Three years of greasing spokes ruined my wheels last week

For the longest time I was putting grease on every spoke nipple before building a wheel. Thought it made them easier to tension and adjust later. Last week I finally rebuilt a set I did in 2021 and every single nipple was loose. A buddy at the co-op explained the grease just lets them slip and loosen over time. Now I use a light oil instead. Anyone else deal with spoke creep from too much grease?

2 comments

2 Comments

wright.dakota17d agoTop Commenter

yeah grease is just wrong for spoke nipples, I learned that the hard way too. used automotive grease on my first build and six months later the wheel went completely out of true. light oil is the way to go, I use Tri-Flow now and it stays put without letting things slip. plus the grease traps dirt and grit inside the nipple which makes adjustments even worse down the road. live and learn I guess.

nora18417d ago

Betrayed by grease, huh? Might as well have buttered them up for a smooth exit. Sounds like your buddy at the co-op saved you a whole lot more wheel truing agony. All that extra slip probably felt great at first, like a spa day for your spokes, but now you know it's just a setup for them to ghost you. Honestly, I'm surprised your wheels didn't just roll away and leave the bike behind. Light oil crew for life now, I guess we should start a support group.