chain lube...?

[Tewdric]

For those who object to paying £5/100ml for something with a picture of a bicycle on the front, this stuff is superb, clingy, resists corrosion and is a lot cheaper:

http://www.scottoiler.co.uk/pc/Lubes,_Cleaners_;am;amp;_Protectors/Scottoil_-_Traditional_(500ml_bottle-|-spout).html

[mrcharly-YHT]

I've tried Scotoil.

I had problems with 'fling'. On application, it seemed sticky, but little droplets fly off the chain, even when I've wiped off excess with a rag.

[Fab Foodie]

I go with these guys...
KMC Chain Industrial Co., Ltd

After years of every method known to man, I've gone with what is referred
to on CC as the 'Mickle-Method'.
Firstly using a baby wipe remove the external crud (well they work welland we have zillions of them around the house).
Then the Mickle method...
Apply lube, spin the drive-train, wipe off with a cloth, repeat.
No solvents, no more taking the chain off, white spirit, heating in vaseline/grease, drying in ovens blah, blah, just lube & wipe, lube and wipe.  Leave the original grease in the pins where it's supposed to be.

I might be wrong, but I don't buy into the 'grinding paste' deal.

[mrcharly-YHT]

That's fine, until the grease is all washed out and the chain is going rusty.

[Chris N]

That's fine, until the grease is all washed out and the chain is going rusty.

But that's why you re-lube it.  I agree about not cleaning the chains - wipe, lube, repeat.  Bin the chain after 6 months/a few thousand miles and fit a new one.

[Fab Foodie]

That's fine, until the grease is all washed out and the chain is going rusty.

It never does... it's always sufficiently lubed.

I have tried most methods and find the simple wipe lube (repeat) is as good as any other.  Run the chains 'till they need changing and replace.  They're not overly expensive (don't bother with special coated versions, it's not the outside that wears).

At the risk of being a heretic, I think there's a lot of psychobabble talked about chain maintainance (to provoke the debate!) would love to see a magazine to do a proper scientific study of chain cleaning, lubing and wear.

[fred the great]

Chains always last me for years as does my 3 in 1 also.

Nutty when he's around thinks differently of course

[Hot Flatus]

Chain bath with Muc-off bio, rinse with water, spin water off and relube, or squirt on wd40 to displace iwater and relube later.

5 minute job , after every 150 miles approx, or sooner if dirty. Chains and gears run smoother as a result.

[woollypigs]

At the risk of being a heretic, I think there's a lot of psychobabble talked about chain maintainance (to provoke the debate!) would love to see a magazine to do a proper scientific study of chain cleaning, lubing and wear.

The ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System-April 1, 2007

But on an serious note ... Chain Maintenance

[Raph]

"I don't buy into the 'grinding paste' deal."

What's the "grinding paste deal"? Oil and road muck become grinding paste pretty quick, the aim seems to be to keep the balance in favour of the oil as much as possible!



Some of the time, just squirting new lube on the chain is enough to shift the crud out of it, but after riding in the wet - and ironically in hot dry weather too (which lets dry dust stick to the chain) - a bit more cleaning is needed. That barbieri chain cleaner thing's pretty good, with brushes on wheels so all you do is turn the pedals backwards to run the chain through it.

I suppose the question is whether to let the crud that's settled into the chain sit there so it does as little harm as possible, or try and flush it out periodically, with the risk that it does more damage when shifted - cos you can never get it all out however much you swear at it. I tend to leave it there, but every once in a while I take the chain off and give it the treatment.

If it were just a case of replacing the chain I wouldn't be so bothered about looking after it - it's just that sticking a new chain on old sprockets is crap so I tend to look after the chain within reason, and eventually change the chain and cassette at the same time.

[Biggsy]

If it were just a case of replacing the chain I wouldn't be so bothered about looking after it - it's just that sticking a new chain on old sprockets is crap so I tend to look after the chain within reason, and eventually change the chain and cassette at the same time.

It's not necessarily crap to replace just the chain (early) if you've got an expensive cassette and chainrings.

[mrcharly-YHT]

That's fine, until the grease is all washed out and the chain is going rusty.

It never does... it's always sufficiently lubed.

I have tried most methods and find the simple wipe lube (repeat) is as good as any other.  Run the chains 'till they need changing and replace.  They're not overly expensive (don't bother with special coated versions, it's not the outside that wears).

At the risk of being a heretic, I think there's a lot of psychobabble talked about chain maintainance (to provoke the debate!) would love to see a magazine to do a proper scientific study of chain cleaning, lubing and wear.

so what do you re-lube with?

You didn't say in your original post, so I assumed you meant that you just wiped the muck off.

[Fab Foodie]

That's fine, until the grease is all washed out and the chain is going rusty.

It never does... it's always sufficiently lubed.

I have tried most methods and find the simple wipe lube (repeat) is as good as any other.  Run the chains 'till they need changing and replace.  They're not overly expensive (don't bother with special coated versions, it's not the outside that wears).

At the risk of being a heretic, I think there's a lot of psychobabble talked about chain maintainance (to provoke the debate!) would love to see a magazine to do a proper scientific study of chain cleaning, lubing and wear.

so what do you re-lube with?

You didn't say in your original post, so I assumed you meant that you just wiped the muck off.

Sorry, Mr Charly,  Finish line cross country is what I generally use, but have used 3 in 1 oil and similar on occasions.  The Finish-line  Cross Country seems to stay on the chain nicely in reasonable doses without whizzing-off everywhere.  I'm not interested if it looks black and oily.  Every few rides I do the wipe lube wipe lube thing.  Same all year round.

I have a friend who runs his chain dry, seemed to last pretty well, though it did break on the L2B last year, but had put in a good many years service up to that point and ran smoothly.  A new one was fitted and off he went.

[Raph]

It's never occurred to me to replace the chain before the cassette wears significantly - sort of makes sense as chains are cheap and cassettes are expensive... How do you establish when's a good time to change the chain? I've always replaced both together at the first hint of jumping on the chainrings, or preferably before. The idea of hanging onto the same cassette for as long as possible also appeals because cobbling together the ratios I like is a bl**dy nightmare.

[Biggsy]

Wear to the sprockets is fairly insignificant before the chain has elongated by 1/16" per 12 inches.  If a chain is replaced at this point, the new chain is likely to work fine on the existing cassette - for the first replacement at least, and hopefully the second and third time, and possibly even more times if lucky.

I wish 10-speed chains were cheap though.  The cost of chainrings is a factor as well for me, though, because, although they last longer than rear sprockets, they too are eventually worn out by a worn-out chain.  I might just run the same chain and cassette into the ground if I didn't use expensive TA rings.

[Raph]

I've only once ever got to the point of having to chuck out a chainring for excessive wear - so using chains till chain and cassette need replacing hasn't, in my experience, knackered the chainrings. Thanks for the tip on chain wear - given that chains have tended to cost between £10 and £15, but cassettes more like £25 to £50, stretching the life of a cassette is worthwhile.

[tonyh]

It's no doubt been said before...

I use one of these (the CC-3):

Park Tool Website

and get perhaps 2700 miles from a chain (last one only 1700).
And cassette and rings last for enough chains to lose count.... 6 or so?

(Vague memories of cycling being inexpensive are fading fast.)

[Palinurus]

My method varies according to the bike. The "Mickle method" works a treat for the commuter, because it's quick, effective enough and I can do it in the dark. It's no good for the crosser where the chain collects mud and sand and stuff- that gets a good flushing out with soapy water and a sponge. I don't worry overmuch about chain maintenance, if it isn't squeaking it's fine by me and I check wear with one of those chain checker things, replace when it tells me to. I've no idea whether a particular strategy makes my chains last longer because I'm rather inconsistent in my approach to cleaning and lubing and I run a number of bikes and rarely know what mileage I'm doing on each.

I've used every lube going, I can't help but try them out. Frankly I can never really tell if one is better than another. Some lubes don't work so well in the wet cos they get washed off quicker, that's all I can really conclude.

[Raph]

...cassette and rings last for enough chains to lose count.... 6 or so?

(Vague memories of cycling being inexpensive are fading fast.)

It doesn't have to be expensive, but we like to treat ourselves every now and then...  (meaning every few days  )


"Frankly I can never really tell if one is better than another" - well, mostly same here, but some are definitely crap and some collect more muck than others. The Finish Line stuff I'm using is great but my rear mech looks like it's got a post-punk hairstyle - never used to get to that with Makt, which I now can't find anywhere. The suggestion of wiping off after spraying on might change all that though - if it cures the problem then i really won't care what I use on the chain - might even try semi-synth 10W40 dregs from the motor.

Meanwhile though I've followed up all the suggestions and got Purple Extreme, Green Oil and Prolink Progold. That lot'll last till I die!

[tonycollinet]

............................

Meanwhile though I've followed up all the suggestions and got Purple Extreme, Green Oil and Prolink Progold. That lot'll last till I die!

So - good at making your mind up then? 

[Raph]

  yes - I'm very selective... I selected the lot.

[fred the great]

And forgot the better ones it seems

[Biggsy]

3-in-1 is not as clean and fling-resistant as the better new-fangled lubes, you know.  It's always quickly turned filthy black whenever I've used it on a chain.

[fred the great]

That may be so but I'm not going pay out an arm and leg to prove it.

Actually I've only tried Finish Line? and that was a total disappointment.

Once bitten, twice shy and all that but in reality sewing machine oil serves my needs completely.

And it suits my pension

[Wendy]

I've been using WD40/GT85 for a while now.  It's thin, so you have to reapply often, but I love the clean chain and low friction spin that results.  A wipe and a spray takes a couple of minutes at most.