Serious levels of conjecture given here. I have to applaud the amount of conclusions made about which greases are suitable with zero science to support it. Are you serious? THE ENTIRE ARTICLE the first thing you list in each type is water resistance. Literally. Yes there’s variation between each exact formula but no, lithium soap is lithium soap. It washes out. My main “objections” to aluminium and polyurea greases are price and compatibility. Put plainly: for traffic safety, “the best” option is a tank, while an optimal recommendation most people would be well served with is just a plain old Volvo car.” Needed water washout resistance, unless a bicycle is ridden through over half a meter deep sea water is ISO E. Bicycle bearings are usually not sprayed with water under pressure, nor ridden throgh seas/rivers. You want better – look for any grease satisfying ISO I water washout resistance. There are lithium complex ones, calcium based ones, aluminium soap based ones (probably the best for sea water application, minding compatibility when re-greasing) etc. All the data is provided in the post. In addition to that, I haven’t noticed any problems with using NLGI 2 grease. Lubrication, water washout resistance, even drag – none. On the other hand: price, availability and convenience (if servicing loose ball bearings) – all go in favor of NLGI 2, at least in my region.

You don’t understand the science, you don’t understand the physical properties of each type, you don’t understand how much additives can change the base properties of each base, you over emphasize to a ludicrous degree (many we’re talking about less than a 20% difference in that) over price. Your best and only defense is conjecture with a healthy helping of “read the label” and “my [limited] experience.” The amount of things you say, “I have no proof” about is insane! You really don’t know what you’re talking about and to call this a research paper of any sort as it is an insult to anyone who’s worked in any scientific field or written a real paper. You have a very limited understanding with a very narrow viewpoint and I hope to anyone who reads your blog understands just how limited and questionable your opinions are and weigh them as such. Similar arguments (or “arguments”) as Reason. Complete misunderstanding of the whole post (and subject), trying to find something to criticize. Don’t know why. Why do trolls troll? 🙂 Now that grease types and solid lubricant (additives) types have been explained, it is clear that there are numerous possible combinations. For the purpose of re-lubing an already lubed bearing, if completely washing out old grease is not possible/practical, it is important to know which greases (with which additives) are compatible (i.e. can be mixed) with which greases. Bottom line – you won’t go wrong with NLGI 1. In my experience it does leak out from the bearings a bit more (cup and cone hubs especially), but with regular service, that in and of itself is not a problem. For reasons explained above, with all the pros and cons, I go with NLGI 2 hardness and consider it an optimal choice. The working temperatures of literally all the greases you listed is perfectly fine for 95% of riders out there. Trying to make recommendations by a maybe 30*F change in ambient is not based on science.Besides, open grease shelf life is about 5-7 years, closed new lid can be safe to use for about 10. After that, they might degrade – drying out, or base oil separating. You have provided NO DATA AT ALL. NLGI2 is fine but is it ‘ideal’ or ‘optimal?’ No, because bicycles don’t need it. Please provide ONE study that shows NLGI2 is necessary for typical bicycle loads as thus far you haven’t provided ANY data so that would be a first.” Because it isn’t designed for prolonged water exposure, because it’s not designed for what you’re trying to make it claim, it’s NOT on the data sheets. There is no “ISO E” universal standard that all data sheets have so you’re looking for a statement that very few, if any, manufacturers claim. Somewhat wider use temperature range than ordinary lithium greases (completely irrelevant for bicycle bearing lubrication use). Usually have better resistance to corrosion and water washout, similar to that of calcium greases.

Before explaining grease types and properties, it needs to be said that there is no such thing as the bestgrease. There is only optimalchoice grease. Optimal as best satisfying all the important criteria. For example: if a grease has best characteristics for lubricating bicycle bearings, but is outrageously expensive, it will not be an optimal choice as long as there is a significantly cheaper grease that has sufficiently good characteristics for the application. Grease used for (and marketed as) boat trailer wheel bearing lubrication. Bearings that need to be submerged into sea water when boats are put into the sea. Very good corrosion and water washout resistance. Use temperature range is similar to ordinary calcium greases (if it is complex, then like complex calcium greases). Relatively low price (similar to calcium, or complex calcium greases). Fact: Lithium grease is one of the cheapest greases on the market and is by far inferior to nearly all polyurea greases in all aspects besides price.” Finance is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Performance Cycling Limited FRN: 720557 trading as Tredz are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply. As far as I know, those are decent-quality calcium-based greases, that are softer than NLGI2 hardness, not aggressive on plastics, rubber or metal.Having used scores of lubes over fifty years, I still fall for the hype now and then. Random observations: First major bike rebuild, circa 1965, saw me using some ancient Texaco canned pumpkin-colored grease my father had forever. It was sort of NGLI 1.5-2, smelled strong, and worked – yet, upon the next overhaul a year or two later, found rusty bearings still coated in brown wet grease. Sorry but basing it purely on base oil composition isn’t the issue there. You can have a huge variance of working temperatures based on what the grease is made for. It’s not like all lithium greases are within X and Y working temperatures – far from it. If you want a best possible, expensive grease for a piece of mind – go for it, by all means. It is an overkill, but each choose for themselves. Greases are semi-solid lubricants, used when oils, or liquid lubricants are not appropriate. Either because of higher costs, or for technical reasons. As it was briefly mentioned in previous paragraph, bicycle bearing grease should fulfill the following criteria: