One of the earliest things I learned as a new bicycle mechanic back in the day was a rule that has saved me tons of grief working on my own rigs. It is something I like to call “The Thread Rule”.

It is a pretty simple rule. If it has threads, you either put grease on them, or thread locking compound. Never install a threaded fastner without one or the other. Just like in my example above, this rule is critical in areas of your bicycle that see a lot of road grime, dirt, or worse. If I hadn’t greased those split shell eccentric bottom bracket bolts, I may not have had a very easy time getting them loose, or worse yet, they may have gotten frozen up in there.

Which do you use and when? Well grease is never wrong, really, but there are some parts that should have thread locking compound on them. Brake stud bolts are a good example of this. Even some bottom brackets come with a bit of thread locking compound on their threads. (Some folks grease theirs, others swear by thread locking compound.) Most threads can get by with just a light coating of grease on the threads.

A word of caution concerning thread locking compounds: Make sure you use a “mild” thread locking compound that is meant for fasteners that need to be removed. There are really aggressive thread locking compounds available that will freeze your parts in place for eternity, so be careful and read the lable first!

Take this advice and you will have a much easier time removing old parts, adjusting your bike, and keeping it creak free.