I thought those cheap carbon paste tubes from the auto parts store were a total scam.

A customer brought in a creaky carbon seatpost that wouldn't stay put, even with a ton of torque, and I grabbed a tube of Permatex 80078 I had lying around as a last resort. After cleaning and applying it, the post held solid at 5.5 Nm with zero noise, which completely changed my mind about using non-bike specific pastes. Has anyone else found a good off-brand carbon assembly compound that actually works?

4 comments

4 Comments

ryanm602mo ago

So my old bike was the real scam then?

lucash532mo ago

Honestly, I'd worry more about the bolt itself stretching with anti-seize.

corap212mo ago

That Permatex 80078 is just a high-temp anti-seize, right? I'm curious if you've tried it on a stem or crank where the torque spec is much higher. I'd worry about it breaking down under real load.

emmam891mo ago

The stuff I saw from a bike mechanic on YouTube said the trick is the lack of added solids in those pastes, which stop it from turning into a gritty mess over time. I grabbed a tube of the Permatex after watching that and it's been fine on my stem and cranks for over a year, no slipping or weird wear. It just seems like the bike industry marks up the same basic anti-seize and people pay for the label.