I suspect Mr. Reason is just obsessed with buying grease with “bicycle” written on the label and feels the need to defend themselves. Who argues for polyurea? Only someone with limited experience with it… the Park Poly formula is good, highly compatible, but it’s the exception not the rule. It’s usually a grease used in high speed bearings that are sealed and never serviced. Why do they choose it for a bicycle? I have no clue, but the fact that they use it for their general purpose grease doesn’t make it better than a lithium complex. For as much as Mr. Reason demands evidence, they certainly didn’t make much of an argument besides “but that’s what this company does although I have no idea why!!!” (how informative, not).

Exception where MoS2 greases are useful can be coaster hubs (hub brakes), where excellent heat resistance can help grease hold it’s own better. However, there are significantly cheaper, almost as good alternatives, like lithium complex greases.

Waste treatment methodsRecommendationConsult official regulations to ensure proper disposal.Uncleaned packagings:Recommendation:Disposal must be made according to official regulations.

Note: listed greases are the ones I could find that are of good quality and with a world-wide distribution. Feel free to look for cheaper, locally available options. My 1st choice is local, Serbian made FAM FORPLEX 2 grease.

Before grease divisions are given in detail, picture 1 might seem a bit unclear, but it will help for all the data to fall into place. Thickener type is what practically defines a grease type.

Main advantages of PTFE are low friction coefficient and wide range of working temperatures, from -200 °C to +250 °C. Disadvantages are a higher price and inability to bear high loads.

Graphite is added to a grease as a solid lubricant, to improve extremely high load bearing characteristics. It is usually combined with calcium, or aluminium greases. Bearing extremely high loads is completely needless attribute for a bicycle bearing grease. You will needlessly pay more, with no measurable practical (or even theoretical) benefits.

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Most widely used grease type. Widely available, at a low price. Fulfills all the criteria a bicycle bearing grease should satisfy. Water and rust resistance is not as good as that of calcium greases, but it is more than good enough for bicycle bearing application. Wider use temperature range than similar calcium greases. In case of high quality synthetic base oils, temperature range is even greater, though this raises the  price significantly, without much measurable benefits for use with bicycle bearings. Perhaps for extreme (-40 °C cold) uses.

Note:Mark 2 in table 4 is used only if a grease has some of the ingredients/properties listed in that column – otherwise, the mark is omitted.See the “Bike greases questions” discussion on the BikeGremlin forum for a bit more details on this.

German DIN 51 502 standard for labeling greases, unlike ISO, with legendary German precision and efficiency sorts greases according to base oil types, additives etc, so there can be no confusion when choosing the appropriate grease for a given application. ?  Example of a DIN label:DIN 51502: K2 K-30Meaning of each letter is given in the tables 4 and 5.

The main flaw when using these greases for bicycle bearing lubrication is it’s relatively higher price. Also, low compatibility with other greases can be a potential problem – in case of adding grease without previous complete washout of the existing grease.

True, proper maintenance is more important than lubricant, but good bike grease is relatively inexpensive & a big can lasts forever. Why skimp? You’re only saving a few crumbs.

Delivery of Cisplatin Anti-Cancer Drug from Carbon, Boron Nitride, and Silicon Carbide Nanotubes Forced by Ag-Nanowire: A Comprehensive Molecular Dynamics Study.

Information on toxicological effectsAcute toxicity: The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) contains acute toxicity data for this substance.LD/LC50 values that are relevant for classification: No dataSkin irritation or corrosion: Causes skin irritation.Eye irritation or corrosion: Causes serious eye damage.Sensitization: No sensitizing effects known.Germ cell mutagenicity: No effects known.Carcinogenicity: Suspected of causing cancer.ACGIH A2: Suspected human carcinogen: Agent is carcinogenic in experimental animals at dose levels, by route(s) of administration, at site(s), of histologic type(s), or by mechanism(s) considered relevant to worker exposure. Available epidemiologic studies are conflicting or insufficient to confirm an increased risk of cancer in exposed humans.The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) contains tumorigenic and/or carcinogenic and/or neoplastic data for this substance.Reproductive toxicity: No effects known.Specific target organ system toxicity - repeated exposure: No effects known.Specific target organ system toxicity - single exposure: May cause respiratory irritation.Aspiration hazard: No effects known.Subacute to chronic toxicity:The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) contains multiple dose toxicity data for this substance.Additional toxicological information:To the best of our knowledge the acute and chronic toxicity of this substance is not fully known.Carcinogenic categoriesOSHA-Ca (Occupational Safety & Health Administration)Substance is not listed.

ToxicityAquatic toxicity: No data availablePersistence and degradability: No data availableBioaccumulative potential: No data availableMobility in soil: No data availableAdditional ecological information:Do not allow material to be released to the environment without official permits.Do not allow undiluted product or large quantities to reach groundwater, water courses, or sewage systems.Avoid transfer into the environment.Results of PBT and vPvB assessmentPBT: N/AvPvB: N/AOther adverse effects: No data available

Those bearings need to cope with the load of under 200 kilograms (usually). The load is dynamic, so that impacts can drastically change the volume. However, due to the  low weight of a bicycle, only human strength of it’s rider, as well as the fact that a bicycle carries a maximum of two people (specially designed tandems), the forces that occur and bearing loads are relatively small compared to similar in cars, motorcycles, or industrial machinery.

Information on basic physical and chemical propertiesAppearance:Form: Various forms (powder/flake/crystalline/beads, etc.)Color: Grey to blackOdor: OdorlessOdor threshold: No data available.pH: N/AMelting point/Melting range: 2700 °C (4892 °F)Boiling point/Boiling range: No data availableSublimation temperature / start: No data availableFlammability (solid, gas): No data available.Ignition temperature: No data availableDecomposition temperature: No data availableAutoignition: No data available.Danger of explosion: No data available.Explosion limits:Lower: No data availableUpper: No data availableVapor pressure: N/ADensity at 20 °C (68 °F): 3.16 g/cm3 (26.37 lbs/gal)Relative density: No data available.Vapor density: N/AEvaporation rate: N/ASolubility in Water (H2O): InsolublePartition coefficient (n-octanol/water): No data available.Viscosity:Dynamic: N/AKinematic: N/AOther information: No data available

“Usual characteristics” in the heading is written because various manufacturers (and concrete grease models) use various ingredient qualities, so final product characteristics may vary. Concrete characteristics a finished grease possesses is usually written on the label, either in the form of a marketing slogan, or (more reliably) by noting DIN and/or ISO standard that a grease complies with. Characteristics like lowest and highest use temperature, water washout resistance etc.

Many soft metals, like copper, silver, gold, zinc, lead etc. have low shear resistance and can be used as a lubricant, put in a thin layer over sliding hard surfaces. Soft metal films are useful for tempereatures up to 1000 °C, but are less often used nowadays.

Solid lubricant groups most commonly used are lamellar solids, polymers and soft metal films. In addition to noted, there are some more, better to call them subgroups of solid lubricants, such as multipurpose solid lubricants, combinations of ceramics and solid lubricants, materials made of glass etc. Those lubricants are usually used for extreme and special conditions and temperatures over 1000 °C, to they will not be explained in a post that is about bicycle bearing greases.

Above a certain point, the differences with one thickener vs another is going to be marginal, especially in light of the finished product that we can actually buy. Lithium is “best” because if you walk into any store that’s what you’ll likely see, and if they have a good selection, half of that selection is going to be lithium based. Similarly, walk in to any store and you’re going to see NLGI #2. You want #1, you need to special order it. The lithium being widely available might soon change due to global economic demand for lithium in other products, but for now, it’s what you’ll typically see. Unless you are rebuilding suspension, or a freehub, it’s good enough and thus recommended as a general purpose grease. I could wax poetic about my specific preferences for specific work (which would include NLGI #1 for my winter build) but that was never the point.

Classification of the substance or mixtureClassification according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008GHS08 Health hazardCarc. 2 H351 Suspected of causing cancer.GHS07Skin Irrit. 2 H315 Causes skin irritation.Eye Irrit. 2A H319 Causes serious eye irritation.STOT SE 3 H335 May cause respiratory irritation.Classification according to Directive 67/548/EEC or Directive 1999/45/ECXn; HarmfulR40: Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.Xi; IrritantR36/37/38: Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin.Information concerning particular hazards for human and environment: N/AHazards not otherwise classifiedNo data availableLabel elementsLabelling according to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008The substance is classified and labeled according to the CLP regulation.Hazard pictograms

Extinguishing mediaSuitable extinguishing agentsCarbon dioxide, extinguishing powder or water spray. Fight larger fires with water spray or alcohol resistant foam.Special hazards arising from the substance or mixtureIf this product is involved in a fire, the following can be released:Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxideSilicon oxideAdvice for firefightersProtective equipment:Wear self-contained respirator.Wear fully protective impervious suit.

Solid lubricant is a material used as a dust, or a thin film layer, to protect adjacent sliding surfaces and reduce wear and friction during their relative movement. In practice, solid lubricants are often suspended in oils, or added to greases (see 3.2.3. special greases).

There’s nothing scientific or objective about your arguments. A gish gallup of links that we need to then debunk doesn’t change that. You aren’t making a specific argument then supporting it, you’re just firing a shotgun of BS along with a bunch of insults. If you don’t mean to troll, you sure come off as a troll. You completely miss Relja’s point which was looking at multiple factors including price and availability, not just optimal lubrication coefficients. The reality is, as you said yourself, a bike doesn’t have strenuous demands… any of these greases will work granted it’s not mixed with another incompatible grease.

Where is Zip Code 11640? Useful facts, information, location of Zip Code 11640.

Combination of complex lithium and calcium soaps thickeners. With quality base oils these greases can be made to be superior to complex (even more so compared to ordinary) whether lithium, or calcium greases. They are less easily available and higher priced though – with no measurable benefits for use in bicycle bearings compared to quality lithium soap based greases.

Not to be confused with aluminium anti seize pastes. Similar to lithium greases, with better water resistance (similar to calcium greases), but with a significantly higher price.

According to international standard ISO 6743-9, greases are divided per intended use conditions. Example of an ISO label:ISO 6743-9: ISO-L-XCCHA 2Meaning of each letter is given in table 3.

Single-row Angular Contact Ball Bearings · The raceways of both the inner and outer rings of this bearing type are made with a set contact angle. · Single-row ...

Since bikes are ridden outside, bearing lubricant needs to keep dirt and water from entering. It should be resistant to being washed off with water, prevent corrosion, while operating temperature ranges from as cold as -20 °C for winter use (though some cyclists are even more extreme), to about 100 °C for bearings of bikes left in hot summer sun, then ridden.

Perhaps one of the referenced studies in the linked study would provide more information but I’m just evaluating what you linked. And frankly, it doesn’t actually state what you imply that it states/proves. This isn’t an argument against polyurea, it’s well known to be a great grease when you need a “sealed for life” application so it would be a good choice on non-serviceable bicycle bearings for that reason. But it’s also a fairly incompatible grease, Park’s formulation being an exception, presumably. So if you use it, then make sure to clean out all the old grease first. But superior? Why? Because Park uses it? Because it’s better in a given test without additives (ignoring incompatibility issues)?

If you've found any errors or lacking information in the article(s) - please let me know by commenting on the BikeGremlin forum.You can comment anonymously (by registering with any name/nickname), but I think it is good to publicly document all the article additions (and especially corrections) - even if their author chooses to remain anonymous.

Stand by Mesic balls

Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency proceduresUse personal protective equipment. Keep unprotected persons away.Ensure adequate ventilationEnvironmental precautions:Do not allow material to be released to the environment without official permits.Do not allow product to enter drains, sewage systems, or other water courses.Do not allow material to penetrate the ground or soil.Methods and materials for containment and cleanup:Dispose of contaminated material as waste according to section 13.Ensure adequate ventilation.Prevention of secondary hazards:No special measures required.Reference to other sectionsSee Section 7 for information on safe handlingSee Section 8 for information on personal protection equipment.See Section 13 for disposal information.

Would be useful to have some discussion on “carbon safe” as well as rubber o-ring safe and even plastic (grease for shifters) safe. Not that I blame you for not diving into that as there’s a lot of mixed opinion out there. Really that’s about the only reason I’d ever recommend someone buy a bicycle specific grease is that it may specifically guarantee compatibility while an automotive grease wouldn’t (which doesn’t mean it’s not compatible, it’s just not explicitly stated).

PTFE is usually added to lithium grease. These greases differ from “teflon” greases, where PTFE is used as a thickener (with a synthetic base oil usually), not as an additive. PTFE improves grease performance with high speeds (measured in thousands of revolutions per minute). With greases for lubing bicycle bearings, PTFE as an additive needlessly increases grease price, but doesn’t harm (nor does it benefit) grease’s performance (not even in theory).

HandlingPrecautions for safe handlingKeep container tightly sealed.Store in cool, dry place in tightly closed containers.Ensure good ventilation at the workplace.Information about protection against explosions and fires:No data availableConditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilitiesRequirements to be met by storerooms and receptacles:No special requirements.Information about storage in one common storage facility:Store away from oxidizing agents.Further information about storage conditions:Keep container tightly sealed.Store in cool, dry conditions in well-sealed containers.Specific end use(s)No data available

As a general guide, one can use the following: greases with the same types of thickeners and similar base oils are usually compatible (e.g. lithium grease with another lithium, or even lithium complex grease). Table 7 shows grease compatibilities based on thickener compatibility, while table 8 shows base oil compatibility. Both compatibilities should match in order to safely mix the two greases.

Having said that – I think I’ve provided enough information for everyone to make a choice for themselves and by themselves.

In plain English, grease is held at a temperature of 25 °C. It is well meshed (standard prescribes 60 meshing cycles). Then the surface is put in a container, top surface is smoothed over, and a cone shaped plunger is slowly placed from the top to dig into the grease with it’s own weight. Diameter of the hole imprinted by the cone is then measured in tenths of a millimeter. Standard is shown in table 2.

These are high quality greases with excellent lubricating, water resistance, extreme pressure bearing and oxidation resistance properties.

Even though thickener is what most often gives a grease it’s name (e.g. lithium grease, calcium grease etc), base oil is what does the actual lubrication and usually makes for over 80% of the grease volume. Greases can be divided according to the following criteria:

First there will be a few words about basic construction of bicycle bearings, lubrication requirements and types of loads that bicycle bearings take. Type of bearings and loads it takes are an important factor when selecting lubricants. Then basic characteristics of greases will be explained – in general, with standards for labelling greases explained (so that label can be understood when shopping for grease). Finally, an overview of most commercial greases types available, with advantages and disadvantages for bicycle bearing lubrication use. For simple, non-technical recommendations, look at this post: The best bicycle bearings grease. Related posts are explaininig: Bicycle hub overhaul procedure and Bicycle bearing types and designs.

After describing non soap greases with a non-organic thickener, it is time for an organic thickener one – polyurea. These are usually picked for their good high temperature characteristics (dropping point is over 260 °C). These greases have thixotropic properties (i.e. they soften when lubricated parts are moved, then harden back to original consistency when stationary).

Having said that, my first-choice alternatives would be Slick Honey or Slickoleum (Amazon affiliate links) – whichever one I can find cheaper.

Greases are semi-solid lubricants, used when oils, or liquid lubricants are not appropriate. Either because of higher costs, or for technical reasons. As it was briefly mentioned in previous paragraph, bicycle bearing grease should fulfill the following criteria:

Surface-mediated energy transfer and subsequent photocatalytic behavior in semiconductor silicon carbide colloid solutions.

Wheel Hub & Bearing assemblies are manufactured to meet the standards of OEM. Restore your vehicles ride and safety with Detroit Axle Replacement Parts.

Description of first aid measuresIf inhaled:Supply patient with fresh air. If not breathing, provide artificial respiration. Keep patient warm.Seek immediate medical advice.In case of skin contact:Immediately wash with soap and water; rinse thoroughly.Seek immediate medical advice.In case of eye contact:Rinse opened eye for several minutes under running water. Consult a physician.If swallowed:Seek medical treatment.Information for doctorMost important symptoms and effects, both acute and delayedNo data availableIndication of any immediate medical attention and special treatment neededNo data available

Safety, health and environmental regulations/legislation specific for the substance or mixtureNational regulationsAll components of this product are listed in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical substance Inventory.All components of this product are listed on the Canadian Domestic Substances List (DSL).SARA Section 313 (specific toxic chemical listings)Substance is not listed.California Proposition 65Prop 65 - Chemicals known to cause cancerSubstance is not listed.Prop 65 - Developmental toxicitySubstance is not listed.Prop 65 - Developmental toxicity, femaleSubstance is not listed.Prop 65 - Developmental toxicity, maleSubstance is not listed.Information about limitation of use:For use only by technically qualified individuals.Other regulations, limitations and prohibitive regulationsSubstance of Very High Concern (SVHC) according to the REACH Regulations (EC) No. 1907/2006.Substance is not listed.The conditions of restrictions according to Article 67 and Annex XVII of the Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) for the manufacturing, placing on the market and use must be observed.Substance is not listed.Annex XIV of the REACH Regulations (requiring Authorisation for use): Substance is not listed.REACH - Pre-registered substances: Substance is listed.Chemical safety assessment: A Chemical Safety Assessment has not been carried out.

Quotation marks because it actually is an anti-seize (mounting paste) compound. This “grease” is used for high temperatures – lubing sliders of disc brakes, where lots of heat is generated when braking. It is also perfect for preventing parts from seizing together – perfect for lubing seat post, all the bolts and nuts, bottom bracket threads – it will prevent metal from binding together, but not be too slippery to ask for a lot more torque when screwing in. As an anti seize it is one of the most effective products. However, for bearings themselves, it is too hard, to thick.

Somewhat improved characteristics than ordinary calcium greases. They usually have a higher maximal working temperature (check the label) so they are good for extreme summer heats.

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Maybe aluminum actually is a better lubricant, and this would be one data point to that end. But how does it compare to different formulations, it’s a really bad idea to generalize a type of grease when a specific product may be completely different than another even with the same thickener. You have a hypothesis to test, but the study in question doesn’t test it.

Relja is an avid cyclist, a pretty good bike mechanic, and a professional computer systems administrator – with decades of experience in both those fields (computers and bikes ? ). Relja Novović’s credentials and a short biography

Standard for labeling grease consistency is established by American non-profit, independent NLGI (National Lubricating Grease Institute) organization.

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Coauthor:Stevan Dimitrijević (dr of metallurgical engineering)Author of the greatest site (blog) in serbo-croatian language about motor oils and lubricants:https://motornaulja.blogspot.rs/

Good water resistance, high dropping point, but limited low temperature use (slightly worse even than calcium greases). Very high price. Barium and many of it’s compounds are toxic!

Great writeup! Somehow never stumbled upon this particular page before. For what it’s worth, I agree that “Reason” is just a troll and not being remotely constructive. I’ve easily spent 100+ hours on Machinerylubrication(dot)com as well as the Bobistheoilguy forums and love to nerd out on grease… also was a nuclear/steam plant mechanic long before I was a bicycle mechanic. I think you put together a great summary. I can’t vouch for every word written but I trust that you vetted your sources and the info is accurate (nothing stands out as incorrect to me). You also made it quite clear what was opinion vs standard industry practice.

Before explaining grease types and properties, it needs to be said that there is no such thing as the best grease. There is only optimal choice grease. Optimal as best satisfying all the important criteria. For example: if a grease has best characteristics for lubricating bicycle bearings, but is outrageously expensive, it will not be an optimal choice as long as there is a significantly cheaper grease that has sufficiently good characteristics for the application.

Author’s recommendation of greases from Amazon.com on-line shop (clicking on an image below opens Amazon affiliate link for on-line shopping). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bicycle bearings, whether on wheels, cranks, or fork, are usually ball bearings, i.e. they consist of balls, trapped between two races. These bearings are almost never made to be easily re-lubricated from the outside, without disassembling them, so frequent lubrication would take a lot of time.

AUDI V/W A3 A4 A5 A6 (2008-2016) Cam Follower for Fuel Pump Push Rod INA OEM ; Top Rated Plus. Top rated seller, fast shipping, and free returns. ; eBay Money ...

Safety Data Sheet according to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH). The above information is believed to be correct but does not purport to be all inclusive and shall be used only as a guide. The information in this document is based on the present state of our knowledge and is applicable to the product with regard to appropriate safety precautions. It does not represent any guarantee of the properties of the product. American Elements shall not be held liable for any damage resulting from handling or from contact with the above product. See reverse side of invoice or packing slip for additional terms and conditions of sale. COPYRIGHT 1997-2022 AMERICAN ELEMENTS. LICENSED GRANTED TO MAKE UNLIMITED PAPER COPIES FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY.

Criterion 5 – Keeping stable structure and hardness for a longer period of exploitation. Re-lubing bicycle bearings more often than once a year is highly impractical.

So the weight and the speed with which bicycle bearings are loaded are quite modest. While frequent re-lubrication is not practical.

Additional information about design of technical systems:Properly operating chemical fume hood designed for hazardous chemicals and having an average face velocity of at least 100 feet per minute.Control parametersComponents with limit values that require monitoring at the workplace:409-21-2 Silicon carbide (100.0%)PEL (USA) Long-term value: 15* 5** mg/m3fibrous dust: *total dust **respirable fractionREL (USA) Long-term value: 10* 5** mg/m3*total dust **respirable fractionTLV (USA) Long-term value: 10* 3** mg/m3fibrous dust:0.1 f/cc; nonfibrous:*inh.,**resp.EL (Canada) Long-term value: 10* 3** mg/m3*inhalable, **respirableEV (Canada) Long-term value: 10* 3** mg/m3, 0.1f/cc*** ppmnonfibrous: *inh.,**resp.; ***fibrous, resp.Additional information: No dataExposure controlsPersonal protective equipmentFollow typical protective and hygienic practices for handling chemicals.Keep away from foodstuffs, beverages and feed.Remove all soiled and contaminated clothing immediately.Wash hands before breaks and at the end of work.Avoid contact with the eyes and skin.Maintain an ergonomically appropriate working environment.Breathing equipment:Use suitable respirator when high concentrations are present.Recommended filter device for short term use:Use a respirator with type P100 (USA) or P3 (EN 143) cartridges as a backup to engineering controls. Risk assessment should be performed to determine if air purifying respirators are appropriate. Only use equipment tested and approved under appropriate government standards.Protection of hands: Impervious glovesInspect gloves prior to use.Suitability of gloves should be determined both by material and quality, the latter of which may vary by manufacturer.Material of gloves: Nitrile rubber, NBRPenetration time of glove material (in minutes): 480Glove thickness: 0.11 mmEye protection: Safety glassesBody protection: Protective work clothing

GHS07 GHS08Signal word: WarningHazard statementsH315 Causes skin irritation.H319 Causes serious eye irritation.H351 Suspected of causing cancer.H335 May cause respiratory irritation.Precautionary statementsP261 - Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapors/spray.P280 - Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection.P281 - Use personal protective equipment as required.P305+P351+P338 IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing.P405 - Store locked up.P501 - Dispose of contents/container in accordance with local/regional/national/international regulations.WHMIS classificationD2B - Toxic material causing other toxic effectsClassification systemHMIS ratings (scale 0-4)(Hazardous Materials Identification System) HEALTH FIRE REACTIVITY111Health (acute effects) = 1Flammability = 1Physical Hazard = 1Other hazardsResults of PBT and vPvB assessmentPBT: N/AvPvB: N/A

I’ll steal his argument to support yours though, everyone uses NLGI#2 for a reason.. the only place you ever see NLGI#1 or “#1.5” in actual production is when it gets used in suspension forks. Which also happens to be why Slickoleum uses a calcium thickener, because lithium is not compatible with o-rings. Slick Honey and SRAM butter just being repackaged Slickoleum. The old Judy Butter from Rock Shox, before SRAM bought them up, was a lithium grease btw so obviously that particular lithium grease was ok with the seals Rock Shox used. Park HPG-1 is another lightweight grease that I’d consider a suspension grease (calcium sulfonate)and maybe a weightweenie grease if you repack your hubs frequently but not a long term “set and forget” sort of grease. I consider the NLGI #1 a high maintenance grease, although I haven’t had issues with washout or anything it’s just so hard to find that I don’t really consider it worthwhile unless you need a winter-specific grease that happens to be NLGI#1 with a good cold operating band (which most of us do not need). For summer riding, with wheel bearings, NLGI#2 makes the most sense, and industry supports that claim; there’s a reason that’s what most stores stock.

Silicone oils suspended in a soap of lithium, calcium, PTFE, fumed silica etc. Lithium soap based silicone greases have excellent properties for lubricating bicycle bearings, but are outrageously expensive. Because there are greases that cost a lot less, while being good enough, and because it makes no sense for lubrication after a few seasons to cost more than a new bearing, silicone greases are not an optimal choice.

Objectives: To study the combined effects of axial, torsion and bending loads on the principal and maximum shear components of stress at a point.

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Criterion 7 – Low price. Out of two greases that both satisfy previously noted criteria, it makes sense to choose the cheaper one. It makes no sense for lubrication, in a medium term, to cost more than replacement of a bearing.

Table 1 shows grease division and characteristics according to thickener type. Note that maximal use temperature is significantly lower than dropping point temperature (at which grease becomes practically a dripping oil).

It is quite popular, especially among road bike racers, to pour oil into the bearings (particularly the hubs). The logic is that oil generates much less rolling resistance compared to grease, because it is much “thinner”, more liquid. For the same reason, the oil leaks out easier and is less efficient at keeping dust and water from penetrating the bearing.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). Like graphite, has low friction coefficient, but doesn’t need to absorb moisture to achieve it (moisture with MoS2 can even somewhat increase friction). Has higher load bearing capabilities than graphite. In environment with oxygen, it can be used for temperatures under 400 °C, while in a non-oxidant environment it is stable up to 1100 °C.

Marketing name for basic, very cheap calcium grease. Slightly lower working temperature range than “ordinary” calcium grease, so not best used for bicycle bearings, but it will do in a pinch.

Feb 24, 2011 — IIRC, 75 ft/lbs for the hub bolts, and 150 ft/lbs for the axle nut.

They are widely used and available. Basic calcium greases have low price. Calcium thickener provides the grease with an excellent water resistance. These greases have a relatively narrow working temperature range. I.e. if bicycle is ridden below -20 °C, or it stays in hot summer sun before riding (over +35 °C), then they are not the best choice.

It is a common debate among cyclists (and mechanics) which is the best bicycle bearing grease – for use in hub, or steerer, brake pivot etc. bearings. Some swear by the old “axle grease” that “… my grandfather / father used …” Others recommend silicone, Teflon, graphite grease and so on. This post explains important characteristics of various greases in terms of lubricating bicycle bearings.

HCP 4 / HCP 4D. HCP 5D. Adjustment. CONTROLS. Not. AVAILABLE. : : Set-up. CONTROLS. : Page 10. HCP. 38. 1CH: FILTERED SUBWOOFER. HCP 1D. INPUTS: OUTPUTS: INPUT.

A few things I’d add to this article… a discussion on how grease itself is like a sponge for the oil, that can soak it back up and release it. Grease itself doesn’t lubricate, the oil lubricates and I think that is lost on a lot of people; the purpose of grease is just to hold it which you touch on when you discuss oil but I think this could be emphasized more. This leads into another aspect of grease that you didn’t discuss, which is how much do you pack into a bearing. Industry standard seems to be about 1/3 to 1/2 of the free space.. beyond that there’s a point of diminishing return in terms of rolling efficiency where instead of having a set path, the bearing balls have to constantly do work pushing the grease out of the way similar to what a snow plow does. This often leads to the bearing balls sliding along the races rather than actually rolling which is less efficient and can lead to premature wear and flat spots. It can be argued that less is more, from a performance perspective. On the other hand, over packing as much grease as possible does help with weather proofing and preventing water ingress so it’s a tradeoff (isn’t everything).

One-step synthesis of silicon carbide foams supported hierarchical porous sludge-derived activated carbon as efficient odor gas adsorbent.

Greases where PTFE isn’t an additive, but a soap (or combination of PFTE/PFPE soaps), that keeps base oil in suspension. Harder to find, more expensive, less compatible to mixing with other commonly used greases (see paragraph 6.). Apart from that, characteristics are good for lubricating bicycle bearings.

Similarly to graphite additive greases (5.3.), excellent for high pressures and temperatures, with no negative impact on bicycle bearings. So lithium, or calcium greases with MoS2 won’t be bad for bicycle bearings, just needlessly expensive.

Another important thing is the speed. When a bicycle is ridden around 30 km/h, wheels turn about 250 times per minute (250 rpm). Pedals are rarely turning faster than 100 revolutions per minute, while the steerer bearings rpm is much lower. Also, the distances traveled by bearing balls are relatively small due to the small diameter shaft. When the tyre travels around one meter, hub bearings cover a distance of under 10 centimeters.

UN-NumberDOT, ADN, IMDG, IATAN/AUN proper shipping nameDOT, ADN, IMDG, IATAN/ATransport hazard class(es)DOT, ADR, ADN, IMDG, IATAClassN/APacking groupDOT, IMDG, IATAN/AEnvironmental hazards:N/ASpecial precautions for userN/ATransport in bulk according to Annex II of MARPOL73/78 and the IBC CodeN/ATransport/Additional information:DOTMarine Pollutant (DOT):No

Greases without a soap. Thickener is amorphous fumed silica. Silica greases posses good oxidation resistance and thermal stability, good resistance to water and acid washout, while their hardness doesn’t change with the change of temperature. Because of a high production price and limited high load bearing capacity, silica greases are limited to high temperature grease use.

Grease used for (and marketed as) boat trailer wheel bearing lubrication. Bearings that need to be submerged into sea water when boats are put into the sea. Very good corrosion and water washout resistance. Use temperature range is similar to ordinary calcium greases (if it is complex, then like complex calcium greases). Relatively low price (similar to calcium, or complex calcium greases).

Same as lithium complex greases with EP (extreme pressure) additives. In fact, lithium complex greases are almost impossible to find manufactured without EP additives. These additives are not needed for bicycle bearing use. With greases, all that is not needed is usually harmful, but in this particular case, no measurable harm comes from the EP additives. They can increase corrosion of coloured metals and silver, but with steel bicycle bearings they are mostly harmless™. Better without them, but no problems with them.

SickBallsMotorcycle parts

See more Silicon products. Silicon (atomic symbol: Si, atomic number: 14) is a Block P, Group 14, Period 3 element with an atomic weight of 28.085. The number of electrons in each of Silicon's shells is 2, 8, 4 and its electron configuration is [Ne] 3s2 3p2. The silicon atom has a radius of 111 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 210 pm. Silicon was discovered and first isolated by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1823. Silicon makes up 25.7% of the earth's crust, by weight, and is the second most abundant element, exceeded only by oxygen. The metalloid is rarely found in pure crystal form and is usually produced from the iron-silicon alloy ferrosilicon. Silica (or silicon dioxide), as sand, is a principal ingredient of glass, one of the most inexpensive of materials with excellent mechanical, optical, thermal, and electrical properties. Ultra high purity silicon can be doped with boron, gallium, phosphorus, or arsenic to produce silicon for use in transistors, solar cells, rectifiers, and other solid-state devices which are used extensively in the electronics industry.The name Silicon originates from the Latin word silex which means flint or hard stone.

Consistency (hardness) is measured with a cone, by methods standardized under ASTM 217 IP 50, or DIN 51804, part 1. Measuring unit represents depth the measuring cone enters the tested grease. Testing procedure is shown in the picture 2 below.

Criterion 3 – Good resistance to water wash out and to water and dirt contamination. Per standard ISO 6743-9 at least level E, or better of water resistance. Bicycle bearings are usually not submerged into water, nor is water sprayed on them under pressure. That is why they don’t require water protection levels as some other bearings, e.g. boat trailer wheel bearings.

Criterion 1 – Good functioning in a temperature range of -20 to +80 °C. Greases shouldn’t become too hard at the lower, nor become liquid at higher use temperatures. As will be explained, greases that fulfil this criteria need to have a dropping point of at least +100 °C (for hot climates better +120 °C), and the lowest operating temperature (“use temperature” in the remainder of this text) of at least -20 (for cold climate cycling preferably -30 °C).

As a thickener, modified clay – bentonite – powder is used. Greases for high working temperatures. High price and incompatibility with most other grease types make this grease not the best choice for lubricating bicycle bearings.

The thing with data and science is that it actually needs to be relevant to the conversation and support what you’re arguing. You can’t just grab the first thing that pops up in a google search and say “SEE!!” that doesn’t make you scientific, data-based, or objective.

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As far as I know, those are decent-quality calcium-based greases, that are softer than NLGI2 hardness, not aggressive on plastics, rubber or metal.

Graphite. Has low friction coefficient, but use (and maximal use temperature) is limited because in order to minimize friction, it needs to absorb some moisture. It also has a high electrical potential of +25 V, so can cause strong galvanic corrosion of copper and stainless steel alloys in salty water. In practice it is used for temperatures up to 600 °C.

I haven’t been able to measure any benefits of more expensive greases. Dirt intrusion is what kills the bearings and past lithium complex grease any additional extra quality seems to make no difference in durability and prolonged service intervals.

Personally I just use whatever grease I have open, which at the moment is either Mobil1 Synthetic lithium or some generic lithium marine grease. I also have a tube of Super Lube silicone grease for o-rings but not for bearings. I don’t currently have any suspension but if I did I’d pick up some Slickoleum which is about the only brand name I’d go out of my way for.

I think you read this page as if it was supposed to be an academic argument instead of just general advice and an intro to grease for a curious home mechanic that isn’t trying to find the most optimal bicycle grease in the entire universe. As a 3rd party observer, I think you’re the one being stubborn and missing the point of this page entirely. You don’t need to be a white knight for polyurea and I’m really not sure why you are taking it that way. If I even wanted to use polyurea other than Park’s polylube I’d have to special order it from Grainger or something, it’s not even commonly available. On a similar note, there aren’t a lot of aluminum based marine greases around either, most are calcium or lithium… but if you really think that aluminum is superior based on a single study taken out of context, Royal Purple’s marine grease uses an aluminum thickener (and it looks cool, so there’s that).

Table 6 gives a comparative overview of some commonly used solid lubricants. As can be seen, MoS2 satisfies most criteria and that is why it’s most commonly used, often as an additive to greases.

My second choice would be a more frequent application of some PTFE spray lubricant (low-viscosity, “thin” oil-based lubricant) – i.e. just not WD40 (to emphasize that just to be on the safe side).

Now that grease types and solid lubricant (additives) types have been explained, it is clear that there are numerous possible combinations. For the purpose of re-lubing an already lubed bearing, if completely washing out old grease is not possible/practical, it is important to know which greases (with which additives) are compatible (i.e. can be mixed) with which greases.

Of important criteria listed in paragraph 3.1. these greases only have problems with fulfilling Crit. 1. (for extreme conditions of bicycle use), while Crit. 3. is probably best satisfied of all the other grease types, except some enormously expensive ones.

Special types of “bicycle grease”, sold in many bike shops, or on-line rarely have a label noting standards it satisfies, often even don’t have fully and clearly listed ingredients. It’s up to the buyer to trust the manufacturer that it is the best grease for a bicycle. I’m yet to do lab testing of “special bicycle greases”, but when I do – they’d still have to be really, really exceptional to justify the price difference from a regular car-store sold lithium soap based grease, that fully satisfies all the criteria.

The existing comments posted under this article (questions and answers) have been moved to this BikeGremlin forum thread:https://www.bikegremlin.net/threads/bicycle-bearing-greases-explained-article-comments.105/

Note: for mounting things (bolts, seatposts, handlebars etc.) – that is for things that are not made to slide when used, many people use grease, while it is preferable to use anti-seize / mounting pastes (as explained in that linked article). This post deals with greases in terms of lubrication primarily.

Sic'em

The last link in the above comment, from Jtekt. You’re takeaway is “polyurea is just a superior grease.” It doesn’t say that anywhere in the article. Superior is subjective… superior for what specific use? Per that article it is superior in the reciprocating sliding friction tester. Anything else? Who knows; that was the only direct comparison. Clearly Urea without any additives is superior to Lithium (at least in this specific test), no argument there… but we don’t buy grease without additives, we buy a manufactured product designed to minimize the shortcomings and maximize the strengths, so the data is useless other than to show the importance of additives with a lithium formulation. With the right additive, they had similar curves. So sure, not all lithium greases are equal… but that’s not the point you were attempting to make here.

Somewhat wider use temperature range than ordinary lithium greases (completely irrelevant for bicycle bearing lubrication use). Usually have better resistance to corrosion and water washout, similar to that of calcium greases.

Solid lubricants are used in extremely high, or low temperatures, extreme pressures, sudden and great variations of loads, hardly accessible parts, parts that can not be regularly re-lubed, corrosive environments, vacuums, or high speed moving parts. Solid lubricants are also practical in conditions where dirt, dust, or sand occur in amounts that could cause problems, because they aren’t as sticky to collect much dirt. They can also fill in gaps between partially worn parts, prolonging the replacement period. Solid lubricants are also used to ensure good running in, instead of wear of recently machined metal surfaces.

If lithium grease is better & cheaper, why doesn’t Shimano ship their hubs with it? If lithium grease is better, why are sealed bearings lubed with polyurea? If lithium grease is better, why don’t major bike lube manufacturers sell it?

Update, December 2023:Grease I’ve been using mostly over the past year is Motorex 2000 grease (also sold as “Motorex Bike grease”). Why? It is “officially” (by the manufacturer’s specifications) neutral towards plastic and many kinds of rubber (not to be used on DOT for brake rubber seals though). And it has a nice colour, but is mostly transparent, so I can easily see where and how much I’ve applied. ? It is needlessly expensive for what I’m getting, but since I often work on other people’s bikes, and bikes are getting more and more plastic and carbon parts, I want to minimize any liability. This grease is calcium based.

It should also be taken into consideration that the design of a bicycle wheel with a hub in the middle makes the lever by which the force is applied to the hub so large that the drag that hubs eventually produce is practically negligible. Especially when comparing the drag of oiled versus the drag produced by properly greased hubs. Even when each second counts, there are lots of other places where the time can be saved (both on the bike itself, as well as with the equipment), while the hubs should be the last thing to experiment on. Of course, everyone chooses by themselves, for themselves, but if hubs are lubricated with oil, it should be noted that this should be repeated every week, or every 500 kilometers ridden – whichever of the of the two comes first.

Some division criteria are “overlapping”, i.e. different types of base oil can be used with one type of thickener, in order to achieve different grease characteristics. For example, lithium soap based thickener can be used with either mineral, or synthetic base oils to achieve different grease characteristics. In addition to that, in either of the mentioned combinations, another additive can be combined, like molybdenum disulfide for example, in order (in this case) to improve grease’s resistance to extreme pressures, or (extremely) heavy loads.

Having explained grease type division in paragraph 3, this paragraph explains some produced and available greases, as combinations of thickeners, base oils and (sometimes) additives. As will be seen, thickener type is usually what gives a grease it’s name, with additives (especially in case of solid lubricants) noted as an appendix.

I would like to find out whether lithium or calcium complex grease works best for a range of applications: my bicycle, car, and motorcycle. Your article is really helpful as I have chosen to buy lithium complex grease.

You’re comparing apples to oranges using that study as supporting evidence, because the formulations used were made specifically for the purpose of the study, not for real world use. Throw a commercial product through the same exact testing and you may get entirely different numbers for both aluminum thickener and lithium thickener formulations… but again, WE DON’T KNOW. Don’t be so high and mighty about how you are so evidence based when your argument is this easy to pick apart.

Chopper,sic balls

Reactivity: No data availableChemical stability: Stable under recommended storage conditions.Thermal decomposition / conditions to be avoided:Decomposition will not occur if used and stored according to specifications.Possibility of hazardous reactions: Reacts with strong oxidizing agentsConditions to avoid: No data availableIncompatible materials: Oxidizing agentsHazardous decomposition products:Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxideSilicon oxide

So I read your last two links, because I was actually just bored and wanted to read them. The PSU study had to do with how the friction coefficient changes with temperature. You use the base of aluminum being 0.09 at room temperature vs lithium being 0.11 at room temperature as evidence that aluminum grease is somehow superior… perhaps it is, all else equal, but the researchers didn’t pull 10 different aluminum based grease formulations to compare and establish an average or standard because that wasn’t the point of the experiment; it would have been completely irrelevant to the experiment in question. So, you just cherry picked something completely out of context to “prove” your point but it doesn’t prove anything because that’s not what was being evaluated. Perhaps it was the isopropoxide that only the aluminum formulation used which was the difference maker; the other greases used hydroxide… you can’t rule that out because it wasn’t evaluated or controlled for, because that wasn’t the point of the experiment in question.

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If you have any questions (or additions and corrections), please use the BikeGremlin forum – this is the forum topic related to this article:https://www.bikegremlin.net/threads/bike-greases-questions.64/

People’s reactions to this particular article seem to range from taking it as a gospel, to taking it as blasphemy. Still – it is no more, and no less than: “what I have learned (through theory and practice) so far”. And, like all the other articles, it gets updated as new knowledge is acquired.

All the information provided in this article, as well as on all of my websites, is to be taken as: “to the best of my knowledge”, or “as far as I know”. I have consulted experts of various fields (and still do), including mechanical engineers, especially when writing on this, rather “can-of-worms” topic, and info provided on my websites does agree with my practical experience, but it still is my opinion – based on my knowledge, education and experience. Different people, including experts, have different experiences and, often, different opinions. I’m sure there are, and will be, people who completely, or partially disagree. Even more often – there is and will be data (experiments, statistics, publications etc.) that might contradict, or seem to contradict my work when read/interpreted by a non expert. All of this is normal and to be expected.

Polymers are used as thin lubricating films, as self-lubricating materials for elements manufacturing and as a bonding material for lamellar solids. The most famous polymer solid lubricants are tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), a gas without colour and smell, which with polymerization gives polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is registered under the (often used) name of Teflon, by DuPont company. One of the most slippery materials on the planet, with a friction coefficient similar to wet ice sliding over wet ice. ?