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review
Lubrication
Effetto Carbo GripEffetto Carbogrip

Effetto Carbo Grip

7
by Shaun Audane
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jun 2, 2012

0
£8.99

VERDICT:

7
10
A surprisingly effective adhesive and not just for carbon parts.
Weight: 
87g
Contact: 
www.upgradebikes.co.uk
How we test

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Effetto Mariposa Carbo Grip is a high-tech assembly compound for components made from carbon and other composites. Parts like carbon fibre handlebars respond badly to over-tightening but need to remain rock steady. Carbo Grip holds them in place even at the relatively low torques these parts need.

Whether you're installing a new component, or simply fettling the fleet, the process is identical. Degrease parts and their interfaces (the inside of the seat tube, for example) using its Carbo Move sibling, alcohol wipes or, for less exotic materials, white/turpentine spirit or turps.

Dry with a clean rag or piece of kitchen towel. Mark a seatpost with a zip-tie at the insertion point so, otherwise adjustment up or down will smear the silicone, resulting in unnecessary clean up.

Shake the Carbo Grip vigorously for thirty seconds or so before spraying a light film to the components. Fit them promptly. Snug tight with your torque wrench and leave to set for the recommended three to five minutes.

I'm very much of the old school 'prep and leave overnight' but our post and smaller fasteners set fast in the recommended time.

Carbo Grip is pretty nifty stuff on tri-bars, grips and similar parts that will ruin a personal best if they come loose.

Three weeks or so isn't long enough to say how well it protects against components seizing up but as an experiment, we drizzled some into a cracked LED lens that had been allowing water into the electrics. Several rides in heavy rain suggest this has been repaired successfully.

Regardless of their materials, components haven't budged, while there's 65% of the can left after it has been applied sparingly to two bikes.

Should you need to carry it with you, the can's small enough to fit in a saddle wedge. One small word of warning, give the nozzle a hot water rinse before storing it, or expect to find it royally clogged when you next need it.

Verdict

A surprisingly effective adhesive and not just for carbon parts.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Effetto Carbo Grip

Size tested: n/a

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?

"A torque wrench is sometimes not enough when dealing with carbon parts, especially if those parts refuse to stay in place when tightened respecting the recommended torque values.

Carbogrip is the perfect complement to Giustaforzatorque wrench. It is basically a special high-molecular weight silicone resin that, sprayed on a bicycle part before assembling it, polymerizes (in a time ranging from 3 to 5 minutes) into a grippy surface with the following characteristics:· prevents part slippage and the dangerous, normal reaction when a seatpost or handlebar slip at the recommended torque value: overtorqueing the bolts!"

Generally agree.

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

· facilitates clamping of smooth carbon parts (handlebars, seatposts, aerobar extensions..)

· the polymer also has anti-seize properties, allowing an easy component removal when needed

· works great as threadlock (steel, titanium, aluminum, carbon bolts)

· waterproof

· very easy to use: no need for brushes as with other assembly pastes/liquids

· ideal for mountain-bike grips: sprayed inside the grips it allows the grips to easily slide onto the handlebar when mounting, locking them in place when the resin polymerizes. The grips can then be removed blowing air inside them with a compressor, or with other procedures normally used to remove grips

· can be easily removed with Carbo Move or other petrol-based solvents

· available in 75ml bottle size

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

Used alongside a torque wrench, Carbo Grip will prevent unwanted slipping of carbon and other components, even under extreme provocation. However, be sure to clean them and their mating parts thoroughly first.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Meets its design brief perfectly.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing, just remember to clean the nozzle through with hot water after use to avoid frustrating clogging.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Quite possibly

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 38  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

 

Shaun Audane

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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