What lube do you use ?

[Wendy]

It also makes your chain sound like a big bag o' nails, with a lot of grit thrown in for good measure

And this is different to the dry lubes how?

Clean chains and very low drive train resistance seems pretty good to me:
Back to the future  WD-40 - 'BentRider Online Forums

[fin]

I suppose after starting this thread way back, I should let you know what I'm using now.

I finished my bottle of ProGold ProLink and bought some White Lightning 'wet-ride' which I used for the tail end of last season, including a very wet 200 and 250 very wet kms of a 600.  I was quite impressed with its performance and stay-ability and have continued to use it over the winter.

I'm uncertain whether or not to continue using it throughout the coming dry(er) summer or give something else a try.

[Andrew Br]

White Lightning for me but I also use WD40. Usual regime is to wipe the chain with a cloth, apply the WD40 wait a few minutes and then apply 2 lots of White Lightning.
The chain never looks very clean nor does it ever look really dirty.
I'm not sure aboout chain life, but how do you compare it anyway ? There are too many variables.

[nuttycyclist]

I'm not saying as all I would get back "that's not a lubricant"

WD40?

You get lots of people saying what a bad idea it is, and then the people who actually use it, who tend to say it keeps the chain clean, lets the chain last, but it does need frequent re-application.

WD40 only works if you use it pre-everyride and only ride on short dry rides.

And before you ask, yes I did use it for a few years in my ignorant youth.  I lost count of how many rusty chains I rotted through thanks to having a wet ride and coming out to a rusty clunker the next day (and it was my paper-round days, so the bike had 7 days use per week).

[Wowbagger]

Purple extreme for the chain. I also once used it on a brake cable to good effect.

[Wendy]

WD40 only works if you use it pre-everyride and only ride on short dry rides.

There's your mistake - post ride would be better.  It does seem your experience is different to that of many other cyclists, btw.

[vorsprung]

WD40 only works if you use it pre-everyride and only ride on short dry rides.

There's your mistake - post ride would be better.  It does seem your experience is different to that of many other cyclists, btw.

I agree with nutty, wd40 is utterly ineffective as a method of chain lubricant.
If it is at all wet or if you ride more than 30 miles it wears off.  And this is most of the time.
wd40 is great for water displacement and cleaning.  Is is not good for sticking to things under adverse conditions

[Wendy]

Have you actually read that BROL topic?

[Biggsy]

wd40 is great for water displacement and cleaning.  Is is not good for sticking to things under adverse conditions

However it is cleaner than some products that do stick to the chain.  Dirt is arguably just as bad as lack of lube, or even worse.

I don't particularly advocate using WD40 on a chain, but don't think there is any perfect solution to the problem of keeping a chain lubricated and reasonably clean at the same time - that is if you don't have a fully encased chain.

[CommuteTooFar]

I prefer drip on oils to spray on oils.   I find that spray on oils go mostly where it is not needed.  If I try to oil my sprockets I end up oiling my braking surface. It takes mor time to drip oil on to each link but it gives good coverage.

I am currently using Rholoff but there is no brand loyalty.

Pehaps I will buy a Rholoff oiler device.
www.rohloff.de - LUBMATIC    

[nuttycyclist]

WD40 only works if you use it pre-everyride and only ride on short dry rides.

There's your mistake - post ride would be better.  It does seem your experience is different to that of many other cyclists, btw.

I was using it post ride to dry the chain (WD stands for Water Displacement ) and then pre-ride to lube the chain.  After 80 miles the chain squeaked worse than an iPod's earphones.

You shouldn't need to lube a chain daily, and you definitely shouldn't need to do it twice



When I changed to wax lubes I ended up having to put an automatic note in my mileage database to trigger up to remind me to lube the chain.

[pumpkin]

Currently Campagnolo Superlative Lube (now discontinued). Someone who worked with this in a bike shop said it was the bestthey had use (Sigma) but at £20 a  can( ) it should be. Supposedly the Chain-L #5 is good. reviewed on

www.washingmachinepost.net

But why di I think that oils for chain-saws and industrial machinery are probably as good/better and cheaper.

[mrcharly-YHT]

You shouldn't need to lube a chain daily, and you definitely shouldn't need to do it twice


When I changed to wax lubes I ended up having to put an automatic note in my mileage database to trigger up to remind me to lube the chain.

Absolutely.
Riding in very wet, muddy conditions, I've found I only need to top up the Green Oil every 3-400miles.

[nuttycyclist]

When I did the Beast from the East the Yeovil -> Waltham Abbey leg was raining lots, I followed a bent rider off course and ended up walking through deep slippy mud up a steep unmade road, the road grime was really bad, etc.

The chain was due a lube before I started, but I hadn't logged my mileage that week so hadn't realised.

The ride was 390 miles.

I rode again on the Bank Holiday Monday (short trips to the shops etc) and then commuted daily tue to friday.  On the way home from work that friday I heard a faint squeak from the chain, which reminded me that I hadn't lubed it still.  I'd ridden about 550 miles on one application of White Lightening.   (Compare that to the 80 miles max out of WD40)

[oncemore]

Soak in 10/40 engine oil, wipe off excess.

[Wendy]

LOL @ the improvement in the story!

[numbnuts]

do whatever floats your boat
mine floats very well on WD40

[Naggers]

Another vote for Purple Extreme.

It smells great too 

[hatler]

Purple Extreme here too for the daily commute/best bike.

Finish Line green top for the rest of the stable.

[Jurek]

It smells great too 

I too love that 'waxy' smell.

[PrettyBoyTim]

I have ordered some Purple Extreme from dotbike. Hopefully it will arrive before the weekend by which the new chain and freewheel should have arrived from SJS.

[hatler]

The lube that comes on a new chain is good for a while. When that's through, then I put on the PE after cleaning the chain in a petrol bath.

[Wendy]

The lube that comes on a new chain is good for a while. When that's through, then I put on the PE after cleaning the chain in a petrol bath.

I know someone personally who was burnt very badly as a direct result of cleaning with petrol.  3rd degree burns, months of agony in hospital, and extensive scarring.

[bobajobrob]

I know someone personally who was burnt very badly as a direct result of cleaning with petrol.  3rd degree burns, months of agony in hospital, and extensive scarring.

That's very sad, but the petrol is meant to stay in the bath/tin/pot not get all over your skin/clothes.

[nuttycyclist]

Petrol vapour is HIGHLY flammable.

Watch any of the youtube videos, e.g. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/HNmGihwFtdQ&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/HNmGihwFtdQ&rel=1</a> and you'll see the vapour in the air is what burns, not the liquid.



edit This is a great example!  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/0dX4a42zKx0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/0dX4a42zKx0&rel=1</a>