I am putting a carbon seat post in a carbon frame. Is carbon paste absolutly needed? If so, where can I buy it. Lowes and Home Depot do not carry it?
I have always used white lithium grease on seatposts. Is it ok for this carbon on carbon action?
BTW, it is a Look ergo post (or maybe a Syntace) in a Cervelo RS frame. And, yes, I will post pictures when the build is complete
Most online stores and some shops will have something like this:
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=BUY_PRODUCT_STANDARD&PRODUCT.ID=3321&MODE=
.
Most bike shops should have some (maybe they will just give you a dab of it if you are nice…).
It is worth putting on there and might save you some headache from a slipping seat on a ride.
So, if you’re putting carbon on carbon at the seat post, then you must have carbon on carbon at the stem/bars as well. You should be using carbon paste there, too. But is it absolutely necessary? Well, no, and neither is lubing your chain, truing your wheels, or cleaning your water bottles. But it sets apart the cyclists from the bike riders…
I definitely recommend it. If you don’t, you’ll hear terrible creaking noises that you really don’t want to hear from your expensive carbon frame. My shop just gave me some for free, but it’s only about $5 online.
Yes, do not even think about not putting it on. Its worth buying for future projects as well! Your LBS should have some so I would check there.
So, if you’re putting carbon on carbon at the seat post, then you **must **have carbon on carbon at the stem/bars as well. You should be using carbon paste there, too. But is it absolutely necessary? Well, no, and neither is lubing your chain, truing your wheels, or cleaning your water bottles. But it sets apart the cyclists from the bike riders…
No. I most certainly do not have carbon on carbon at the stem/bars. Ritchey WCS alloy stem and bars. Just as light (what is a few grams between friends?) as carbon; Al alloy fatigues and gives warnings of impending failure/breakage; carbon does not–just catastrophic failure.
Thanks to everyone for the great advice.
That small tube of Tacx assembly compound will last for years and many bike builds. It affords you a little more reassurance that your bike is less likely to have issues with creaking / slipping / freezing. It’s worth every penny in my book.
I have always been a fan of toothpaste vs. the expensive carbon paste. Before companies like Tacx and the like realized there was a market for $30 tubes of carbon paste we had to improvise with toothpaste. I have even used it on a friends TTX where a shop had applied carbon paste to no avail for slippage…victory for Crest though!
nice . I love hearing about cool alternatives. plus in this case, i bet your bike has really fresh breath.