Loctite applied to the press cups. Anti-seize smeared on the axle bolt. Good ol’ Phil grease spread lightly upon the outside of the sealed bearing, as directed.

Phil Wood grease has been around the entirety of my relationship with road bicycles, dating to high school. Back then, and for a good while after, I sure couldn’t dream of affording Phil Wood hubs or a Phil Wood bottom bracket. Those hubs were things of beauty with their high polish and the ultra-cool Phil signature etched along the center of the shell.

I could, however, own a signature Phil product, his grease, green and the Platonic ideal of viscous. I’ve seen myself its water repellant properties, how it stays unseparated, full-on green and intact.

Of course I used Phil Waterproof Grease on the headset and bottom bracket bearings of Hugo Black.

p.s. The Campagnolo BBT-UT-BB110 might could be superfluous, but after the debacle with the press cups, I’m following directions explicitly and precisely.

In the previous 365 days I have pedaled my bicycles 4,369 miles.