New chain lube

[wisdom]

No its not about a new product.Just an observation.
A couple of weeks ago I fitted new front chainring new cassette and a new kmc chain.
We've had some really wet weather but the coating is still in place and clean.
I wonder what the manufacturers use because it's stayed put really well.

 

[Cycleops]

Do you not add any additional lubrication?

 

[stumpy66]

Usually a wax type substance iirc

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I know what you mean, I've noticed the same... I get the impression it could be something like a light wax that goes on at the factory.
Edit: oops, beaten to it.

Thinking out loud, is dry lube just a wax suspended in a solvent? It finishes up like wax once on the chain.

 

[HLaB]

Do you not add any additional lubrication?

I've tried the not lubing a brand new chain a couple of times and both times its poured and a new chain has rust spots; I always lube now.

 

[wisdom]

Not added any extra lube been out in loads of wet weather no rust at all.I'm not chancing it any more though it's getting mickled

 

[themosquitoking]

I've always found the factory applied lube good. I never use additional lube until it's almost worn off, usually 300 miles or so. I think it's dipped in a wax based lube and ime it's hard wearing stuff, i'd buy it if i knew what it was.

 

[wisdom]

I've always found the factory applied lube good. I never use additional lube until it's almost worn off, usually 300 miles or so. I think it's dipped in a wax based lube and ime it's hard wearing stuff, i'd buy it if i knew what it was.

Those are my thoughts exactly.It seems good stuff and runs clean someone must sell it.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

It's just grease with an added tackifier. It is not wax, that being the death knell for chains. Even grease is not a good chain lube even though, as some of you observed, it is still in place (where you can see) after wet weather riding. The reason why greases and waxes are not good chain lubrication is because they cannot flow back after being forced out of a pressure face. Oil does that very well and we can see the evidence of it in that it turns black. The black colour is metal particles which have been suspended in the oil. These particles were abraded off when the chain articulated under tension. If you can't see black, it means that the metal has not been suspended in the lube and is still in the interface where it does even more damage.
A good chain lube has to flow and evidence of flow is in the colour.
Black is beautiful.

 

[themosquitoking]

It's just grease with an added tackifier. It is not wax, that being the death knell for chains. Even grease is not a good chain lube even though, as some of you observed, it is still in place (where you can see) after wet weather riding. The reason why greases and waxes are not good chain lubrication is because they cannot flow back after being forced out of a pressure face. Oil does that very well and we can see the evidence of it in that it turns black. The black colour is metal particles which have been suspended in the oil. These particles were abraded off when the chain articulated under tension. If you can't see black, it means that the metal has not been suspended in the lube and is still in the interface where it does even more damage.
A good chain lube has to flow and evidence of flow is in the colour.
Black is beautiful.

Do they put it on just to stop the chain rusting in the packet?

 

[KnackeredBike]

A good chain lube has to flow and evidence of flow is in the colour.
Black is beautiful.

Yes and no, the black is partially/primarily aluminium oxide from the chain, a particularly hard and therefore effective material if you want to grind something away.

That said I am strongly of the opinion that now we have bushingless chains a lot of the chain maintenance people do is OTT, I do nothing other than oil the chain every week or so and it seems to last many thousands of miles anyway. Chains and rear cassettes are cheap and there are more exciting aspects of bike maintenance to attend to.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Yes and no, the black is partially/primarily aluminium oxide from the chain, a particularly hard and therefore effective material if you want to grind something away.

That said I am strongly of the opinion that now we have bushingless chains a lot of the chain maintenance people do is OTT, I do nothing other than oil the chain every week or so and it seems to last many thousands of miles anyway. Chains and rear cassettes are cheap and there are more exciting aspects of bike maintenance to attend to.

No for which part?

The chain cannot produce aluminium oxide.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Do they put it on just to stop the chain rusting in the packet?

Primarily yes, but it is also an effective short-term and once-off lubricant, therefore no need to remove it before lubricating with something else. Just use it up, clean and use oil.

 

[themosquitoking]

Primarily yes, but it is also an effective short-term and once-off lubricant, therefore no need to remove it before lubricating with something else. Just use it up, clean and use oil.

So what i said is ok? Don't use any other lube until this stuff is gone.

 

[KnackeredBike]

No for which part?

The chain cannot produce aluminium oxide.

Aluminium chainring.