Subject: Re: grease vs. anti-seize Posted by: Rob on August 22, 2006 at 09:05:20: In Reply to: grease vs. anti-seize posted by Dennis K on August 19, 2006 at 17:16:38:

Message: >A friend of mine asked me why we use grease on the seatpost when it slips even when the binder bolt is too tight (aluminum frame, aluminum post, low-end bike - fairly common problem). Thinking there are no stupid questions, I pondered before I answered him. Wouldn't it be better to use anti-seize? In fact, after some thought it seemed like anti-seize was preferred in a lot of applications where I have been using grease (threads on pedals, freewheels, and bottom brackets, quill stems, etc). Should I save the grease for applications where bearings are involved, and otherwise use anti-seize? It seems like anti-seize does better at fighting the bimetallic corrosion between aluminum and steel than any grease would. You will never find any corrosion (bonding) between an aluminum seatpost and a steel frame if you take the seatpost out once a year and put some grease on it when you put it back in. The only time seatposts seize in a frame is when it's left there for 5 years and it's never moved. Ant-seize is made for things like titanium and aluminum where the welding phenomenon is common--and could mean the loss of a pricey titanium frame.