chain lube

[madpensioner]

does it mater what lube you use - wet or dry ?

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Lots of discussions regarding this if you use the search facility. Personally speaking I use engine oil because I have lots of it. Oil, leave for 10 minutes and wipe off excess with an old T shirt. Oil regularly, and wipe clean more regularly.
Others will advise dry lube for dusty/sandy conditions - but I am not convinced.

 

[Saluki]

I live in Cornwall, wet lube on the CX for riding on the trail and dependent on weather, wet or dry for the roadie. Mostly wet lube, it rains a lot.

 

[gbb]

IME nothing makes much difference to chain life, whichever lube you choose.
Ive tried the following...
Bike specific dry lube. Modestly expensive, chain stays reasonably clean1, it doesnt seem to clag up as much as other lubes.
Engine oil, cheap if you happen to have some lying around, but sprays a lot, your wheel can get filthy. Wipe wipe wipe...and keep wiping to reduce spray. Its messy.
Chainsaw oil...im currently trying some Screwfix stuff, circa £4 a litre, flings far less, wheel is cleaner but it still does fling a bit, perhaps I didnt wipe enough after application.
Silicone or teflon based lubes in aerosols, tried em, chain stays clearner, quick and easy to use... but expensive.

whatever you use...wipe wipe wipe, never stop wiping.

 

[madpensioner]

IME nothing makes much difference to chain life, whichever lube you choose.
Ive tried the following...
Bike specific dry lube. Modestly expensive, chain stays reasonably clean1, it doesnt seem to clag up as much as other lubes.
Engine oil, cheap if you happen to have some lying around, but sprays a lot, your wheel can get filthy. Wipe wipe wipe...and keep wiping to reduce spray. Its messy.
Chainsaw oil...im currently trying some Screwfix stuff, circa £4 a litre, flings far less, wheel is cleaner but it still does fling a bit, perhaps I didnt wipe enough after application.
Silicone or teflon based lubes in aerosols, tried em, chain stays clearner, quick and easy to use... but expensive.

whatever you use...wipe wipe wipe, never stop wiping.

Thankyou for the advice - i did use the wet lube - but the rear wheel became dirty no matter how much i wiped - so following your advice i think i will use dry lube.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

NNothing - Just fitted the chain, measured it every 100 mile and never added any lube. Lovely and clean from beginning to end.

No squeaking?

 

[lutonloony]

IME nothing makes much difference to chain life, whichever lube you choose.
Ive tried the following...
Bike specific dry lube. Modestly expensive, chain stays reasonably clean1, it doesnt seem to clag up as much as other lubes.
Engine oil, cheap if you happen to have some lying around, but sprays a lot, your wheel can get filthy. Wipe wipe wipe...and keep wiping to reduce spray. Its messy.
Chainsaw oil...im currently trying some Screwfix stuff, circa £4 a litre, flings far less, wheel is cleaner but it still does fling a bit, perhaps I didnt wipe enough after application.
Silicone or teflon based lubes in aerosols, tried em, chain stays clearner, quick and easy to use... but expensive.

whatever you use...wipe wipe wipe, never stop wiping.

Silicone spray very cheap, there's loads at work

 

[mickle]

'Nothing' isn't nothing though - the chain comes with lube in it from the factory.

 

[T4tomo]

It depends on what you want, the heavier wet lubes and chainsaw oil etc will last far longer, and is better in wet rainy conditions. but a chain isn't a mistress, dirty isn't good, so I prefer to use a dry lube, "Squirt" is my current favourite.

Whatever you use, apply regularly and wipe off excess. Lots of wiping, you only need lube on the rollers bit, not on the outside of the plates.

And don't use degreaser, it just strips out lube from where you need it, and you the struggle to get it back in there.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Just Mickle your chains, and your problems with messiness are gone.
Maintenance is one of the building blocks of good cycling.

 

[themosquitoking]

It depends on what you want, the heavier wet lubes and chainsaw oil etc will last far longer, and is better in wet rainy conditions. but a chain isn't a mistress, dirty isn't good, so I prefer to use a dry lube, "Squirt" is my current favourite.

Whatever you use, apply regularly and wipe off excess. Lots of wiping, you only need lube on the rollers bit, not on the outside of the plates.

And don't use degreaser, it just strips out lube from where you need it, and you the struggle to get it back in there.

I assumed "squirt lube" would be a much dodgier google search than it turned out to be.

 

[Heisenberg71]

Muc Off Hydraceramic, wet or dry dependent on weather.
Often goes wrong. Mainly due to my seeming inability to accurately predict the weather.