Ride Mechanic Bike Butter Lubricant Paste

Bike Butter is a water and dirt repelling castor oil and PTFE lubricant paste to use on gear and brake cables/levers and on threads to inhibit corrosion.

Bike Butter is a high performance lubricating and protective paste which contains castor oil and high levels of micronised PTFE. It is highly acclaimed for use on threads to reduce corrosion and is perfect to use on gear and brake cables and on shifter and brake lever pivot points. Due to its high "paste" viscosity it can be used where reliable operation is required for extended periods. It repels moisture and stays in place working where it needs to work and keeping dirt out.

Corrosion Prevention

There are many contact points on a bicycle where galvanic corrosion can occur e.g. threads between alloy and steel components. This "dissimilar metal corrosion" is caused when one of the metals in the couple becomes the anode and corrodes faster than it would all by itself, while the other becomes the cathode and corrodes slower than it would alone. For galvanic corrosion to occur, three conditions must be present:

1. Electrochemically dissimilar metals must be present


2. These metals must be in electrical contact


3. The metals must be exposed to an electrolyte.

It is best to address point 1) and consider reducing corrosion by using compatible materials and metals. However, in many situations this is not possible. So how can the potential for corrosion, damage and failure be limited?

Bike Butter is able to reduce the rate of galvanic metal corrosion primarily by addressing point 3) and preventing electrolytes from entering the interface between the metallic surfaces. The thick paste is very water repellant, has low volatile content (no evaporation) and contains high percentages of very fine PTFE powder. When both surfaces are coated with Bike Butter and the thread tightened correctly, the Bike Butter extrudes out of the contact area and fills the surrounding gaps.All of these factors combine to prevent voids forming thereby limiting electrolyte penetration into the interfacial metal surfaces. Because it is highly viscous paste and has low volatiles Bike Butter will not evaporate, cold flow, or dry out over extended periods of time which offers excellent protection and aids future disassembly.