Anti seize or grease

[Tripster]

For seat tube ? Anti Sieze/copper slip or normal grease ?

first time I have had Carbon bars and they have come with carbon assembly paste, gritty stuff when you twist bars to align. What’s the purpose of a gritty paste for the carbon ?

 

[fossyant]

Carbon assembly paste means you don't have to torque up too much. So, alloy seat post into steel/alloy or carbon, then I'd use copper slip. Carbon post into carbon, carbon paste.

I've used plain grease on carbon post into alloy frame.

Copper slip is probably best when mixing metals. Carbon into alloy, then just a smidge of grease.

 

[si_c]

For seat tube ? Anti Sieze/copper slip or normal grease ?

first time I have had Carbon bars and they have come with carbon assembly paste, gritty stuff when you twist bars to align. What’s the purpose of a gritty paste for the carbon ?

The gritty paste provides friction to reduce the risk of the bars slipping and reduce the need for torque - carbon is quite smooth when finished and it would be easy to overtighten and damage it. The paste reduces the need to use a high clamping force.

Edit: @fossyant beat me to it.

 

[Tripster]

Carbon assembly paste means you don't have to torque up too much. So, alloy seat post into steel/alloy or carbon, then I'd use copper slip. Carbon post into carbon, carbon paste.

I've used plain grease on carbon post into alloy frame.

Copper slip is probably best when mixing metals. Carbon into alloy, then just a smidge of grease.

Thanks Fossyant. Yep it’s alloy seat into steel frame so will grab some copper slip when in town tomorrow from Halfrauds.
Yeah the Carbon bars have no torque setting on them so I asked at Mason and they said max is 5nm

 

[fossyant]

You can use grease as well, but seat posts tend to get hit with spray, so longer term, use copper slip.

 

[rogerzilla]

I use normal grease. Alloy posts stick in steel frames because of galvanic action. Copper grease can make this worse. If you must use anti-seize, use aluminium anti-seize. But grease is best.

 

[raleighnut]

I use normal grease. Alloy posts stick in steel frames because of galvanic action. Copper grease can make this worse. If you must use anti-seize, use aluminium anti-seize. But grease is best.

Nah Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline) is by far the best, grease contains Soap so can promote corrosion.

 

[chriswoody]

From my own personal experience, never, ever, use grease on a seatpost. The one and only time I did that, I needed a whole tin of plus gas and seven days to free the blasted thing. Copper Slip on the other hand has never given me any bother in over fifteen years of using the stuff. O.K, it periodically needs refreshing, maybe once a year, dependant n bike usage, but that's really no bother.

Here's a great post from Yellow Saddle (Someone who's not been seen around this parish for a long time) explaining much more succinctly than I can, why you should never use grease:

Certainly.

The two parts that are commonly affected by seizure (not cold welding) are old quill stems and seatposts. Both these parts seize by the same mechanism because they are very similar in some ways:
1) Both are tight-fitting cylinders in tubes.
2) Both have dynamic joints. In other words, the joints can move around. The clamping mechanism is only at one end of the cyclinder, the other is free to move. In the case of the seatpost, the seatpost collar clamps it at one end, but the inserted end deep inside can still move. On the stem, the internally-expanding clamp holds it at one end, but the top can still move inside the tube.
3) Both are made from aluminium.
4) Neither have water-tight seals.

This means that with cycling, the posts and quills move. Now, should you smear grease on the interfaces, the following happens:
1) The grease is agitated (massaged) in the presence of water and that forms an emulsion.
2) An emulsion is great at preventing evaporation.
3) Water thus remains in the interface for a long time.
4) Water corrodes aluminium into Aluminium oxides.
5) The oxide molecule is much bigger than the aluminium molecule and the post seizes into place by the mechanism of swelling.
6) There is no welding or adhesion. Once the pressure is relieved, the post is freed.

Water on its own is not as damaging as water mixed with grease. The grease does not chemically alter the process but stores the water in the right place for long periods of time. Grease is NOT a waterproofing agent.

Instead of grease, a compound that does not emulsify is required, such as copper compound.

 

[keithmac]

I deal with seized fasteners in alloy casings weekly.

Only problem I've ever seen with coppa-slip is not using any at the factory imho.

I've never seen any real world evidence of coppa-slip promoting corrosion, completely the opposite in my experience!.

 

[Velochris]

I'm coming to the end of my can of Shimano anti-seize, having purchased it in 2004. Built up probably 100 bikes or so and regular maintenance.

Removed pedals and bottom brackets from winter bikes and the anti seize was still clear and visible.

I have no technical background, but apply grease to moving parts and anti seize to static parts, like threads.

As above, carbon paste for carbon parts.

 

[weareHKR]

This is the second of my favourite thread topics, the first of course been our old favourite "what chain oil..."
Nothing wrong with the question, but the comments are so entertaining, with a 1000 years of experience using copaslip, grease, vaseline as been the best, but, are they...

 

[Blue Hills]

This is the second of my favourite thread topics, the first of course been our old favourite "what chain oil..."
Nothing wrong with the question, but the comments are so entertaining, with a 1000 years of experience using copaslip, grease, vaseline as been the best, but, are they...

I'm always surprised that no one suggests any of the certain personal lubes that I believe are available, especially in view of some folks' relationships with their bikes.

 

[Tripster]

I'm always surprised that no one suggests any of the certain personal lubes that I believe are available, especially in view of some folks' relationships with their bikes.

Anal lube for moving parts but what about static ?

 

[Blue Hills]

Anal lube for moving parts but what about static ?

Folk have static sex?
Do folks seize?

 

[Tripster]

Folk have static sex?
Do folks seize?

Well one could be static through shear boredom or lack of interest.... Im sure there are tales of seizures, hip, back, jaw bone