Dry Lube vs Wet Lube For Winter Use.

[ianbarton]

I don't know if this has been discussed before, so apologies if it's already been done to death I use Muc Off dry lube in the dryer part of the year and their wet lube in winter. I ran out of wet lube, so have been using dry lube. However, a few days ago I found a bottle of wet lube and started to use it after giving the chain and gears a good clean.

I noticed that my chain and gears very rapidly accumulated a thick coating of general mud and grot. Cleaned chain and re-lubed with wet lube, same experience. Using dry lube my chain stays much cleaner for longer. I know that dry lube tends off wash off much faster than wet lube. However, it generally seems to be less hassle to just apply dry lube frequently and only clean my chain about once a week, rather than almost every ride when using wet lube.

 

[mjr]

Try all-weather lube

 

[Easytigers]

I find the same thing as the OP so will be really interested in the responses...

 

[Spiderweb]

Use Finish Line ceramic wet lube ...brilliant stuff.
https://www.evanscycles.com/finish-...MIz-im_Jbd2AIVEpMbCh12KQazEAQYAiABEgK__fD_BwE

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The lube needs to penetrate the bushes then once done wipe off the excess. I am guessing you just leave the wet lube still coating the outside of the chain.

 

[the_mikey]

Time for a 'show us your lube' thread...

 

[bpsmith]

Best of both for me, with the Muc-Off Team Sky lube.

I also have a bottle of Silca NFS which I can’t wait to try. A great free gift from Silca direct, when ordering s couple of things over Christmas.

 

[Maenchi]

Been using Finish Line wet lube, now trying Shimano's wet lube, best put on the night before a ride and then a wipe before you set off, still gets a bit dirty but not too much......wipe it when you get back no need to oil again.....( you don't wipe the chain after every ride ?........)

 

[Joffey]

I use dry all year round and never had any problems but if I was regularly riding in the rain I would probably switch to wet lube in the winter.

 

[the_mikey]

I use wet lube all year round, dry lube is ok on short rides in dry weather, but wet lube won't let you down 40 miles into a 60 miler.

 

[andrew_s]

I have been using Finish Line Wet (green), which lasts well, but does give a lot of black gunk.
I recently changed to the Wet Ceramic, which on experience so far (2 months) lasts as well, and is cleaner.

 

[ianbarton]

The lube needs to penetrate the bushes then once done wipe off the excess. I am guessing you just leave the wet lube still coating the outside of the chain.

With the wet lube, I usually brush it in with a toothbrush and then wipe with a rag. With dry lube I just leave it.

 

[Nigeyy]

The problem I have with saying which bike lubes are better is that I don't think there is an easy-to-get-objective-scientific-grading.... I have a feeling that most of the stuff on bike lubes is just opinion (and there are so many variables: type of weather, type of chain, riding habits, existing gear wear, gear usage, etc.) Does a gunky looking chain necessarily mean something is a poor lube? Does a clean looking chain mean it's a good lube? Is a more viscous lube better than a less viscous one? Does anyone ever use the same chain with the same lube though out its life and then compare to another chain using a different lube with the same riding conditions?

Not really sure which truly is better. I will say Boeshield seems to leave less mess and it's got words with many syllables on the label.

 

[bpsmith]

I was once told that the blackness of the lube shows that’s its doing its job by collecting up the tiny bits of metal from the chain as it wears. It also shows that it’s penetrating the rollers effectively. Not sure if that’s true but kinda makes sense.

 

[ryanme]

Okay ...


Firstly, its winter, its mucky as heck and your bike is going to need cleaning . a lot! - when i was commuting 5 days a week, I would strip my drivechain weekly and some weeks that was not enough. Welcome to England!

Wet lube is thicker than dry lube, it attracts more dirt and grit etc and creates a gunk paste quicker. Dry lube is thin and doesn't last very long and washes off fairly easily.

Never apply more lube to a dirty chain, a black chain is dirty. A dirty chain wear much quicker, chains do not stretch the rollers wear, and a dirty chain is like having cutting compound on your chain ... therefore not good!

Always clean your chain thoroughly and then, best to be off the bike, give it a good spray of GT85. This gets all the water out, is a very very thin lubricant, then give it a good dry off with an old rag.

Fit the chain to the bike, using a drip feed lube, hold the bottle with your left hand, pedalling with the right, aim to drip 1 drop per roller on the INSIDE of the chain. - note. lubing the outside of the chain is pointless, the inside lubrication means it gets pushed into the rollers, where you need lubricant, and does not just fling off. One drop or so per roller is enough, run the pedals round a couple of turns and you should see the rollers glisten from the outside with lube feeding in. Use and old rad to get rid of any excess, do not leave you chain visibly wet / dripping, otherwise you just wasted all your time!


Little and often, leave it for ages and the chain will be a total mission to clean.