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I am just preparing to fit carbon seat posts to two bikes, one carbon and one aluminium (if it makes any difference). Obviously I will need to degrease the seat tubes beforehand.
As I see it, I could either use a meths soaked rag or a muc off soaked rag and clean them that way or, are both of these ideas fundamentally flawed? Or is there a standard procedure for this type of operation?
I stuffed lots of newspaper down the seattube, being careful not to let it break apart when pulling it back out.
WIth hindsight, an old cloth would be better... I didn't use meths, and so far have not had a problem, but there wasn't much grease in there to start off with.
Suspend the bikes upside-down and stuff a rag soaked in paraffin or meths up the tube, pushing part of it in with a stick or a wooden spoon but keeping hold of it! Remove stick, pull out the cloth and repeat then finish with a dry cloth.
Any degreaser will do, IPA, washing up liquid, bike specific stuff etc ...
But this is only necessary if you have heavily greased your previous seatpost. I would just give it a good scrub with some paper tissue. I don't think a small amount of grease residue will effect it as long as you are using some anti seize compound or carbon assembly paste.
Is it still wise to use grease on seat tube - I do otherwise it seizes or is there a better option I have missed?
Take the BB out and spray IPA or meths down there. Then clean with a rag on a stick. Repeat till clean.
Removing the BB prevents all the mungdungus sitting at the bottom and you can clean it all out.
I keep my seatposts as clean as possible as otherwise the grease holds the dirt. Reverbs have a smear of anti seize near the clamp as they don't get constantly moved.
is there a better option I have missed?
Copper slip or anti seize on metal posts and frames. Carbon assembly compound on any carbon parts.
I used to use grease as a cheap alternative, it worked okish but the post would slip every now and then.
CF to alu could react and seize. You'll need to consider a CF assembly compound and frequent checks
Drop a chunk of cat food down your seat tube, marinade a ferret in Muc-off, and introduce it to the top.
Works every time.
Get an old rag (I usually use a bit of old T-shirt) and wrap it around a piece of wooden dowel. Soak the rag in isopropyl alcohol and use it to clean right down into the seat tube.
Drop a chunk of cat food down your seat tube, marinade a ferret in Muc-off, and introduce it to the top.
Works every time.
😆 superb.