Peaty's Max Grip Carbon Assembly Paste is a secure and easy-to-use product, and as heavy on the abrasives as you could want.
Not the most glamorous of cycling products, gripper paste is nevertheless a workshop essential anywhere carbon parts are being installed.
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Seatposts and stems/handlebar interfaces are inclined to slip, and trying to prevent that by tightening the bolts a bit more can result in disaster. Furthermore, using ordinary grease to ensure parts don't get stuck together can make matters worse.
The answer to all this is carbon assembly paste, which lubricates the components enough for them to go in and out easily, yet 'bites' into the carbon enough to prevent slippage. Peaty's Max Grip is, as the name suggests, pretty well certain not to slip, thanks to a high proportion of abrasive.
Some – like Fenwick's Carbon Assembly Paste – use microbead plastics to provide the friction. Others are silica (i.e. sand) based. In Peaty's case, it's powdered volcano. That's right, it's pumice, like what you use to polish your twinkle-toes in the bath.
Armchair experts
There may be an argument that plastics are safer as they're less abrasive (and shoot less lava than volcanoes), and there's a whole internet rabbit hole you can disappear into if you've nothing better to do.
However, bear in mind that abrasives only scratch if there's movement, and the whole point of assembly paste is to eliminate movement, so it's hardly likely you will be fatally sandpapering your seatpost.
Peaty's paste has a gel-like consistency that makes it easy to apply, with less waste than some runnier compounds I've used. This is made from natural oils (petroleum-based ones are common in carbon paste), which we are assured are all non-toxic and readily biodegradable.
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Note that the use of carbon paste does not mean you can tighten bolts to lower-than-recommended torques. Do them up to the manufacturer's specification. The point of the paste is that at these torques, the components will be absolutely secure. I was totally confident in the grip resulting from using the Peaty's product.
Value
The price is good too. At £9.99 for a 75g tube, it's a fiver cheaper than Muc-Off's Carbon Gripper, for instance. Meanwhile, Motorex Carbon Paste comes in bigger 100g tubs of 100g, but costs £22.99.
Oh, and the tube itself is made from recycled plastic.
Good stuff.
Verdict
Works very well, is natural and biodegradable, and it's cheaper than some brands too
Make and model: Peaty's Max Grip Carbon Assembly Paste
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?
Peaty's says: "Ideal for use on carbon fibre handlebars, stems and seat posts, our carbon assembly paste is a specially formulated blend of 100% renewable, natural oils and ultra-fine non-slip pumice particles.
"Designed to eliminate slip between carbon fibre components, Gripper paste increases the friction between carbon fibre components and their mating surfaces, so reducing the torque required to clamp them.
"Our non-toxic formula is also resistant to detergents and washout to give you long-lasting performance in the harshest conditions."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Peaty's lists:
For use on carbon fibre handlebars, carbon fibre seat posts and carbon fibre stems
Eliminates slip on clamped parts & prevents seizing
Made of highly refined renewable, natural oils and pumice particles
Readily biodegradable
100% recycled packaging
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
It grips, it's clean and easy to use.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
The gel-like consistency means it goes where you want it and stays there.
Rate the product for value:
7/10
Cheaper per gram than some brands, despite its non-petroleum base grease.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
I've never found a carbon gripper compound that doesn't work. This one has plenty of friction and a gel-like base that goes where you need it and nowhere else.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Natural oil-based grease, gel-like consistency, good value, recycled plastic tube.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The price is good too. At £9.99 for a 75g tube, it's a fiver cheaper than Muc-Off's Carbon Gripper, for instance. Meanwhile, Motorex Carbon Paste comes in bigger 100g tubs of 100g, but costs £22.99.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's very grippy, and its gel-like consistency makes it clean and economical to apply. It's made from natural products and comes in a recycled package. Also, it's decent value. There's not much to dislike.
Age: 54 Height: 6'2 Weight: 73kg and holding steady
I usually ride: Cannondale CAAD10 My best bike is: Tomassini Prestige
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,
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