What chain lube?

[Ian H]

All my bikes wear their chains until their chains are worn-out. Two don't have quick links, so not suited for casual removal anyway.
Lube has to last at least 600km, even in wet weather. Finish Line Wet in my experience does that, so I'm not in a hurry to experiment.

 

[Alex321]

Considering that a new cassette and chain is in the region of £100+, I'd put your question in the 'silly' category.

For most of us, more like half that cost, or less.

It would be about half that for 105 11-speed components (which I believe are still the most popular among regular road cyclists), less for tiagra or claris. Even Ultegra is usually going to be less than £100 for a chain and cassette unless you buy direct from Shimano. I don't think SRAM components are wildly different, though I haven't checked recently.

 

[PaulSB]

Ages; probably years rather than months. If cost saving is the sole objective then it's not overly appealing other than in the long term. If, on the other hand, cleanliness of everything matters to you, plus a marginal watt saving, then it's immediate. Personally, the fact that nothing ever has any 'oil' on it and every part of the bike is essentially clean at all times is very easily sufficient. Oh, and it takes me *less* time to attend to chain lubrication than it did when I used the wipe / lube method.

I hadn't thought about watts but otherwise this exactly mirrors why I like to use Squirt.

Apart from the "too much faff" aspect hot waxing would be out of the question in my house. My garage is 500 yards from the house and has no power. Chances of me getting my bike in the kitchen on a wet November evening to remove chain etc. are less than zero.

I feel either hot waxing or liquid wax give a significantly superior result to lubes.

 

[Alex321]

I hadn't thought about watts but otherwise this exactly mirrors why I like to use Squirt.

Apart from the "too much faff" aspect hot waxing would be out of the question in my house. My garage is 500 yards from the house and has no power. Chances of me getting my bike in the kitchen on a wet November evening to remove chain etc. are less than zero.

I feel either hot waxing or liquid wax give a significantly superior result to lubes.

Well you don't need to get your bike into the kitchen, you can remove the chain and just bring that into the kitchen

 

[PaulSB]

Well you don't need to get your bike into the kitchen, you can remove the chain and just bring that into the kitchen

True but I still need somewhere dry and lit to do this. 😉

 

[Fab Foodie]

They get 10/10 for product naming from me. I was going to try Squirt but now I've changed my mind. There's no competition.

Ahem

Been using it since the 70s....

 

[Jameshow]

My routine is degrease if dirty, then gt85 to remove degreaser then relube.
Wilko ATM but that will change as they aren't local any more.
May try finest 5w30...!🤣🤣🍿🍿🍿

 

[UphillSlowly]

I started using it at the end of April and after a monsoon with a lot of flooding (including knee deep stuff) a few weeks back I reapplied it and I've been very happy with how its kept my chain good. I don't expect to reapply it that often again though; I've been using similar tungsten stuff on my good bike, its silent and things last twice as long, I'll leave that for months when its dry, but Squirt is supposed to be more robust sill. The tungsten stuff probably would have needed degreasing after the floods to remove surface rust, Squirt never :-)

Hello again the forecast for where I will be cycling in a cohole of weeks time.is dreadful and I have started using Squirt. LBS suggests it washed out after a couple hours of heavy rain. Do you think I should revert to normal all weather stuff? Dolby want to stop and reapply in a thunderstorm to a wet chain on a mountain! Thanks

 

[PaulSB]

@UphillSlowly in my experience yes, it will wash off but I would expect to get a full day's riding, dry the chain and reapply in the evening.

 

[UphillSlowly]

@UphillSlowly in my experience yes, it will wash off but I would expect to get a full day's riding, dry the chain and reapply in the evening.

Thank you. Only got a short ride Friday, then 8 hours sunday. Will need to get small bottle for saddle bag

 

[Gunk]

I use Muck Off wet chain lube all year

Me too, been using it for years

 

[Alex321]

Hello again the forecast for where I will be cycling in a cohole of weeks time.is dreadful and I have started using Squirt. LBS suggests it washed out after a couple hours of heavy rain. Do you think I should revert to normal all weather stuff? Dolby want to stop and reapply in a thunderstorm to a wet chain on a mountain! Thanks

Forecasts for mountain areas are hardly ever reliable more than 3-5 days ahead. It could yet change.

But in very wet conditions, even the all-weather lubes will wash out after one decent length ride. You aren't going to have to reapply while actually out on the ride, unless it is MANY hours long.

 

[UphillSlowly]

Forecasts for mountain areas are hardly ever reliable more than 3-5 days ahead. It could yet change.

But in very wet conditions, even the all-weather lubes will wash out after one decent length ride. You aren't going to have to reapply while actually out on the ride, unless it is MANY hours long.

Reckon 7.5-8 hrs long. Found a mountain forecast website for closer to the time and also some web cams on the mountain huts. Fingers crossed

 

[sevenfourate]

This place rocks. It’s awesome you can have a month off coming here; and the very same lube thread is still at the top upon your return. Almost homely 🤣🤣

 

[Dogtrousers]

This place rocks. It’s awesome you can have a month off coming here; and the very same lube thread is still at the top upon your return. Almost homely 🤣🤣

I believe it was Heraclitus who said "No one can open the same chain lube thread twice"