I'm Transitioning
02-03-19, 06:22 PM
#1
señor miembro
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I'm Transitioning
I'm transitioning. No, scratch that. I mean, I've already fully converted. On two big things:
- Lube.
- Tire width.
Yep, I've made two big life choices here. No more Park Tool grease for me. I have found white lithium grease. It's thicker, more like Campy grease. I found some LubriMatic in the storage area and started using it. It makes me feel good. I feel clean.
And I have finally pulled the trigger on 25mm tires. No more 23mm for me on anything. It just feels so much better. Like, at least 25 percent smoother. And not slower. I know, I know, I'm a late bloomer.
Yes, I am getting older, but finally coming to terms with myself. It feels good to come out and be honest like this.
Have you made serious life changes like this? Keep it C&V, people!
- Lube.
- Tire width.
Yep, I've made two big life choices here. No more Park Tool grease for me. I have found white lithium grease. It's thicker, more like Campy grease. I found some LubriMatic in the storage area and started using it. It makes me feel good. I feel clean.
And I have finally pulled the trigger on 25mm tires. No more 23mm for me on anything. It just feels so much better. Like, at least 25 percent smoother. And not slower. I know, I know, I'm a late bloomer.
Yes, I am getting older, but finally coming to terms with myself. It feels good to come out and be honest like this.
Have you made serious life changes like this? Keep it C&V, people!
02-03-19, 06:49 PM
#2
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Good on you.
I stopped using white lithium grease, though. Maybe I'm confused, but my white lithium grease came from a spray can.
It's too thick for some things, too runny for others. Perhaps you found some in a tub or tube?
Yep, 25's, 28's where possible, 23's on the bikes that simply can't fit them.
I stopped using white lithium grease, though. Maybe I'm confused, but my white lithium grease came from a spray can.
It's too thick for some things, too runny for others. Perhaps you found some in a tub or tube?
Yep, 25's, 28's where possible, 23's on the bikes that simply can't fit them.
02-03-19, 06:56 PM
#3
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Careful there, 25's can lead to 28's, which are also known as "the gateway tire" to truly fat ones. Soon 35's don't look so wide...
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02-03-19, 07:15 PM
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It’s all good as long as there aren’t disc brakes involved.
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N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
02-03-19, 07:16 PM
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
02-03-19, 07:34 PM
#7
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Switched to 28mm tires about 15 years ago. Eventually you all will, too. fortunately all the bikes I have fit 28mm tires. I recall in 2005 when riding with a local group we were hammering over some fairly roughed up pavement and I am simply flying by everyone. I was without question the oldest, fattest and slowest in the group. Everyone looked at me in a quizzical way not understanding how I could beat the bike like that. The only time I was able to pull away from those guys! Later on I told them the secret was in the tires.
02-03-19, 07:41 PM
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28s when i have to. 35s when i can.
02-03-19, 08:12 PM
#9
señor miembro
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I may still be transitioning in the grease area when I run out of this stuff. But I doubt I'll ever return to Park.
The miyata 912 I just bought has some sweet old Specialized Ultralight/R gumwall 21s on it. They remind me of Continentals. If you want 'em, pm me.
If any of you get a chance to ride with Tim around old P.A., don't miss it. That was a blast.
02-03-19, 08:19 PM
#10
Senior Member
I'm transitioning. No, scratch that. I mean, I've already fully converted. On two big things:
- Lube.
- Tire width.
Yep, I've made two big life choices here. No more Park Tool grease for me. I have found white lithium grease. It's thicker, more like Campy grease. I found some LubriMatic in the storage area and started using it. It makes me feel good. I feel clean.
And I have finally pulled the trigger on 25mm tires. No more 23mm for me on anything. It just feels so much better. Like, at least 25 percent smoother. And not slower. I know, I know, I'm a late bloomer.
Yes, I am getting older, but finally coming to terms with myself. It feels good to come out and be honest like this.
Have you made serious life changes like this? Keep it C&V, people!
- Lube.
- Tire width.
Yep, I've made two big life choices here. No more Park Tool grease for me. I have found white lithium grease. It's thicker, more like Campy grease. I found some LubriMatic in the storage area and started using it. It makes me feel good. I feel clean.
And I have finally pulled the trigger on 25mm tires. No more 23mm for me on anything. It just feels so much better. Like, at least 25 percent smoother. And not slower. I know, I know, I'm a late bloomer.
Yes, I am getting older, but finally coming to terms with myself. It feels good to come out and be honest like this.
Have you made serious life changes like this? Keep it C&V, people!
White lithium used to be the bike shop standard, except for fancy bikes, which got campy. Nice thing about white grease is that you can see when it's time to repack, because the grease has turned gray. Not so much a concern today, but in ye olde unsealed bearing days, everything got repacked regularly.
The cool crowd knew that tires skinnier than 25c were BS even back in 1980, when dorks rode 20c. Can't descend as well, and less comfort for no advantage.
02-03-19, 08:37 PM
#11
señor miembro
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A while back I bought a Mondia and started overhauling it. Even though the previous owner said he had overhauled the hubs with Campy grease within a year, I did 'em again anyway. When I looked, the grease was nice and white. I cleaned it out, and repacked it with Park grease. When I was done, I wondered, "did I just make these hubs worse off?"
02-03-19, 08:50 PM
#12
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Sticking with the skinnies, mainly because all my non-touring bikes are sew-ups, with one exception.
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02-03-19, 09:48 PM
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Sold my last 700x28 bike last week. Now my narrowest bike is 700x38. I have no interest in going less than 35mm for any future bikes.
All the bikes get nice high-end wide Panaracer tires (Compass, Soma Supple Vitesse, Gravelkings) and they fly. Super comfortable too and I don't have to limit my rides based on terrain.
All the bikes get nice high-end wide Panaracer tires (Compass, Soma Supple Vitesse, Gravelkings) and they fly. Super comfortable too and I don't have to limit my rides based on terrain.
02-04-19, 12:36 AM
#14
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I have made the migration to 28s on a few bikes as well as 32s. I have one that's on 35s and it just barely fits inside the chainstays, but the handling and feel is a bit off. The bike ('74 Paramount touring) tends to like smaller diameter tires--certainly light weight tires--so I'm going to experiment a little to see if it needs to drop back to 32s or even 28s. It looks fantastic with the 35mm tan wall Paselas, so I don't quite want to give that up just yet. The lack of worrying I do over crummy streets is a really nice payoff, and the extra cushioning is also welcome. I'll keep the 23s and 25s where necessary, which is on the rest of my road bikes due to the fact that I like speed and light wheels, thus light tires and sharper handling are there with the smaller tires. Skinny steel tubes tend to go well with proportionally skinny tires, at least in race bike application. Like showing up in just a speedo with big heavy work boots on, it just doesn't look right. Modern carbon and aluminum bikes with their larger diameter tubes look comical with 23s and even 25s when you look down at them when riding. Fine from the side, but then...it's a bit off, proportionally. My CAAD10 Black Disc now sports tan wall Clement Strada LGGs in 28mm and it's perfect. No smaller tire will ever be fitted to her.
02-04-19, 01:56 AM
#15
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Off topic:
I hate to be the finger wagger here, but i will be for a moment. I had a co-worker that was going through gender transition. I witnessed first hand how difficult and serious it was. It makes me cringe a little to see the light mocking of a serious and life altering procedure. I do understand humor and I am generally not a very serious or PC individual. That’s all. This forum is generally civil and I doubt any harm was intended.
On topic:
Im now very curious about white lithium grease. Any photos? I’ve been using this cheap, nasty brown grease for years. I used to use a red synthetic grease that I liked, can’t remember the brand.
I hate to be the finger wagger here, but i will be for a moment. I had a co-worker that was going through gender transition. I witnessed first hand how difficult and serious it was. It makes me cringe a little to see the light mocking of a serious and life altering procedure. I do understand humor and I am generally not a very serious or PC individual. That’s all. This forum is generally civil and I doubt any harm was intended.
On topic:
Im now very curious about white lithium grease. Any photos? I’ve been using this cheap, nasty brown grease for years. I used to use a red synthetic grease that I liked, can’t remember the brand.
02-04-19, 02:46 AM
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Speaking of grease transitions.....
I've been reluctantly using Park grease on my bikes, the past few years, after cheaping out and buying a tube of the stuff, instead of buying the slightly more expensive Phil Wood grease thst had been my go-to grease since the 80's.
Found out that I really don't like the really sticky and stiff consistency of the Park grease after I started using it, just trying to finish off the stuff from Park so I can maybe go back to Phil Wood.
But then,......... I was thinking, maybe I should just use up the tubes of Mobil synthetic and "premium" grease samples I got from a mechanic at work, back in the late 80's......
Five small tubes, sent to him to try out on the heavy contractor equipment he was maintaining for the company. No idea what the different grades are and what they are used for, but per my experience with Mobil oils for my car, and one of the samples being synthetic must mean they are all pretty good. Only tried the "Special Premium" one on a couple of headsets through the years and it seems to work very nicely. But I wonder if I can use the other versions of the grease on my bikes too?? Anyone here know anything about these??
I've been reluctantly using Park grease on my bikes, the past few years, after cheaping out and buying a tube of the stuff, instead of buying the slightly more expensive Phil Wood grease thst had been my go-to grease since the 80's.
Found out that I really don't like the really sticky and stiff consistency of the Park grease after I started using it, just trying to finish off the stuff from Park so I can maybe go back to Phil Wood.
But then,......... I was thinking, maybe I should just use up the tubes of Mobil synthetic and "premium" grease samples I got from a mechanic at work, back in the late 80's......
Five small tubes, sent to him to try out on the heavy contractor equipment he was maintaining for the company. No idea what the different grades are and what they are used for, but per my experience with Mobil oils for my car, and one of the samples being synthetic must mean they are all pretty good. Only tried the "Special Premium" one on a couple of headsets through the years and it seems to work very nicely. But I wonder if I can use the other versions of the grease on my bikes too?? Anyone here know anything about these??
Last edited by Chombi1; 02-04-19 at 01:11 PM.
02-04-19, 02:54 AM
#17
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02-04-19, 06:36 AM
#18
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I switched to 25mm in the nineties. I bought my first pair of 23mm a couple months ago, due to fitment issues. I've recently moved toward higher tpi sidewalls in lieu of wider tires. On the grease front, I've been using Finish Line fluoro on everything ever since I bought a tub specifically for the S&S couplers on one bike. But it's very thin. I'm contemplating returning to axle grease henceforth.
02-04-19, 09:27 AM
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25's? 42's are where it's at... when you're not running 54's. 
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02-04-19, 09:31 AM
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Oh and I used to hate triples but not anymore, : )
02-04-19, 09:33 AM
#21
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02-04-19, 09:38 AM
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I use automotive grade bearing grease. For me, it’s a training grease. When making a serious attempt on a Strava KOM, I “convert” to an ultra fast Cycle Pro white lithium.
02-04-19, 09:56 AM
#23
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On tire width -
the last 19mm wore out a couple years ago.
Currently riding 22mm Conti Sprinters up thru 33mm Racing Ralphs.
Anything wider is not truly a road tire. Few exceptions granted, expedition touring, downhill fire road bombing, mega-commuters, super-clydes, etc
On the grease:
@SurferRosa can grease it pretty slick, with his handiwork and talents. Several of mine have been touched by his magic.
More grease.
oh, this one acquired from him = a well oiled machine.
Ensemble separate.
.
the last 19mm wore out a couple years ago.
Currently riding 22mm Conti Sprinters up thru 33mm Racing Ralphs.
Anything wider is not truly a road tire. Few exceptions granted, expedition touring, downhill fire road bombing, mega-commuters, super-clydes, etc
On the grease:
@SurferRosa can grease it pretty slick, with his handiwork and talents. Several of mine have been touched by his magic.
More grease.
oh, this one acquired from him = a well oiled machine.
Ensemble separate.
.
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02-04-19, 10:17 AM
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I just ordered a pair of 23s which will be pretty plush. And a pair of 25s for the Spring Classics. My bikes were born that way. However, I did have a crazy weekend and picked up a '97 Stumpjumper with 1.95s and then spent a couple hours trying to figure out how to rebuild a neglected 22 year old suspension fork. Yikes!
