Brucey wrote:the problem with putting oil in hubs that are not oil-tight is that you need to keep doing it, which people generally won't do if they weren't doing it before. In bad weather oil can be washed out of bearings in a fairly short period of time and this usually is why more is needed on a regular basis.
The semi-fluid grease I have developed contains corrosion inhibitors and its thixotropic nature means it is fully mobile within the hub (like oil) when in use but doesn't leak out when the bike is standing (like grease). It is thin enough that you can use it in hubs originally meant for oil, despite their weak pawl springs etc. It leaks out so slowly that you just need a shot once a year or so to keep most hubs sweet. Its other additives and high base oil viscosity mean that is a better lubricant than anything else I have ever put into an IGH, too.
Overall, it is infinitely better than most oils, greases, or ad-hoc mixtures thereof.
cheers
Morning Brucey.
How is it that my motorcycle power unit manages to contain half a gallon of hot oil under pressure,yet the same can`t be said of most bicycle hub gears?
I assume that If the same sort of seals used on gearbox output/kickstart/gearlever shafts were used on the bicycle hub that excess friction would be the issue.