On a bicycle, “adding oil” is not maintenance. Lube and grease are not interchangeable, and misusing them produces the same outcome: friction, contamination, wear, and noise. The goal is to control metal-to-metal contact, water, and particles with the correct product in the correct place.
The classification by base viscosity, thickener, and chemical compatibility is documented in our comparative grease analysis.
Chain Lube vs Bearing Grease
Chain lube is formulated to penetrate into rollers and pin interfaces, reduce friction, then leave a film that resists contamination. Bearing grease is formulated to stay inside a cavity, resist water washout, and maintain a stable film under load.
Put grease on a chain and you make abrasive paste. Put a light lube in a bearing and it washes out quickly and leaves metal unprotected.
Dry vs Wet vs Wax Lubes
Dry: less dust attraction. Best for dry climates and dusty routes. Needs more frequent reapplication because the film is thinner.
Wet: higher water resistance. Best for rain, mud, or frequent washing. It attracts more grit, so cleaning intervals matter to avoid turning the drivetrain into sandpaper.
Wax: low friction and a clean drivetrain when applied correctly. It works if you do the prep: deep initial degrease and consistent maintenance. Applying wax over a greasy chain just seals dirt in place.
Lithium vs Calcium vs Synthetic Greases
Lithium: general purpose, decent stability, commonly used in headsets and bearing interfaces when quality is good. Quality varies widely.
Calcium: strong water resistance (especially modern variants). Useful for wet conditions and frequent wash exposure.
Synthetic: wider temperature range and better stability. Often performs more consistently in bearings and high-load axles. Not “magic”, just more predictable.
The critical point is not the label, it is the spec: water resistance, elastomer compatibility, and mechanical stability. Cheap grease with good marketing is still cheap grease.
Where You Should NOT Use Grease
Do not use grease on: rotors and pads, rim braking surfaces, threads that require threadlocker (per manufacturer), chains, exposed jockey wheels, and any zone where grease only traps dust without providing sealing value.
On carbon seatposts you do not use grease: you use carbon assembly paste to increase friction at lower torque.
Material Compatibility
Carbon: avoid aggressive solvents and avoid grease where friction is required (post/stem interfaces). Use assembly paste and correct torque.
Aluminum: galvanic corrosion risk at aluminum–steel interfaces. Anti-seize or appropriate grease on threads can help, but not in excess. Excess migrates to brakes and drivetrain.
Common Lubrication Mistakes
Lubing over dirt. Using too much product “so it lasts”. Not wiping the excess (excess is an abrasive magnet). Contaminating rotors with aerosol overspray. Treating WD-40 as a long-term chain lubricant. And the classic: confusing a lubrication noise with a torque or wear problem.
Operational rule: clean, apply little, let it work, wipe excess. The chain is lubricated inside; what you see outside is what collects grit.
[ SCIENTIFIC_BASIS_REPORT ] This maintenance protocol is based on the applied tribology parameters documented in our Technical Grease Analysis.