New bike care?

[threefingerjoe]

Mind the WD-40 and penetrating oils. I use it occasionally for displacing water after a ride in the wet, but it is really more solvent than lubricant. The bearing surfaces should have a film of oil on them. Best to use a good lubricant for the long-term. I like the "dry-lube" Teflon stuff that others have mentioned, but there are plenty of suitable lubes.

Joe

 

[Paulus]

If your chain is clean, White Lightning is very good stuff. It is recomended by Condor's cycling shop.

 

[freakhatz]

White lightniing was useless IMO. Maybe good for crossing deserts or bikes that are cleaned after every outing, but not for normal riding in UK weather.

 

[Dave5N]

Don't you clean the bike after a muddy ride anyway?

Leave it on and clean the chain once it's dirty, then re-oil.

 

[Dave5N]

Oil's best.

 

[Banjo]

I just noticed how sticky the chain on my new TRek is and was going to soak it off in degreaser but after using the search facility to find this Im glad I didnt..Ive bumped it to the top as there have been several of us buying new bikes lately so may be usefull to someone else.

 

[Garz]

The bike went into its six week service and I noticed they caked it in oil, I think a bit too much. This grey looking oil has begun collecting alot of grit/dirt so I had to wipe with a rag and baby wipes. Somehow I think it was an excessive amount the guy put on, but it did go into halfords!