A Squeak & A Click

[wrongway]

I've had this '63 Raleigh Sports for a few years now....maybe three. Since it's 23" it's been my 'go-to' bike, but I doubt that I've ridden it over 300 miles since I gave it a tune up around the same time. This morning on the way to work it began to squeak (low pitch like rubber on rubber) and click. It sounds like the bottom bracket to me. I know I greased everything well back then. So, how long should you go between re-greasing? How often and much oil should I add to the little oil port on the bottom bracket? Or should I? I think I did add some just the other day. Can that dilute the grease? What size bearings does this take if I should need to replace them?

 

[wrongway]

I was doing some research on my older posts just now. I last serviced this bike in 2015. I think what I may have done wrong was added a few drops of light oil the other day. Also, I used automotive wheel bearing grease. I should probably change that.

 

[wrongway]

I figured it out. I opened up the bottom bracket and realized the grease had nearly all dissolved due to me adding lightweight oil the other day. Now it seems smoother than it ever was! Lesson learned.

 

[bulldog1935]

there was a time racers used those BB grease cocks (and wheel hub grease cocks) for Event Lube.
They would add medium-viscosity oil just for a race, park the bike, and lube it again for the next race.

 

[SirMike1983]

I like the green Lucas Oil grease (synthetic, I think). You can get it at the big box home hardware stores. Regular harware store lithium grease will also work. For oil, I like medium-heavy oil, like a 90 weight gear oil for bottom bracket.