To grease, or not to grease - Lubrication database.

As discussed in the Hirth coupling thread.

I'll add the ones I (think I) know but feel free to correct me or add your opinion.

Hirth Couplings - No.
Crank tapers (square) - ?
Crank splines (octalink, HT2, Rotor etc) - ?
Track cogs - Yes.
Seatposts (non carbon) - Yes unless they slip in which case carbon assembly paste.
Seatpost (carbon) - No, use a carbon safe assembly paste.
Headset cups - I don't use any grease when pressing headsets in but I think some do?
Headset bearings (internal etc) - Yes.
Bottom brackets (threaded) - Yes, grease or antisieze.
Bottom brackets (pressfit) - ?

Bottom bracket cups (Ultra Torque) - No, if torqued (Loctite 22 if hand-tight).
Lockrings - Yes.
QR skewer shafts - Yes.

I always grease square taper BB: outside of cycling this is (AFAIK) normal practice, if your cranks are going on too far, something else is wrong.

Added and alphabetised.

Bottom brackets cups (threaded - Excluding Ultra Torque) - Yes, grease or antisieze.
Bottom brackets cups (Ultra Torque) - No, if torqued (Loctite 22 if hand-tight).
Bottom brackets bearings (pressfit) - ?
Crank tapers (square) - Yes.
Crank splines (octalink, HT2, Rotor etc) - ?
Headset cups (and USA bmx bb cups) - I don't use any grease when pressing headsets in but I think some do?
Headset bearings (internal etc) - Yes.
Hirth Couplings - No.
Lockrings - Yes.
QR skewer shafts - Yes.
Seatposts (non carbon) - Yes, unless they slip in which case carbon assembly paste.
Seatpost (carbon) - No, use a carbon safe assembly paste.
Track cogs - Yes.

does the metal to metal friction on a track cog not help the stick-tion / help it stay in place

if there is a layer of grease surely that could allow for a bit of movement as the grease is gradually squeezed out ... minimal but a possibility

pedal / crank interface
stem bolts
brake caliper mounting bolts
brake cables ( inners ) when fitting the first time

pedal / crank interface - yes
stem bolts - yes
brake caliper mounting bolts - yes
brake cables ( inners ) when fitting the first time - no (I think light silicon grease is okay, but higher quality cables and housings don't need it at all)

anyway, to be sure, we should get @mdcc_tester in here.

does the metal to metal friction on a track cog not help the stick-tion / help it stay in place, if there is a layer of grease surely that could allow for a bit of movement as the grease is gradually squeezed out ... minimal but a possibility

My experience is that a greased cog runs much easier on the threads and therefor goes further and gets tighter.

Never loctite a track cog on, I've had to deal with the aftermath of another (cytec qualified) mechanic doing this and it's an utter clusterfuck.

Bottom brackets cups (threaded - Excluding Ultra Torque) - Yes, grease or antisieze.
Bottom brackets cups (Ultra Torque) - No, if torqued (Loctite 22 if hand-tight).
Bottom brackets bearings (pressfit) - ?
Brake caliper mounting bolts - Yes. SEE BELOW
Brake cables inners when fitting the first time - No (I think light silicon grease is okay, but higher quality cables and housings don't need it at all).
Crank tapers (square) - Yes.
Crank splines (octalink, HT2, Rotor etc) - ?
Headset cups (and USA bmx bb cups) - I don't use any grease when pressing headsets in but I think some do?
Headset bearings (internal etc) - Yes.
Hirth Couplings - No.
Lockrings - Yes.
Pedal / crank interface - Yes.
QR skewer shafts - Yes.
Seatposts (non carbon) - Yes, unless they slip in which case carbon assembly paste.
Seatpost (carbon) - No, use a carbon safe assembly paste.
Stem bolts - Yes.
Track cogs - Yes.

Brake caliper mounting bolts - I think we need some clarification here. "Brake caliper" sounds like a road caliper but "mounting bolts" sounds more like canti/V/disc.

I've never greased any of these. I wouldn't grease the shaft of a road caliper as I wouldn't want it rotating off centre and I wouldn't grease the thread of a road caliper or the bolts for any of the others because these usually have some factory applied threadlock plus I've never come across any of these that I've been unable to undo so I've never felt grease has been needed.

Bottom brackets cups (Ultra Torque) - No, if torqued (Loctite 22 if hand-tight).

Grease them like every other thread on the bike, with Copaslip as they will usually be going into dissimilar metal BB shells

Crank splines (octalink, HT2, Rotor etc) - ?

Grease them

Bottom brackets bearings (pressfit) - ?
Headset cups (and USA bmx bb cups) -

A bit of light oil doesn't do any harm, as with Hirth joints avoid anything with big solid lumps in it.

I stand corrected (as does Campagnolo).

My experience is that a greased cog runs much easier on the threads and therefor goes further and gets tighter.

This is basically true for every threaded coupling. For a given torque, the preload will be higher the better the lubrication is. It's preload which prevents loosening in service. Do remember to bear the friction, or lack of, in mind when deciding on a tightening torque in general, since some bolts which have a suggested dry tightening torque will actually snap from the preload tension if you apply the same torque with good lubrication.

I stand corrected (as does Campagnolo)

As far as I recall, Campag also recommended assembling square tapers dry for all the years they made them.

Square taper I always but a sheen on them. Like a dab of grease and wipe off most of it. Same with headset cups.

I'm a definite no on cable outer - never had issues with modern housing. I find the trouble usually occurs if grime accumulates where the cable enters the housing and grease does not help that.

I read caliper mounting bolts as the nut holding them to the frame. Although that would be a nut not a bolt... I usually use a dab of grease but recently have been using a small amount of loctite 248. The stuff that looks like lipstick.

I read caliper mounting bolts as the nut holding them to the frame. Although that would be a nut not a bolt... I usually use a dab of grease but recently have been using a small amount of loctite 248. The stuff that looks like lipstick.

Not sure this is the right thread...but IT is down at work so I'm on my smartphone and can't find a better one

Is there a chain lube that is anywhere near as good as the stuff that you get on a brand new chain? I hate the Finish Line wet lube that ends up as black gunk, and use wax White Lightning in the summer, But that's not hardy enough for winter riding. Recently put a new 105 chain on my winter bike and it's running clean without collecting dirt so I am hoping to replicate this. Ideas?

To get something similar to the factory don't you have to boil a chain in some fancy pants grease or something? Or wax? Pretty sure Sheldon had something on this.

I usually use a wet lube in winter and just keep cleaning and reapplying.

Edit: here it is. http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

To be honest I'm hard pressed to think of some fixture on a bicycle that could not use some assembly paste or lube. That includes square tapers, splines, couplings--- including Hirth--- and carbon parts including seatposts. That said not all assembly pastes and thread lubrications are suitable for all materials and applications. That is why specialist lube companies makes such as wide range of products. Luckly bicycles tend to use materials that lets one narrow down the choices considerably. I've found Klueberpaste 46 MR 201 to suitable for almost every screw, bolt and press-fit. There are a few applications where Loctite or beeswax have their place (both are lubes) and a few where I'll use a screw paste such as Klueber Duotempi PMY45 or Weha Keramik Paste.

Chain lubes? How said the original lube found on a virgin chain is optimal? Depends upon for what.. For sprint events on the track there are, I feel, better lubricants about than what I pull out of a Izumi box.

As far as I recall, Campag also recommended assembling square tapers dry for all the years they made them.

What can I say: not based on industrial best practice.

I used to have a mil handbook on line in my old site.. Let me see if I can find it..

What can I say: not based on industrial best practice

Certainly not, but we all used to do it. Jobst Brandt set me right on that one on rec.bicycles.tech about a decade ago.

Cleat screws - yes.

Don't ask me how I know...

Found a copy of the manual I mentioned : http://corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov/pubs/tm584c.pdf

another yes to cleat screws - bought some Sidi's off here that the cleats were rusted solid into. Amazingly, the last place after a long list of LBS that couldn't remove it.....was Evans. Thank you Evans.

another yes to cleat screws

Again: Everthing on the bicycle should be preped with some some of assembly paste or lube. Important is, however, to first clean and degrease to remove all oils before applying the paste or lube and use a product that is suitable for the application and materials. The only things that demand "dry assembly" are those components already prepared with lubricant for assembly-- typically a kind of Loctite. Speedplay cleat screws spring to my mind as a common example-- the "blue stuff" one sees on the screws.

What grease for track cog/lockring?

Copaslip, as for other threads.