Green Oil Ecogrease

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Green Oil says: "Ecogrease is for quick release pins, seat posts, pivots, bike building and other grease applications. Grease will get on your hands, so ours doesn't contain Teflon/PTFE or petrochemicals. In fact we've had mechanics call in to say thanks, having suffered dermatitis in the past from the toxic brands out there.

We had one older gentleman approach us at a trade show asking how we made it so durable - he had used some Ecogrease on his bike shed bolt, which was still there a year later! It uses special plant extracts to make it tenacious, and lubricating.

Ecogrease will biodegrade after its life on the bike - it needs the warmth, moisture and bacteria in the soil to break down back into the environment.

Why use Ecogrease? Grease is for bearings, but mainly parts which don't move much. For example, a quick release pin or thread on a seat post. Pedal threads, pivots and seat post shafts also require grease.

Grease is not really for chains as it can attract dirt when exposed. Unless you have a completely sealed chain chamber perhaps.

Ecogrease is best for parts that you move occasionally, or move a little. Ecogrease stops parts seizing up.

How to use Ecogrease The first formula of Ecogrease was a little thinner, but its now thicker and more durable. We therefore recommend taking the whole cap off to squeeze it out if you have the bottle version."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Natural wax derived from plant oils grown here in the UK.

This version employs a sustainably sourced, rubber-based trafficking agent to boost longevity.

Seems a stout prep, broadly on par with automotive lithium preps and plain Jane PTFE formulas.

Bearings feel buttery smooth and it stays put, so a good choice for metal contact points and threaded parts. It does attract dirt (as Green Oil warns), so be sure to wipe away any excess.

Promising to date, although a harsh, wet winter could reveal some weaknesses/limitations.

Pleasant to use compared with petrochemicals, especially in its gun-friendly tube.

Depends on your yardstick. Lithium and PTFE infused formulas are cheap as chips but can cause galvanic corrosion and both are unkind to seals/rubberised components. So far the Ecogrease is proving long-lived and priced to compete with plastic-friendly synthetics.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Overall, I've been impressed by this latest incarnation, which seems thicker than otherwise stoical predecessors. Headsets, pedal and hub bearings feel buttery smooth. So far, shallow river crossings and torrential rains failed to make any obvious impression on these, recessed SPD cleats and threaded components. Seems effective on elastomer suspension components and kind to seals too, which is a definite plus.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Pretty much everything to date, the green credential is simply a bonus.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Does attract more dirt than some synthetics.

Use this box to explain your score

Very good planet- and user-friendly grease that rivals lithium and PTFE preps in terms of staying prowess, though it's too early to say that it rivals more sophisticated synthetics.