grease for bicycle hubs/bearings ?

[Wheel]

So I finally finished up the tube of Phil Wood grease that I bought years ago for my bikes. In looking at replacing it, I've noticed that none of the 'bike specific' grease lists any spec other than thickness (usually a NLGI #2). They are also about twice the cost of other grease that comes in a squeeze tube (which happens to fit the grease gun I've got)

I'm thinking of naturally going overkill and getting something that meets a decent, comparable standard. I'd like to get another 20-40 thousand on the hubs I've got.

I figure it should work well at 60-400 rpm, from -10F to +150, and not wash out. It should probably be thinner than NLGI #2, at least slightly, and have good EP qualities.

Any suggestions ?

 

[barkingspider]

I just use valvoline multi purpose auto grease. Works as good as any bike spec grease. Even on my beach cruiser that stays outdoors

 

[zzyzzx]

I use regular car multi-purpose grease as well.

 

[Wheel]

I've got Valvoline's GM, Chrysler, Euro/Import grease in a tub, I guess I'll work a way to clean out the old tube and fill with that.

Thanks !

 

[buck91]

Oh man, this is a fun topic. To sum up everything, virtually any bearing grease whether it be automotive or bicycle will do great. Its more important to keep the bearings adjusted correctly and cleaned and repacked "regularly" than what grease you use (within reason, I suppose).

I have fine results with virtually every grease I've used to rebuild hubs before. Phil Wood is definitely the favorite, Mobil 1 is also nice, wouldn't hesitate to use any decent auto grade grease but they are over kill. Triflow synthetic grease isn't my pick for bearings since its sooooo tacky at mild to low temps. Slick Honey is very thin, but works good to refresh sealed cartidge bearings in a pinch.

What were you looking at using? Even with a rediculous amount of other greases in the garage I still keep a tube of Phil's for my nice hubs. Lower end units get the flavor of the month, so to speak.

OH!! One more thing. Super expensive, but Finish Line Extreme Fluoro results in AMAZING smoothness! I rebuilt a set of Shimano M525 hubs with grade 25 balls and extreme fluoro and they feel better than brand new XTR's...

 

[Wheel]

Would I be better off hunting up something thinner than NLGI 2 ?

I will keep an eye out for a new tube of Phil, or the Finish Line, if the price is right. Amazing markup to put Bicycle (or Marine) on the label.

 

[Kamele0N]

Originally Posted By: Wheel
Would I be better off hunting up something thinner than NLGI 2 ?


You can if you want.....but than look that oil has higher viscosity....

I am using that for my bike : http://www.olma.si/files/documents/pds/en/alaska_nlgi-0_tl.pdf

 

[userfriendly]

I use Pet-Can OG-1 for the water resistance in bicycles and dirt bikes.
A synthetic 1.5 grade is as thick as I would go in either of the above applications.

 

[alcyon]

Super lube syncolon grease is great..i use it on my car door hinges..sunroof rails..bicycle bearings..rc car gears...

 

[Ducked]

gear oil??

 

[buck91]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
gear oil??


Actually there were a lot of old hubs such as English 3 speeds used oil! But they also had an external fill nipple.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: buck91
Originally Posted By: Ducked
gear oil??


Actually there were a lot of old hubs such as English 3 speeds used oil! But they also had an external fill nipple.


Not really a nipple, more a hole in the hub axle tube, covered by a clip. I had one or two of those bikes, because I'm old, and British.

These days I use free bikes abandoned on campus by departing Taiwanese students. Lowish-end Giant and KHS mostly, and I use oil on the hubs because its less trouble than taking them apart without special bike tools. Seems to work, but might not be appropriate for higher end, well looked after kit.

I lay the bike on its side for hub oiling. I've wondered about drilling the hub, 3-speed style, but I don't suppose I'll ever get around to trying it.

 

[DoubleWasp]

I've got the Amsoil racing grease in my hubs.

 

[nthach]

I've use Mobil Delvac Xtreme and Red Line CV2 in my bike hubs. When I do the first overhaul on a pair of Shimano Ultegra 6800 hubs, I'm going to have someone do it with M1/SHC220 or CV2. I refuse to have Park PolyLube touch anything.

Shimano's Dura-Ace grease is repackaged Agip Autol grease...

 

[Wheel]

Originally Posted By: nthach
I've use Mobil Delvac Xtreme and Red Line CV2 in my bike hubs. When I do the first overhaul on a pair of Shimano Ultegra 6800 hubs, I'm going to have someone do it with M1/SHC220 or CV2. I refuse to have Park PolyLube touch anything.

Shimano's Dura-Ace grease is repackaged Agip Autol grease...


What grade are you using ? NLGI 2 ?

 

[buck91]

nthach, why do you refuse to use park poly lube? Its certainly not the best out there but it does work alright, especially on seatposts :-D

 

[BikeWhisperer]

I worked as a bicycle mechanic for 8 years, so I will let you in on a secret.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BICYCLE (ONLY) GREASE

Phils, Finish Line, Pedros, Park all market a product that already existed as "bicycle grease". It's marketing pure and simple. Now all those products are quality and will work great (some work better in certain conditions than others), but in most cases you are going to spend 2x-4x the price for the same product that you can find at a auto parts or motorcycle store. For instance, want a really good waterproof grease? Bel-Ray is awesome in the worst conditions, and in fact looks and even smells the same as Phil's Waterproof Grease for less than half the price. Want a smooth all around grease, I'm a big fan of Lubrimatic LMX Red grease. Want a light grease, Slickoleum (Slick Honey) is great for anything from lubricating forks and shocks to hub pawls to bearings.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Sure,mwhy not? bikeWhisperer



Marine lube too...its not like it withstands water and salt or anything

Also, motorcycle oils are just marketing. Throw in some house brand and call it good.

What else we got? Motor oil on chains instead of a dedicated bicycle chain lubricant. You may just be right IN SOME INSTANCES, but your bold statement appears to say otherwise.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: buck91
nthach, why do you refuse to use park poly lube? Its certainly not the best out there but it does work alright, especially on seatposts :-D

FWIW, it's overpriced - it's a polyurea-thickened grease much in the same vein as Chevron SRI or Mobil Polyrex EM2(and SRAM actually calls for SKF LGHP for their ceramic pulleys, which interchanges to those two as well) - but it's not as water resistant as Park claims it to be and it just doesn't last that long. It does work well in a pinch for fasteners though

I think a good lithium EP grease works well on bikes, calcium-based would be ideal since it will mix with Shimano's yellow Dura-Ace grease.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: BikeWhisperer
I'm a big fan of Lubrimatic LMX Red grease.


In keeping with the theme/point of your post; is the above, or Mystic JT-6 Hi Temp, what is actually in the tubs/tubes of Bull Shot, which was the favorite grease (and also red in color) of the owner/mechanic of the shop I used to frequent??