilkcoffee
I like Phil Wood grease. Just don't buy it in tube form. It will separate.
Nonsense. Tubes are fine.

I used to use Phil's until I opened my 1984 Shimano pedals a couple years ago, and found the grease in there as good as the day it was put in nearly 40 years ago. Shimano/Dura Ace grease from then on.

We used white lithium in the bike shop in the 1980s, but I remember opening up hubs where it was used and it was all dried up.
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Old 11-03-22, 06:22 AM
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Put the following text in your search bar: "best grease" site:bikeforums.net
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Old 11-03-22, 06:27 AM
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I have used Phil’s grease pretty much since getting back into riding and building in 2015. I’ve had my LBS help rebuild BB’s and hubs and had them use Phil’s on request. For what it’s worth, me being 215# and riding 700x35 Rene Hersé Extralight tires, my Italvega Super Speciale rolls down hills from a standing start faster and farther than my vintage groups’ bikes. I use Campagnolo Nuovo Record hubs almost exclusively and new bearings. So far in 5 years of riding, the BB spindle, bearings, and cups look fine. But they do get rebuilt every year.

I lucked into a deal and got 4 unused tubes of Phil’s grease for $20 from an Offer Up seller a while back so I’m probably set for life.

Last edited by mech986; 11-03-22 at 06:46 AM.
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Old 11-03-22, 06:32 AM
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I use plain wheel bearing grease and it works just fine I have the same container of grease for five years and it doesn’t separate . When I service bearings after a year or more , I find that the grease is still very good. I think that a lot of us probably don’t need to do the maintenance as often as we do , it is just habit . I have bought bikes that have been neglected and dirty. When I take them apart I fully expect to see dried up grease, but sometimes not they will look like they had just been done.
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Old 11-03-22, 06:32 AM
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I've been using Park grease for decades. Works great and not expensive considering some of the alternatives.
It is not the grease but the maintenance that keeps parts in good order and working. Regular cleaning and regreasing is the key to keeping anything working properly over time. Bikes do not have excessive needs compared to parts that may become very hot, cold, water submerged...fresh or salt...etc. These require grease/lubricants that are designed to work in hard conditions...bikes aren't included in this.
Keep you bike clean and regularly maintain moving parts with a good quality lube/grease and you are good to go.
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Old 11-03-22, 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by icemilkcoffee
Anyways I like Phil Wood grease. It's lighter than general purpose grease.
Dude, you’ve taken weight-weenieism to a whole other level.

Personally I use Park Polylube because it’s expensive and it works better than peanut butter.
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Old 11-03-22, 08:20 AM
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I've used Campagnolo grease, Phil grease, Park grease, red marine grease, wheel bearing grease, and Judy Butter. (Anyone else remember the Rock Shox Judy butter?)
All of them worked fine.

The only grease I avoid is the white stuff in the little tube sold by my local Ace Hardware: It separates after just a few months.
Brent
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Old 11-03-22, 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Kai Winters
It is not the grease but the maintenance that keeps parts in good order and working. Regular cleaning and regreasing is the key to keeping anything working properly over time. Bikes do not have excessive needs compared to parts that may become very hot, cold, water submerged...fresh or salt...etc. These require grease/lubricants that are designed to work in hard conditions...bikes aren't included in this.
Keep you bike clean and regularly maintain moving parts with a good quality lube/grease and you are good to go.
^^
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Old 11-03-22, 08:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Vintage Schwinn
This 14oz plastic cylinder is actually a grease gun cartridge.
YOU SIMPLY OPEN One End of it. USE a McDonalds/Kentucky Fried Chicken PLASTIC SPOON or PLASTIC KNIFE to SCOOP OUT & REMOVE THE GREASE THAT YOU NEED. Use Aluminum Foil & Rubber Bands to Reseal container after use.
Or, get a grease gun and a needle nozzle, and avoid the mess and fuss.

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