NOS bike parts come coated in a thin grease - what is it?

[mezzanine]

Apologies about the long-winded question as I'm assuming the answer is very simple and i'm over complicating basic maintenance and storage of new old stock parts. I'll ask anyway as probably good practice to know and hopefully one or two of you out there had the same thought after cleaning your NOS parts that you've obtained and have an interest in only to think am I doing any harm in cleaning them dry of their factory grease on the inner cage of the front derailleur as an example.

Shimano front and rear derailleurs, well all manufactures sell their parts covered in a thin film/oil of some kind. The problem is with NOS bike parts over the years this oil/grease will attract all the dust and dirt if stored out of its original box. Dust etc collected on it a front derailleur - see example https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Deor ... 1438.l2649

So once cleaning the dust off you'll remove most of that protective oil/grease as well. Not the pivots but the exposed surfaces. Many products out there but does anyone know what Shimano use? I guess it will be fine to leave without any protective covering and most agents get washed off after the first ride in the rain but I guess for some expensive NOS parts (not LX haha) do any of you use a spray like Muc Off bike spray - https://muc-off.com/products/bike-protect if storing away especially in damp conditions with temp changes.

I have seen advise in the past saying don't clean that factory grease off front and rear derailleurs so hence the question and I think that advise was the surface areas as I've mentioned above rather than the pivots and joins which I think you'd have to be rather silly to clean that teflon grease out as it's hard to get at.

Long question, maybe the new old stock parts should just be kept with the greasy dust on them is another option

 

[jimo746]

Re:

Grease.



If I want to store a certain part away for a few months in the shed and Definately do not want to return to find it beginning to rust, then I use GT85, WD40, or for plastic or rubber silicone lubricant spray (not that plastic rusts however :xmas-wink.
Most higher end parts are mostly alloy and won't rust, only the bolts might, but they can tarnish over time.
I don't think there's any big secret to it, you just need to make sure the bits are dry, and spray on something that will prevent oxidation and not damage the parts themselves.