A few folks here have mentioned that certain products they'd like to try aren't available in their respective countries-I urge them (and everyone else) to check out what's on offer at local high end bicycle shops.
I just got my old Ritchey mtn bike powder coated by a shop I never did much business with in the past and am intrigued by some of the lube products they carry/intend to explore them further in the future.
Yeah, I wanted to try a little Campagnolo, but was a little short on $$ ;D
The Shimano Premium Grease is used on high end bicycles, I really like it on my spinners and especially bearings.
Sal
I have a dry Teflon chain lube that works great on bushings.
Campagnolo, that not high end...it's super high end. I almost bought and put together a Campagnolo bike... and after I saw the crash in a bike race...I decided that I didn't need to race anymore and didn't need such an expensive bike.
I have a bunch of other Teflon greases. I haven't tried them yet. I was going to use them on my reels but I keep forgetting.
Along with the bike shop lubes -- another good place to try different lubricants that are out of the mainstream -- and very effective for certain applications...
Good skateboard & RC car shops.
For the skateboards, longboards, and remote control cars -- they all have bearings. Plus there is a lot of specialized products to choose from.
The nature of these hobbies is strictly competition and speed. So they are always trying out the newest and latest magic lubricants.
I have bought some good, specialized stuff from these shops over the years.
My first 12 speed road bike was a Campagnolo. Even back in 82, when I bought it from Herb Bauer's, here in town -- it ran me over $1200. Now it may be 3 or 4 times that much. Good components.
Best,
Fred
Quote from: whalebreath on January 18, 2018, 02:25:44 AM
A few folks here have mentioned that certain products they'd like to try aren't available in their respective countries-I urge them (and everyone else) to check out what's on offer at local high end bicycle shops.
I just got my old Ritchey mtn bike powder coated by a shop I never did much business with in the past and am intrigued by some of the lube products they carry/intend to explore them further in the future.
Ritchey has always made some fine MTBs and road bikes.
I've always liked to have one.
Good on ya for keeping it alive.
Steel is Real !!
At least 90% or more of all bikes here in the US are now manufactured by a very few places in Taiwan. Which really isnt such a bad thing.
Any of the big fashionable, named after some racer fella who made bikes bikes from the 60's 70's to early 90's, if they are still around & have not been sucked up under the some corporate umbrella, will have their corporate office some where that is considered to be an IN spot to those in the bike culture, designing bikes there & having them built in Taiwan.
If any of these fashionable bike makers has someone in the back actually building bikes with torch, by hand, prices will start over $5000 & a $100000 bike from such a place is anything but a rare thing. I love bikes ! I own seven. But can do with the culture that surrounds the various venues of todays bike culture. Though I'm around it frequently at races.... Jeff
I've been using Phil Whites Tenacious Oil instead of grease for almost a decade. It has performed just like Rocket Fuels Liquid Grease but comes in a bigger bottle for half the price.
Shimano Dura Ace Premium Grease. Its good..!!
Good suggestions, folks, on the lubes. Got a Velo Schauff with Campy derailleurs, circa the mid-1980s. Bikes & bike parts have followed a similar history to fishing reels; back in the "old days", French gear from Huret and Simplex, Campy stuff from Italy & a few others dominated a big chunk of the market; the so-called "Japanese bike explosion" in the '70s started the turn toward Asian production & quality was still OK; today, there is a big China presence, Shimano may or may not be making their stuff in Japan, Campy is specialized/top end/expensive, and I don't even know if Huret, Simplex, Atom, Maillard, Gitane or any of the other French cos. are making anything in France or it they're even still in business.
Frank