What's that white grease?

Jamey
Jamey Posts: 2,152
edited May 2008 in Workshop
The stuff that goes around the handlebars, at the point where they clamp onto the stem? What's the name of it and can it be used anywhere else on the bike or is it just for bars?
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Comments

  • topdude
    topdude Posts: 1,557
    Most likely it is "lithium" grease, it can be used on other parts of the bike and bearings. You can get it in small tubes on Ebay quite cheaply.
    He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!
  • blorg
    blorg Posts: 1,169
    Is it important to grease the stem/handlebar interface? I don't think I have on any of my bikes and adjustment was never a problem (after all half of the clamp comes away entirely, difficult to see how it could sieze.)

    You'll also get lithium grease in any bike shop quite cheaply, maybe not as cheap as eBay but you should be looking at well under a fiver.
  • topdude
    topdude Posts: 1,557
    Using grease on assembly ie, handle bars to stem, stem to steerer, seatpost to frame, cranks to axle, ensures a good tight fit between the components, stops corrosion and reduces those annoying creaks and odd noises.
    So in general yes it is important.
    He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!
  • blorg
    blorg Posts: 1,169
    OK, thanks, will give that a lash with some grease so when I change the bars.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I think you'll find it's Shimano's assembly compound - not a grease but an anti-seize. Greasing the bars stem interface probably isn't too good an idea - the bars will slip when you hit a bump and you could over-tighten the clamp screws to compensate and damage / break components. If in doubt wipe the surfaces clean with solvent and leave the grease for the fasteners
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    The reason I'm asking is that my handlebars have started creaking again. Last time this happened the problem was solved by a chap in Evans who put some white grease on the bars/stem interface. Now that the problem has cropped up again I wanted to buy some of the grease to fix it myself.

    And now that I know the name, I can do just that. Thank you.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • itisaboutthebike
    itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
    In nearly 30 years of riding I've never ever greased a bar/stem interface - and would never do so for fear of slippage.

    If your bars are creaking then they're either not done up tighly enough, or they're incompatible with one another.

    If the 'problem' has cropped up again - could the bolts have become loose(er) ?

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