Ok to grease saddle rails?

Jamey
Jamey Posts: 2,152
edited October 2008 in The workshop
I'm getting a bit of creaking from my saddle. Previously I've just done the bolts up tighter but I'm wondering if it's better to just put a little bit of grease on the rails instead?

If the answer is yes then what sort of grease am I likely to need? The saddle has Ti rails (Specialized Toupe) and the seat post is carbon but I'd imagine that the actual clamp part is some sort of metal rather than carbon, is it?

Basically I've got a tube of the Tacx carbon assembly compound and a tube of lithium grease. Is either of those suitable?
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Comments

  • andrewjoseph
    andrewjoseph Posts: 2,165
    I put a bit of copper slip anti seize compound on seat rails, bolts, etc.

    the creaking may be just a bit of grit that has got into the assembly.

    also take out and clean the seatpost and seat tube, perhaps a bit dirty down there as well.
    --
    Burls Ti Tourer for Tarmac, Saracen aluminium full suss for trails
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    greasing the rails will not do a thing.

    well it might but i would say that the action of removing and refitting the saddle is more likely to fix the noise.

    but often it is the rails moving in the saddle not the clamp.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Oh, I see.

    Well I'll take it off and refit it and see what happens.

    I just thought about greasing them because when my handlebars began to creak on the old bike a bit of lithium grease sorted it right out.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Grease should only ba applied to things that are required to move.

    an anti seize compound would be better on the bars. but again a removal and a clean often does the job.

    many people grease seat posts. Well it is better than nothing. an anti seize would be better.
    but again grease can often be better than nothing. (But then greasing some things is a no no).
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Fair enough.

    What I will say, though, is that the Tacx carbon stuff definitely cured my problem when the seatpost was slipping constantly.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Nicklouse, what about, say, when you screw a pedal into a crank? You definitely don't want movement there.
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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    anti seize eg copa paste
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Jamey wrote:
    Fair enough.

    What I will say, though, is that the Tacx carbon stuff definitely cured my problem when the seatpost was slipping constantly.

    yep doing what it was designed for.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Is copper anti-seize ok to use on carbon?
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Jamey wrote:
    Is copper anti-seize ok to use on carbon?

    i would not. but again it depends on what the carbon maker says. and there is not much stuff you would want to grease/lube/anti seize that is carbon.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    I use a bit of oil or grease on seat rails, bolt threads, seat post, and the like. Just to
    keep things from seizing and / or creaking. Don't have any problems with things coming loose, making noise, or anything like that. Then again I tend to tighten things up or at least check to see that they are tight all the time. I also don't use a torque wrench. One of these days I'm sure I will snap something off because of over tightening, but so far so good. Once saw a friend, whose seat post or saddle or saddle - seat post interface
    was making noise and he cured it(temporarily) by hosing the area down with his
    water bottle. Bikes are weird and can make weird noises.

    Dennis Noward

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