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Chain Lube
The question has probably been discussed before but what are peoples preference to chain lube.
Wet?
Dry?
I currently use a dry lube, smax wax which seems to work ok until the chain gets wet. I find that I'm cleaning and re applying lube after every ride. Every few rides I give the entire drive train a clean.
On the road bike I used a wet lube, whilst this attracks grit and grime it seems to leave the chain running smoothly.
Some friends just use WD40. I guess the advantage of this is your chain doesn't rust after riding in the rain, something we all cannot seem to avoid at the moment.
To me it seams that bikes are becoming more maintenance intensive compared to days of old, are the lubes not as good as they once were?
So what's best and holds up to the off road environment.
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I'm resurrecting an old thread with basically the same question.
I'm mainly riding the trails around hazelbrook and I'm averaging 50kms a week over 4 rides and I find that I need to clean and lube my chain at least twice a week. I have used white lighting epic ride which is great but collects the sand and the drivetrain gets crunchy fairly quickly. I'm currently using ptfe spray on dry lube which only lasts about 15 - 20 kms before the drivetrain becomes noisy. On friday I changed to using finnish line ceramic wax lube, on my first ride it felt great for the first 10kms but then got noisy, it is meant to have an accumulative effect and will eventually work its way in and provide lubrication without attracting dirt.
I would like to know what you guys do and how you keep your chain running sweet during those long rides (for me 25kms+ is a long ride) that a lot of you seem to do.
regards steve
http://www.pushys.com.au/rock-n-roll-extreme-16o...
I use it on the mtb and the commuter. I relubed yesterday and I can't remember the last time I did. I like it.
So it actually cleans and lubes at the same time? Will have to give it a go, bit of a bummer I just put an order in with pushys for some tyres and I could have got this included in the free postage
I've used rock and roll extreme - the blue one for years and buy it in the big bottles that are like 500mL or so.
A couple of years ago I got a tiny bottle of squirt in a rego bag for one race or another but never used it. I tried it out recently and straight away bought a 150mL bottle. I recently took my chain off and cleaned it with turps, then hosed it off and wiped it dry with a rag. I added just one drop of squirt per link and then rubbed it over with my thumb and left it to dry over night before fitting - very quiet and doesn't seem to accumulate grit. For wet conditions I'll probably use the rock and roll, in the dry the squirt seems good.
I've used rock and roll extreme - the blue one for years and buy it in the big bottles that are like 500mL or so.
A couple of years ago I got a tiny bottle of squirt in a rego bag for one race or another but never used it. I tried it out recently and straight away bought a 150mL bottle. I recently took my chain off and cleaned it with turps, then hosed it off and wiped it dry with a rag. I added just one drop of squirt per link and then rubbed it over with my thumb and left it to dry over night before fitting - very quiet and doesn't seem to accumulate grit. For wet conditions I'll probably use the rock and roll, in the dry the squirt seems good.
I've tried a heap, especially when I had the shop and reps would come in with the "latest and greatest" to try, and I keep going back to the good old Finish Line dry Teflon. Wet or dry conditions it works well
Squirt and Pro Link Gold are close seconds.
I'm currently using Rock n Roll Gold. It seems much better than the last batch of Finish Line Wax I was using and when I recently took the chain off for a clean, it was fairly clean compared to previous times too.
http://www.pushys.com.au/rock-n-roll-16ozbicycle...
Every now and then I hear the chain sounding a little dry, so I just apply some more Rock n Roll before the next ride. I tend to run the chain dryer these days, just not fully convinced that the lube does much to stop the wear. Maybe someone else can comment on this.
Mr Hathill made up a potion, he might chime in about it.
Thanks for the good info, I'll have to give them a go, the ceramic wax held up to a quick 8k ride on the woodford dam ft last night, it didn't pick up any sand and the chain is still quiet
Thanks Mick, I don't know if I want to let everyone in on my smelly secret lube formula.....but here goes.
Used Castrol Syntrax gear oil. 100,00kms minimum
Wax and grease remover.
Cap-full of nulon.
Empty bottle of overpriced snake oil like purple extreme or similar.
1) Put in about 10-15mm of oil, cap full of Nulon and fill the rest up with wax and grease remover.
Find out you have no-one who wants to ride with you anymore due to your opinions/smelly driveline.
2) Shake the crap out of it.
3) Put it on your well cleaned chain, one drop per link.
4) Let the solvent evaporate
5) Wipe the crap out of it.
6) Install and ride noting the smell of fish emulsion whenever you climb hard.
7) Tell anyone who cares to listen that commercial chain lube is way too expensive.
You are right about running them dry though, I used to be paranoid about it but know I don't think it makes a lot of difference on the MTB - keeping it clean is the main thing.
On the dirt in the dry I reckon you can't go past wax lubes, like Pedros Ice Wax 2.0:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/pedros-...
There's a few of others around like White Lightening, etc, etc. Shop around and see what you find.
I've recently been trying some Muc-off wet ceramic (on the road, in the dry) and have to say, have been very impressed with how long it lasts before you have to re-apply:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/muc-off...
In the same vein, I know people who swear by Purple Extreme and the like, but I found that attracted dirt more easily than the Muc-off above.
When caring for your chain, it pays to invest in a quick link (I like Wipperman). Makes it a million times easier to take off and clean both the chain and the cassette, etc. Essential after a wet ride.
In some of the filthier wet races think about carrying a rag and tiny bottle of lube to re-apply at transition.