Anti-Seize OR Grease on Threaded Square Taper Bottom Bracket?

[Blue Hills]

In the real world, it probably won’t make much difference what‘s used as the BB is likely to be replaced long before any nasty stuff happens.

Not necessarily with a good old shimano square taper like the un55, tho it's just been discontinued. Jury still out on whether the replacement is as good.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The thing is the biggest compound in grease is Soap, this actually promotes 'Galvanic Corrosion' now if things need to slide against each other then this is OK as the blend of Oil and Soap is very slippery but if components are static then grease is of no use whatsoever

You don't get galvanic corrosion unless you have two dissimilar metals of different reactivities with both in contact with an electrolyte that permits electrons to flow.
What oil, grease, and copaslip all do is act as a barrier to keep water and oxygen off the surfaces and therefore prevent oxidisation occurring.
When I got my Raleigh Gemini hybrid in early 2018, it was almost 30 years old already at that point. One of the first things I did was pull out the seatpost to see how long it was and how high I could get the saddle before the min insertion mark appeared. The frame is 531 steel and the seatpost is aluminium alloy - dissimilar metals normally prone to corrosion. It came out easily because it had been greased, probably by Raleigh at the factory when it was made. There was no corrosion on it.

 

[raleighnut]

You don't get galvanic corrosion unless you have two dissimilar metals of different reactivities with both in contact with an electrolyte that permits electrons to flow.
What oil, grease, and copaslip all do is act as a barrier to keep water and oxygen off the surfaces and therefore prevent oxidisation occurring.
When I got my Raleigh Gemini hybrid in early 2018, it was almost 30 years old already at that point. One of the first things I did was pull out the seatpost to see how long it was and how high I could get the saddle before the min insertion mark appeared. The frame is 531 steel and the seatpost is aluminium alloy - dissimilar metals normally prone to corrosion. It came out easily because it had been greased, probably by Raleigh at the factory when it was made. There was no corrosion on it.

More likely to have been Petroleum Jelly than Grease.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

More likely to have been Petroleum Jelly than Grease.

it's possible. I just left it alone and put the post back in with a bit of fresh wheel bearing grease smeared inside the seat tube. I was just mightily thankful that everything was in really good order and the bike looked to be very little used and had been stored inside. World Tour tyres were a bit shabby though, but still serviceable!

 

[fossyant]

You don't get galvanic corrosion unless you have two dissimilar metals of different reactivities with both in contact with an electrolyte that permits electrons to flow.
What oil, grease, and copaslip all do is act as a barrier to keep water and oxygen off the surfaces and therefore prevent oxidisation occurring.
When I got my Raleigh Gemini hybrid in early 2018, it was almost 30 years old already at that point. One of the first things I did was pull out the seatpost to see how long it was and how high I could get the saddle before the min insertion mark appeared. The frame is 531 steel and the seatpost is aluminium alloy - dissimilar metals normally prone to corrosion. It came out easily because it had been greased, probably by Raleigh at the factory when it was made. There was no corrosion on it.

I always like the smell on my two steel road bikes when I pull out the BB or seat post. A mix of grease, waxoyl and oils. Lurvely, even nicer than Eau de GT85. The whole inside of the frame was coated.

 

[Juan Kog]

You can get aluminium based anti-seize. Generally speaking, copper slip isn’t the best thing to use with aluminium as it can cause electrolytic corrosion (over a long period of time). Relating that to a cycle, steel BB into steel frame, copper slip is fine. Steel BB into ally frame, less so and aluminium based anti- seize better. Safest option is plain grease or petroleum jelly, but obviously less effective than a dedicated anti-seize. In the real world, it probably won’t make much difference what‘s used as the BB is likely to be replaced long before any nasty stuff happens.

In recent years I have started using Alum slip where aluminium and steel are in contact, bottom bracket ,pedal and crank arms . This change was prompted by a question posed to Chris Juden In the CTC magazine. If I recall C J‘s answer correctly ,it was there can be a problem with copper and aluminium corroding or reacting together but with cycle applications not to much to be concerned about. But I changed to alumslip ,why take a chance.

 

[Blue Hills]

To those who were asking about "anti-seize", this is what I tend to use on cartridge bottom brackets.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lubricants/shiamno-antiseize-assembly-paste-455g-tub/

though I paid less than half of that when I got it from the same folks.

If that's the same packaging, there's a brush attached to the inside of the cap which acts as a handle.

Everything I have used that on has come straight out when needed.

Sometimes though I just use thick grease.

https://carsmart.shop/product/red-n...&utm_source=adrac&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=

 

[Drago]

I use moly based anti seize, less reactive than copper. Mind you, I doubt that'd be an issue, but why not, eh?

 

[Johnsco]

I use "Never-Seize" for anything that will need to be removed at some time.
This is a high-temperature aluminium-based compound.
Only a small amount is needed, and it never lets me down.
I got a tin from work many years ago.
We used to use it on threads that were subject to extreme cyclic loads at high temperatures with 15 years between major overhauls.
I think Rocol used to manufacture it.