(Lack of) Grease on New Bikes

[simon.r]

Minor rant:

Why do bike companies ship bikes out with barely a trace of grease anywhere on them? I've just been stripping a new tandem down and the BB fixed cups are incredibly tightly done up, so much so that I've given up trying to remove them and have left them soaking in penetrating oil overnight. I'll be amazed if there's any grease on their threads - there wasn't on the adjustable cups. The bearings themselves have the thinnest smear of grease on them. I've not looked at the hubs and headset yet, but judging by the feel of them they'll only have a nominal amount of grease in them as well.

Even more unforgiveable is the fact that the seatposts and pedals have been assembled dry, presumably by the shop 'mechanic'.

This particular bike was cheap and is obviously built to a price - that's fair enough and I know the components aren't the best, but it doesn't forgive the lack of lubricant! I've also had similar experiences with relatively expensive bikes from well-known brands.

I really don't get why manufacturers and shops can't use a few pennies worth (if that) of grease / copper-slip when they put things together.

Rant over.

 

[Brandane]

+1.
The rear hub on my (then) 3 month old Tricross was not running smoothly, so I took it apart to find a small trace of grease had been put on it by the manufacturer. The ball bearings had rusted, scoring the cones. It was replaced under warranty, but that shouldn't have been necessary. For the sake of a few pence worth of grease . When I bought my Secteur, the first thing I did was apply extra grease to both wheel hubs, headset bearings, and bottom bracket.

 

[Globalti]

I once worked in a bike factory. If you saw how carelessly the (non-cyclist) workers threw the bikes together you'd understand why the bikes aren't assembled in the way you would like, as a cyclist.

 

[fossyant]

I must say, when I picked up my wife's bike from Evans, they had assembled it correctly with Finish Line grease - I checked ! I don't notmally buy off the pag, but my fixed came from my LBS, and guess what, everything was lubed/greased up properly.

 

[tyred]

Any time I've bought new wheels or hubs, they always come with basically no grease and over-tightened cones. I have never , and probably never will buy a complete new bike.