Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm and old (literally and figuratively) bike mechanic. I've used Phil since the early 1970s. It was fantastic then and it's fantastic now...for BICYCLES (like, don't repack your utility trailer bearings with it). I'm writing this because I've read some weird stuff about bearings and grease in this set of threads. In a nutshell: (1) There are three brands of BICYCLE grease I've personally used and trust: Phil, Park, and Finish Line. There are probably other BICYCLE-specific greases that belong on this list (it's a big world). The key word is BICYCLE. BICYCLE grease must be hydrophobic (water repelling) AND have a viscosity (stickiness) appropriate for the speeds and loads placed on BICYCLE bearings. It's been said "any grease will do". If you believe this, rebuild your bike with KY Jelly and see how far that gets you (wink). (2) Unless you're a pro mechanic on the tour (I wasn't), leave the components exactly the way Shimano and Campagnolo engineers designed them. Trust me, they're not trying to cheat you out of an extra inch each mile. Even if you're an experienced 'wrench', invest in the Barnett Bicycle Institute DVD and borrow/acquire the right tools (Park is still the best and be wary of most half-price imitators). (3) If you're a serious cyclist, repack your bicycle's bearings at least once a year, whether they need it or not, as a meditation (see "Zen in the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"). And always install NEW ball bearings because your old ones have worn microscopically and your bearing races will thank you. (4) Bicycle manufacturer's advertising to the contrary...aside from illicit pharmacology and blood doping, ANY rider's key to speed and endurance is diet, hydration, and training. After all, a bicycle always has been, is, and always will be simply an assemblage of plumbing pipes (tubes) and simple machines no matter how cybernetic this stuff yearns to become.