tahoeeddie

I wanted to get some input on whether or not to grease a seat post. aluminum seat post, aluminum frame.
I know that there are anti-seize compounds out there. but was wondering if just normal grease would do the job (of ensuring the seat post doesn't get stuck).

I have some finish line teflon grease. will that do the job, without making the seat too loose in the seat tube?

thanks.

Jed19

Yes, grease away!

I grease my aluminum seatpost in my aluminum frame, and carbon paste my aluminum post in my carbon frame. Been doing this for many years without a single issue.

ben4345

Just use a thin coat of grease and a decent seat post clamp and you will be fine.

dsbrantjr

Grease the post but also pull it out occasionally to ensure that there is no corrosion starting which might cause it to seize. Clean it up and re-grease and you should be good for another season.

dbg

Not sure how common this is but I mark all my seat post positions with a sharpie --one drawn directly at the edge of the seat tube, and one at a half inch above the seat tube (so I can glance and see if it is shifting down). That makes it easier to pull for cleaning and replace to the exact same spot.

fietsbob

at least one is not steel .. but Aluminum Alloys differ in composition and there may be a lower galvanic reaction possible .

so +1, a little grease inside the seat tube, then insert the post.

tomana

I would think it depends on the seat post & frame collar arrangement. My 89 Cannondale 3.0 seat post slides like butter and has no grease applied. I'd rather not grease the seat post (unless it's hard to move up/down) to keep things clean for when I remove the seat to keep it from being stolen

Retro Grouch 

Actually, I prefer to grease the inside of the seat tube rather than the seatpost. That way any excess gets pushed down into the frame.

jgb71

You can try NOLOX if your doing this to fend off corrosion or sticking. Its a white dielectric usually used to prevent corrosion in breaker boxes where aluminum wire is attached to aluminum lugs. It can be messy so use it sparingly.

GeneO 

I'd rather have the excess pushed out of the top of the seat tube where I can remove it, rather than junk up the inside of the seat tube.

Putting it in the seat tube will also gunki it up int the inside of the saddle post as you push it down. Whoever assembled my bike must have done that. When I pulled out the seat post I found gobs of Phil Wood green goop inside my seat post.

ThermionicScott 

I tend to put a thin coat of grease in both places. If excess is building up in the frame, it's at a slow enough rate for me.

acrowder

Anti-seize is good for some things, but annoying overall. It's metallic, and once it gets on things, it's very difficult to get off (by design). Usually ends up in a lot of places you didn't intend. I wouldn't use it for this.

Regular grease is fine for the seatpost, but you should grease it somehow. There are a lot of reasons it should be done. It may not seem important if the post slides easily, but the most important thing is that it helps to prevent moisture from moving down the tube and collecting in your BB shell.

I use a piece of gorilla tape, which physically stops the seatpost as I'm sliding it in. I apply grease below it. Works well, hasn't come off on me yet.

tahoeeddie

thanks everyone!