Seat Post Lubrication

[Lusky]

 Firstly, should you do this, I know there is much debate around the subject particularly when it comes to carbon?  Assuming we should be lubing, which products are best suited to this sort of application, specifically for mountain bike use?

[Thug]

Yes.

 

Aluminium seatpost - normal bicycle grease should do the trick (Motorex)

Carbon seatpost - "Tacx dynamic assembly compound" can be used.

 

[NotSoBigBen]

Gangsta - I was not aware you were so well versed in 'lubrication' mate ..

[Johan Bornman]

Seat posts should not be lubricated, since we're not attempting to reduce friction. Normally, we want to increase friction, hence the use of carbon assembly compound on carbon components. This compound is a greasy substance with grit in. It prevents sliding.

 

However, aluminium seat posts and old-fashioned quill stems should never be greased. The nature of the beast is that these post/frame joints are never perfectly secure and always move a bit as you pedal and apply force. We call that a dynamic joint. Pedals, quil stems and seatposts are all dynamic joints.

 

In a dynamic joint you get a pumping action that can pump water in and out with each pedal stroke. If you don't understand how that works, try this. Make a O shape with one hand and put a finger inside. Clamp it where you think the seatpost clamp of quill exansion bolt is. Now move your finger around and imagine the gaps that open and close as you apply pressure. Now think of a wet environment - sweat or rain water. Visualise how the water is pumped in and out.

 

If there is grease inside there, it gets mixed with the water into an emulsion. An emulsion is grease/oil with water inside. Note I say inside, not on top. An oil molecule is large and water molecule small. Emulsions are oil molecules enveloping a water molecule. Now the water is trapped and cannot evaporate, yet it can still do damage inside a bearing or seatpost. In a seatpost/stem environment, it oxidises the aluminium, which creates a large molecule that freezes the component inside the steerer or seat tube.

 

Therefore grease in there is bad.

 

With a dry joint the water evaporates quicker and does less damage. However, you should still loosen your seatpost frequently and wiggle it before tightening again. This prevents freeze. Freeze is particularly prevalent on steel and alu bikes.

 

 

 

[Ox_Wagon]

Funny, I have had really good results with greased seat tubes especially with my steel frame that has a tendency to want to rust for some unknown reason.  <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

I have not been able to get that special compound that increases the friction for the carbon yet.  Does anyone know where I can get a real small amount of it?  

[rock]

Seat posts should not be lubricated' date=' since we're not attempting to reduce friction. Normally, we want to increase friction, hence the use of carbon assembly compound on carbon components. This compound is a greasy substance with grit in. It prevents sliding.

 

However, aluminium seat posts and old-fashioned quill stems should never be greased. The nature of the beast is that these post/frame joints are never perfectly secure and always move a bit as you pedal and apply force. We call that a dynamic joint. Pedals, quil stems and seatposts are all dynamic joints.

 

In a dynamic joint you get a pumping action that can pump water in and out with each pedal stroke. If you don't understand how that works, try this. Make a O shape with one hand and put a finger inside. Clamp it where you think the seatpost clamp of quill exansion bolt is. Now move your finger around and imagine the gaps that open and close as you apply pressure. Now think of a wet environment - sweat or rain water. Visualise how the water is pumped in and out.

 

If there is grease inside there, it gets mixed with the water into an emulsion. An emulsion is grease/oil with water inside. Note I say inside, not on top. An oil molecule is large and water molecule small. Emulsions are oil molecules enveloping a water molecule. Now the water is trapped and cannot evaporate, yet it can still do damage inside a bearing or seatpost. In a seatpost/stem environment, it oxidises the aluminium, which creates a large molecule that freezes the component inside the steerer or seat tube.

 

Therefore grease in there is bad.

 

With a dry joint the water evaporates quicker and does less damage. However, you should still loosen your seatpost frequently and wiggle it before tightening again. This prevents freeze. Freeze is particularly prevalent on steel and alu bikes.

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

so no lube on the post then

 

shew, what and explanation.

[KDEE]

My Cro Moly ( Steel ) 1992 Diamond Back had plenty grease in the seatpost and quil stem area when i bought from Johnson Cycles back in 19 voetsek..

 

I still have the bike and I swear there is still some of the original grease hanging around...

 

So has wisdom changed since then?

 

Have alu GT as well, but no carbon......

 

[ZorgusPrime]

 Firstly' date=' should you do this, I know there is much debate around the subject particularly when it comes to carbon?  Assuming we should be lubing, which products are best suited to this sort of application, specifically for mountain bike use? [/quote']

 

A lot of people are starting to attach saddle's to the seatposts.
I think this can be more comfortable, and can mostly cut out the need for lubrication

[turtlek]

?Firstly' date=' should you do this, I know there is much debate around the subject particularly when it comes to carbon?? Assuming we should be lubing, which products are best suited to this sort of application, specifically for mountain bike use? [/quote']

 

?

 

A lot of people are starting to attach saddle's to the seatposts.I think this can be more comfortable, and can mostly cut out the need for lubrication

 

 

 

that is the best answer to any post today wat a classic!!!

[Paulm]

Ok, so on a more serious note - how do I get rid of the squeeking sound that is coming from the seat (and post) on an alu mtb. I have oiled the clamp so far where it sits on the frame with some improvement. The noise is there even if I just give a decent pedal nevermind bumps and uneven road surface. Any advice???

[Dirtbreath]

I am still a believer in greasing your seatpost. I get what JB is saying but I would rather "lightly" grease the post. It gets removed on a regular basis as this is an easy place for water to get. Funny enough, most of the water gets in from washing the bike rather than actual riding.

[Johan Bornman]

My Cro Moly ( Steel ) 1992 Diamond Back had plenty grease in the seatpost and quil stem area when i bought from Johnson Cycles back in 19 voetsek..

I still have the bike and I swear there is still some of the original grease hanging around...

So has wisdom changed since then?

Have alu GT as well' date=' but no carbon......
[/quote']

 

I still remember the days when I drooled over a Diamond Back. Can't remember why, it must have had good advertising or something.

 

It is a fact that wet grease causes aluminium and steel to corrode. The fact that yours has not yet done so means you should go for a ride in the rain. It's a little bit like the anecdote of Joe Soap's grandpa who smokes 80 a day and never took a day off work or coughed up one bit of phlem.

 

There is always the exception and on scientific analysis, the reason can be found.

 

 

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

Ok' date=' so on a more serious note - how do I get rid of the squeeking sound that is coming from the seat (and post) on an alu mtb. I have oiled the clamp so far where it sits on the frame with some improvement. The noise is there even if I just give a decent pedal nevermind bumps and uneven road surface. Any advice???[/quote']

 

This is a difficult problem and usually only solved by doing a multitude of things. We do however know that squeaking comes from movement between parts. Therefore, try a regime of cleaning, tightening, teflon tape and copper compound.

 

Good luck.

[lowracer]

Ok' date=' so on a more serious note - how do I get rid of the squeeking sound that is coming from the seat (and post) on an alu mtb. I have oiled the clamp so far where it sits on the frame with some improvement. The noise is there even if I just give a decent pedal nevermind bumps and uneven road surface. Any advice???[/quote']

 

This is a difficult problem and usually only solved by doing a multitude of things. We do however know that squeaking comes from movement between parts. Therefore, try a regime of cleaning, tightening, teflon tape and copper compound.

 

Good luck.

 

as JB said, a multitude of things. My trek 6500 did the same and I tried many things, bought new seatposts, but the problem persisted. eventually found out the trek's seat tube was a sleeve welded at the top to the seat tube. As it was a warrantee issue, it went to the agents who (and this is hearsay) squirted something at the bottom of the sleeve, then turned the frame around so it can fill the void between the seat tube and sleeve. creaking and squaking gone.