what do you put on your chain.

[Sloth]

A properly waxed chain, or properly squirted one will easily cover 1,000 kms in most conditions, except heavy rain. They don't attact and hold onto dirt like wet lube does.
My last chain lasted over 14,000 kms using squirt properly applied.
Recently waxedc chain lasted 1,300 kms before needing anything

I use Squirt, but I’m unsure as to what happens or how to tell when it needs reapplying?
Currently I just do a touch test and if it feels ‘waxy’ I assume it’s ok.
However, does it just wear off completely, leaving to all intents and purposes a clean un-lubed chain (as it was after thoroughly de-greasing and cleaning it before applying Squirt)?
Or…will it always feel ‘waxy’ even when it needs reapplying?
Oh, and do I need to once again de-grease and clean the chain before re-applying or just keep ‘topping it up’ infinitum?
…Or will that just cause build up of wax after each reapplication and eventually clog up?

 

[Webbo2]

That figures I suppose. Is that more to do with chain stretch due to the power they put down?

I suspect when you are riding at your limit and you don’t buy your own gear you will crash the gears about and possibly go big and big and small and small. Which will possibly trash your chain also if it rains all day on a stage or it’s a gravel, it’s easier to put a new on that fart about cleaning it.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have always found its not so much what you put on it. But how you look after the chain and how often you clean it. I ride a lot, all year round. To give a chain and spockets a really good clean with white spirit takes 10 minutes. I think it is worth doing it once a week in the summer and twice a week when it is wet. I don't get trouble with the drive train on any of my bikes. This may not be the technical answer. But it works in real life.

 

[markharry66]

Many of us clean our drivetrains after every ride, or every other ride, depending on ride conditions.

So, even though WD40 has minimal lubricating qualities, if you're cleaning and reapplying it every ride then maybe it does have a place, and isn't as bad as some make out. Can it do a good job for just the duration of a typical 2-5 hour ride? Maybe.

However, those who clean their drivetrain just once in a while, then WD40 probably has no value at all.

Saying that though I doubt I'll ever go back to WD40, simply because of the negative vibes around it.

And I aint flying on no areoplane fool.

 

[Dorset Boy]

I suspect when you are riding at your limit and you don’t buy your own gear you will crash the gears about and possibly go big and big and small and small. Which will possibly trash your chain also if it rains all day on a stage or it’s a gravel, it’s easier to put a new on that fart about cleaning it.

Except they don't tbhrow away and replace chains for every race or every stage. They do blast them with compressed air as part of routine cleaning. Though I dare say they will change chains during a tour, and possibly replace after a wet gravel stage or after Roubaix.

Plus they are all on some form of Di2, so you don't crash the gears and cross chaining is less likely due to the way modern Di2 is set up.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I read somewhere that big-big cross chaining is par for the course with pro riders, as they don't go down to the little slightly less big ring unless they plan to be there for a while.

Anyway I think cross-chain-phobia is a hold over from triple chainsets with 5 speed freewheel blocks and 3//32" chain. It's not a big deal with modern 2x. I remember SRAM used to advertise 10s Apex as having "20 usable gears" to emphaise this point.

 

[fossyant]

Place your bets. Four pages, where will this end.

 

[Sharky]

Place your bets. Four pages, where will this end.

Oil give it five

 

[HLaB]

I switched to drip wax 4 or 5 years ago. I was using Banana Tru Tension Bananaslip on the road bike and was very impressed with the lack of component wear. But when I got a gravel bike my mate said he preferred Squirt as it was heavier duty and he'd been using it for over a year. I now use Squirt on all my bike chains 👍

 

[Webbo2]

I switched to drip wax 4 or 5 years ago. I was using Banana Tru Tension Bananaslip on the road bike and was very impressed with the lack of component wear. But when I got a gravel bike my mate said he preferred Squirt as it was heavier duty and he'd been using it for over a year. I now use Squirt on all my bike chains 👍

Have they changed the formula for squirt as I found that the first drop of rain it disappeared?

 

[HLaB]

Have they changed the formula for squirt as I found that the first drop of rain it disappeared?

I was wary of that on my commuter but I've never had a problem. Did you degrease your chain before you applied it?

 

[Webbo2]

I was wary of that on my commuter but I've never had a problem. Did you degrease your chain before you applied it?

Yes although it’s fair few years ago when I was using it.

 

[PaulSB]

Have they changed the formula for squirt as I found that the first drop of rain it disappeared?

I wouldn't say disappeared but, yes, on wet roads and/or in the rain Squirt needs to be reapplied frequently.

I moved to Silca this year but haven't used it through a winter yet.