Originally Posted by
surreal
I firmly believe that Park Polylube is Lucas XHD, but with Park's packaging. I and several acquaintances (riding buddies, most with mechanic experience) took the Pepsi challenge with Polylube and Lucas XHD, and could find no discernible difference in appearance, texture, smell, or any other parameters that can be measured by some guys' senses. Once used on the bike, the performance of the Polylube and the Lucas XHD seems identical, although TBH we haven't developed any scientifically valid testing procedures for it.....
Doe anyone really think there's anything "Bike specific" about Park Polylube, beyond the marketing? I think it's crazy to think that Park would set up facilities to produce a quality grease, just for one product in their entire line. I think they commissioned Lucas to package an existing product into Park-labeled containers because the Lucas XHD is made in America, is a blue-green color (to compliment Park's blue corporate color), and it easily meets/exceeds the lube needs of bicycles---which is true for most grease currently available. I just feel like, if I'm going to get the same product, I'd rather pay between $5 and $7 per pound than $15/pound.
Your story is entirely plausible, and your rationale makes total sense. On the other hand, $6 or $8 (or whatever it is) for a tube that will last a few years isn't a lot of money thrown out of the window. The reports of Park grease above are good, and they're even better than for some greases. Given that I know it will work well, I might as well buy it if it's convenient. Now that you mention Lucas XHD, I can see if I can get it conveniently, too. I never heard of it before. Then again, now that I have two tubes of Park in New York and a pound of marine grease in the country, it will be years before I buy any more grease.
If I did a high volume of repairs needing grease, there's little question that I would buy it at a price as low as possible. I don't, so price pretty much doesn't matter.