Carbon seatpost, steel frame, grease?

[belgiangoth]

I got a carbon seatpost, thinking of fitting it to my steel bike (resisted in the past because of carradice bagman, but don't use the saddlebag atm). Someone told me it was a bad idea to match steel with carbon - any truth to this? Also, to lube or not to lube, apparently grease can expand the laquer on the carbon - but the carbon can corrode/fuse to Aluminium (no idea about steel).

What say you?

[brumster]

No to grease.Carbon assembly paste would be best. Finishline produce a Carbon assembly paste .

[cycleruk]

No to grease.Carbon assembly paste would be best. Finishline produce a Carbon assembly paste .

+1 for the carbon assembly paste.
It was the only thing that stopped my seatpost from sliding down. (steel frame)

[belgiangoth]

Can you just go without anything though?

[sleeping_menace]

No..don't go without anything.. get the carbon assembly paste..
The carbon is quite slippery, and likely will slip in the frame..unless you tighten the seat post clamp to the point of damaging the carbon..
just spend the few quid, get the paste,and do it right..

[scottg]

A torque key would be a good idea too, Bontrager and Ritchey make cheap
5nm only torque keys. Nothing like the sound of carbon cracking.

If you do crack the seat post, the cracked post makes a neat
replacement for the stick of wood in a Carradice saddlebag.

[sleeping_menace]

Scary thing about both the Ritchie and Bonty torque keys, is that they're never really @ 5.. put them against a calibrated torque wrench and test a few.. you'll find a range from 4 to 7Nm.. which really slots them into the utterly useless category..