Lubrication on new parts?

[ren531]

Having just built up a new bike with new pedals axles etc what is the general concensus on the factory applied grease on moving parts is it worth opening them up to see/apply more, asking because I have just removed the dust caps from the pedals and there seems very little grease in there at all.

 

[ianrauk]

Yep, worth the bother in my humble opinion and experience.
Shimano hubs for example are terrible for a lack of factory applied grease.

 

[sleuthey]

I ride in all weathers so I grease the BB threads to prevent them seizing. What I don’t grease or lube when new is cables - clean n dry is my approach otherwise it attracts muck.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Haven’t done it on pedals, but yes on wheel hubs etc. I also grease non moving bolts to stop them seizing. Every bolt gets undone and regreased once a year, hubs inspected etc. Make sure you’ve greased the pedal threads as well. You don’t want those seizing.

 

[ren531]

Yes I did the pedal threads as I built it up and it's going to be worth adding more lube to axles too.

 

[Petrichorwheels]

Yep, worth the bother in my humble opinion and experience.
Shimano hubs for example are terrible for a lack of factory applied grease.

agreed, definitely on hubs - god knows what shimano (who I generally think highly of) are up to - I know we are talking massive volumes so their savings must add up, but still.
Any new hub of mine is taken apart - including on hand-built wheels, as the wheel builders are of course using off-the-shelf hubs - wouldn't expect them to take them apart.
I also take apart and check new headsets.
also a good idea with pedals, though sometimes takes me a while to get round to.

 

[ianrauk]

I also take apart and check new headsets.

I recently took apart a Chris King headset to clean and regrease. Been on the bike over 10 years. Was very pleasantly surprised to see a lot of the original grease still in there.

 

[Sittingduck]

Yes I did the pedal threads as I built it up and it's going to be worth adding more lube to axles too.

Just checking - buy you're applying grease or similar, right - Not lube (e.g. oil)?

 

[ren531]

Yes I was using lube as a generalised meaning, its really grease on any bearing surfaces, but having had a better look everything bar the pedal axles are sealed bearings anyway.