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I bought Nickel Anti-Seize to prevent any corrosion issues between metals, and I generally like using it on my vehicles on bolts and anything I plan on removing later. I'm wondering where it would be appropriate for me to use Anti-Seize instead of grease on my bicycle, and where it would be considered a 'no-no.' The nickel type is very corrosion resistant, and temperature resistant to 2400 degrees.

My current thinking would be along these lines:

Desirable

  • Threaded Headset
  • Bottom Bracket Threads
  • Lightly on seatpost?
  • Cantilever brake mounts
  • Disc brake pivot points?
  • Threads on QR skewers / seatpost clamp
  • Other bolt threads

Maybe ???

  • Headset Bearings ???
  • Bottom Bracket Bearings ???
  • Hub Bearings ???
  • Inside fork tubes ??? (I have prothane grease because I have elastomers, but perhaps in spring forks it might be ok)
  • Chain (probably a bad idea, chain lube seems specially formulated and much thinner)
  • Spoke nipples (need loctite or nipple prep in this case, don't want the nipples to loosen)

Basically what I'm really asking here is, can I use it like grease in my hubs, bottom bracket, and headset? It doesn't really harden, and is rather lubricative, so what would happen?

Nickel Anti-Seize Data Sheet: .pdf

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  • As Zen says, anti-seize is not a lubricant.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Apr 14, 2012 at 9:49
  • But what about thread locker? Carbon Paste?
    – Benzo
    Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 19:10

3 Answers 3

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There is no simple rule that says here is ok but here is not.You don't want to use it on any bearings as the lube.I have used on bearing races at the mating surface,where the race presses into the frame.You can use it on the seat tube,crank arms are ok but not the crank arm bolts. Use it pretty much any place metal parts are pressed together.You want to avoid the threads of critical fasteners as it can allow them to loosen over time.On quick release skewers antisieze on the shaft is ok,but avoid the threaded portion.Also avoid the clamp sections of the stem,you want a tight grip between the stem and the bars and the stem and the steerer tube.I guess the easiest way to think about where to use is any place that has a close tolerence fit that is subject to corrosion but in everyday use doesn't move.

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    This is incorrect. Anti-seize is not a lubricant. It is a corrosion retardant. Using it as a lubricant in any situation is bad practice, and likely to damage your bike.
    – zenbike
    Commented Apr 14, 2012 at 12:32
  • Which point or ponts is incorrect?
    – mikes
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 19:51
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    You have it basically backwards. Anti seize is designed for threaded fixing systems and non moving parts. Telling someone to avoid threads with anti seize is like saying avoid using your derailleur to shift. That job is the whole point of the tool.
    – zenbike
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 19:56
  • What is your formula to adjust your torque spec for a dry threaded vs lubed hardware?
    – mikes
    Commented Apr 15, 2012 at 23:13
  • You don't need to adjust the torque spec. It doesn't change. What does change is the limiting friction, and thus (possibly) how fully engaged a fastener is at a given torque. You can adjust torque lower if you use a friction paste, as on carbon to carbon interfaces, usually about 15 %lower. These days though, manufacturers usually specify type of of lubricant or paste or antiseize or loctite along with the correct torque used. Adjustment shouldn't be necessary.
    – zenbike
    Commented Apr 16, 2012 at 2:51
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Anti-sieze is a corrosion preventer.

It is not a lubricant. Generally, using it on threaded parts is acceptable, but using it on bearing races, bearings, pressfit installation points, seatposts, handlebar stems, etc... is not a good idea.

There is no hard and fast rule, but if you think about the purpose of the "lubricant" on the specific part, you should be able to make a good judgement.

i.e. "Do I need lubrication for this part to move smoothly and work efficiently? If so, I should use grease."

or

"Do I need lubrication for this part to so that it is not stuck in the frame later? If so, I could use anti-sieze."

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    A simple rule could be: between surfaces without relative movement while working (only during assembly/disassembly) use anti-seize. On surfaces with relative movement while working you should use lubricants. And between surfaces that move under load (specially bearings, which have point-contact), you need a high-viscosity lubricant, such as grease or thick oil.
    – heltonbiker
    Commented Apr 14, 2012 at 15:00
  • Care to provide any speculation on the implications of using Anti-Seize in bearings or for high-movement components? I'm tempted to try it on something just to see what happens.
    – Ehryk
    Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 21:55
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Now there IS good reason to think of it as a lubricant, starting with the title, 'Anti Seize Lubricant', one of the primary ingredients being grease and graphite (graphite being a solid lubricant that shears easily), the datasheet, which describes it as such. It does warn:

CAUTION: LOCTITE Nickel Anti-Seize Lubricant is not a high-speed load carrying lubricant and should not be used on ball or roller bearings, or on parts where lubrication is critical.

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  • Welcome to Bicycles @hwally. We recommend all new members take the tour to make best use of the site, and since you're answering How to Answer is good value too. Your answer stands for itself; we discourage commenting directly on other posts, unless it can be done in a constructive way. For that reason, I'm editing to remove that part. Again, welcome
    – andy256
    Commented Sep 21, 2016 at 3:06

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