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Old 01-03-07 | 07:13 PM
  #40  
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rmfnla
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Joined: May 2005
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From: La La Land (We love it!)

Bikes: Gilmour road, Curtlo road; both steel (of course)

Originally Posted by Pete Hamer
I agree about the adjustment causing more damage.

The disastrous result can only be one thing; damage to the bearing unit. It entirely possible that you and I have seen the disastrous result of using the wrong grease but didn't recognize it for what it was. On the other hand I have seen the result of using bicycle specific grease and good maintenence practices, the hubs last for many years and tens of thousands of miles. The problem is that I have no way of knowing if the "disastrous result" (bearing damage) that I do see are from the "wrong" grease or someting else. I have seen a lot of ruined hub bearings but I never know what grease was in them, how well they were adjusted, how long it was since their last re-pack, if there was moisture contamination, etc. The only anecdotal evidence of using the wrong grease (other than bearing and surface damage) that I have heard of is that the grease will get dry, the bearings will displace the grease (probably just the thickener without oil) to the side and the bearing will be running on a dry track.
Wrench-to-wrench, you know every one of those issues is usually the result of abuse or neglect, not the type of grease used.

I appreciate your efforts to learn more. I think you will find the real-world effects of various types of grease used in a properly maintained bicycle bearing will be negligible at best.

Of course, I'm not sitting out a Minnesota winter...
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