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Cone bearing grease

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  • 02-12-2020 12:44pm
    #1
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭


    is grease grease or are there substantial differences between them ?

    I'm going to replace the loose bearings in a Shimano r501 wheel set and am wondering is the bike grease shown in photo fine ?

    The orange tube shows another white colored grease I have lying around and I wondering could that be used either.


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    #2
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    Image attached


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    #3
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    For your purposes, either grease is fine.

    Generally any lithium based grease would be fine for bearings and cones etc. on a bike. Teflon based (what you have there) will be fine too, but in my experience, anything that's marketed as "for bikes" will be more expensive that general purpose bearing grease

    A quick caveat - be careful not to use copper grease for lubrication purposes


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    #4
    Alek
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    I find Shimano Premium grease lasting forever in bearings - it's really water resistant and quite thick.

    https://r2-bike.com/SHIMANO-Premium-Grease-100g

    I re-grease all new bearings before using, as the factory grease tends to disappear quickly in Irish weather.


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    #5
    07Lapierre
    Registered Users Posts: 8,213 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    Halfords “multi purpose grease” about €5. One tub will do you for years.


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    #6
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    This is my go-to grease. It's blue, so you know its extra good...

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRW62jD2f5K6nMj8InXBUoXr6sxqFCO4nNQQA&usqp=CAU


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    #7
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    Alek wrote: »
    I find Shimano Premium grease lasting forever in bearings - it's really water resistant and quite thick.

    https://r2-bike.com/SHIMANO-Premium-Grease-100g

    I re-grease all new bearings before using, as the factory grease tends to disappear quickly in Irish weather.

    I've no doubt that it works well as a grease, but it works out at €125 per kilo. General purpose lithium grease will work out at about a tenner a kilo.

    I struggle to believe the shimano grease is more effective by a factor of ten


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    #8
    Alek
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    but it works out at €125 per kilo

    Who the hell needs a kilo of grease for home bike maintenance? ;D

    I have the tub from the link for two years now, 1/3 left still. I use it for everything bike-related, and I did not have to re-open a single hub where it sits, so far. Same with headsets.

    It's the time you're buying, not the grease, really.


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    #9
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    Alek wrote: »
    Who the hell needs a kilo of grease for home bike maintenance? ;D

    I have the tub from the link for two years now, 1/3 left still. I use it for everything bike-related, and I did not have to re-open a single hub where it sits, so far. Same with headsets.

    It's the time you're buying, not the grease, really.

    I've a tub like I linked to above for maybe 5 or 6 years now. I've rebuilt two bikes from bare frame using the Holt's grease, and I've had no issues either.

    Like I said earlier, I'm sure the Shimano branded stuff does an excellent job, but I hate when companies blatantly over-charge for a product.

    The Shimano grease, to my mind, would have to last 10 times longer than generic grease to be worth that money. I regreased my headset after 2 years of use, took me about 15 minutes.
    Shimano grease would want to be lasting 20 years for me to pay their price :D


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    #10
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,952 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    cletus wrote: »
    I've a tub like I linked to above for maybe 5 or 6 years now. I've rebuilt two bikes from bare frame using the Holt's grease, and I've had no issues either.

    Like I said earlier, I'm sure the Shimano branded stuff does an excellent job, but I hate when companies blatantly over-charge for a product.

    The Shimano grease, to my mind, would have to last 10 times longer than generic grease to be worth that money. I regreased my headset after 2 years of use, took me about 15 minutes.
    Shimano grease would want to be lasting 20 years for me to pay their price :D
    I have a tub or grease that I bought in a car accessories shop about 25 years ago. I've about 10% of it used.


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    #11
    harringtonp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    Thanks guys, replace ball bearings and greased up. Once wiped, old bearing looked pretty much the same as new, i.e. round. Do loose bearings wear ?

    There is a bit of a knack in getting loose bearings in/out without dropping them all over the place


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    #12
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    Good job

    Big question is...what grease did you use??


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    #13
    Type 17
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭Type 17


    harringtonp wrote: »
    Thanks guys, replace ball bearings and greased up. Once wiped, old bearing looked pretty much the same as new, i.e. round. Do loose bearings wear ?

    There is a bit of a knack in getting loose bearings in/out without dropping them all over the place

    New bearings are very shiny, older bearings look progressively duller (surface is microscopically worn). If it’s more than a little bit noticeable, it’s probably time to change them.

    Tip for handling loose bearings: a small magnet (one from a kitchen cabinet or smaller). Park Tool’s UP-1 pick set is what I use (magnet on top of handle).


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