Watch out for those cheap carbon paste tubes from online marketplaces

I grabbed a tube of carbon assembly paste from a third party seller for about $8, thinking it was a good deal. The paste was way too thick and gritty, almost like sand mixed with grease. It ended up scoring the inside of a customer's carbon seatpost, which I had to replace at a cost of over $200. Has anyone found a reliable budget brand that actually works right?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessicab704d ago

@juliadavis is right about stirring, but this is just the bike version of cheap glue or tape.

ninas7317d ago

Yeah, the "budget brand" idea is the problem here. This stuff is one place you can't really cheap out. That grittiness means they used the wrong kind of carbon or filler. It's basically a liquid sandpaper. I just bite the bullet and get the known good stuff from the bike shop. It's cheaper than buying a new seatpost for someone.

juliadavis17d ago

Actually, I've had good luck with some cheaper pastes. That grit can just be from sitting on the shelf, and a good stir fixes it. The expensive stuff isn't always a must-have.