Chain lubricants

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MikeDee
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2014 1:27 am

by MikeDee

Some thoughts: graphite is corrosive to steel; probably OK if your chain doesn't get wet. Heating on a stove without a double boiler? Hope it doesn't burst into flame. Wax lubes are cleaner but must be reapplied often. Heavy lubes like Chain L pick up a lot of dirt but last long. Honestly, does it work any better than gear lube? Most of these bike lubes aren't any better than most commercially available products. At least Finish Line seems to have knowledge of lubricants vs. most of these other vendors that have no pedigree. If you are going to use an oily lube, a penetrating lube is better. Make your own by diluting with mineral spirits. I have to laugh at these oily lubricants where they say to wipe the chain after every ride. So that is less maintenance than running a line of Squirt on the chain every other ride with no wiping? 12 drops to lube a clean and degreased chain with NFS is BS and false advertising. One drop per link is required; almost 10X more than advertised.

Marin
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by Marin

BRM wrote:The power generated by your legs is much too high to be disturbed by that minimal friction.


Your legs maybe; my legs need all the low friction they can get. Watts are watts.

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salesguy
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by salesguy

I've been using Chain-L for years now, and have tried everything else out there for the most part.

A funny aside I recall 20 years ago, heating a pan of paraffin on the stove to treat my chain (I was 15) and my dad being worried about a fire...

My experience with Chain-L is that it can be messy, and I do wipe the chain off every 100-150 miles. I have found that cutting it 1/3-1/2 with mineral spirits does help with penetration, and make things a little less messy.

But the main benefit is mileage. I get 10,000 miles out of a new DA chain (HG-901). Have been for years. Way more than anyone else I know, and I put out plenty of power to wear it out. At 10k miles the cassette is still fine, and the measurable elongation is just barely measurable, less than 1/8 - probably about 1/16 on a 12" ruler. Out it goes, no skipping on a new one.

So given that I'm sticking with the long lasting, super quiet lube that Chain-L provides. I'd rather have a silent chain that I spend 10 seconds wiping off than messing with the complicated off the bike procedures mentioned in this thread. I certainly wouldn't use the chain any longer than 10k miles anyway, so why bother.

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MattSoutherden
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by MattSoutherden

Oil lube for me. I keep a rag in the bike shed and wipe the chain every time I get home in the evening.

While other lubes may look a bit cleaner after a ride, may be easier to clean off, and may offer the promise of a more satisfying sex life to those who use it, I find oil is far more robust for daily use. Especially when you get caught in torrential downpours morning and night.
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BRM
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by BRM

Marin wrote:
BRM wrote:The power generated by your legs is much too high to be disturbed by that minimal friction.


Your legs maybe; my legs need all the low friction they can get. Watts are watts.

So you really think that between the mentioned lubes here you will experience different performance caused by different friction numbers?

Again an example that a lot of people here have no any clue about mechanics and can't translate things to real world conditions.
The friction of the lube and the force generated by your legs are totally on another level.
The difference in friction numbers we speak about here, are by far not high enough to disturb or have influance on the power you generate on the pedals. You totally lost contact with the reality. Staring to numbers from a lab. How many watts are here really involved you think??

Clear up your mind.

Marin
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by Marin

BRM, from the available data I would guess that there are 2-3W to find between the best and worst lubricants.

I don't know what you mean by "experience" - I know as a fact that sometimes 280W feels hard to push, and the next moment 350W feels easy. Does this mean I will mount slower tires because I don't "experience" the extra speed? No.

By the way, I would prefer if you could state your opinions in a friendlier manner. Posters in here have already understood that you think everyone else needs to clear up their mind / their numbers have no meaning / are interpreted wrongly / every kid in Europe knows better... it's just unpleasant to read :roll:

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cyclespeed
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by cyclespeed

Remove chain with quick link.
Soak in white spirit to clean.
Wash and rinse with detergent. Hot water.
While still hot, drop into tray of synthetic engine oil.
Wait an hour or overnight.
Remove chain, wipe clean, put back on bike.

This method gives superb lubrication, extra clean chain. Only downside is needs doing fairly regularly, about once a month (1500km).

Aeo
Posts: 667
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 2:06 am

by Aeo

Dumonde Tech pro x regular has been good to me.
No cleaning needed between applications, just wipe the chain off with a dry rag. Take the chain off before, why do you have a MissingLink in the first place? :smartass:
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Dez33
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by Dez33

wheelsONfire wrote:Not to ask what is best talking friction. I would like to ask what kind of lube is addressing least possible dirt?

I have used waxed based, ceramic, wet and dry and i constantly wonder why there is no really optimal lube?

What is really best if you like the chain as clean as possible at all times?


Within reason on the higher end wax and oil lubes are similar in respect to cleanliness after application, it's more technique and environment that determine how clean your chain is. I normally always end up going back to Rock n Roll gold though, it does most things right.

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

Yes, i guess you are right.

To sort it then. I have used my gravel bike exclusively this season. I ride both tarmac and gravel every route with this as i must start off from tarmac.

I still think WAX clog up the pulley wheels and a bit at the chain.
But it's fairly easy to clean the bike. Some oils are worse as they stick extremely well at the rims, frame etc when you clean the bike.

Ofcourse, the best would be to get the moving parts in the chain lubed and best possible none dirt attraction.

What is a bit confusing is that almost all have a different prefered lube!
It would be interesting if about 40-50% had mentioned one specific.

Well, dream on boy is maybe what i should tell myself :P
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

kervelo
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Location: Finland

by kervelo

Marin wrote:https://www.bike-components.de/de/Dynamic/Kettenschmierstoff-p12409/

This tested well in Tour magazine. I use it and I like it a lot. Works well in rain and keeps the chain reasonably clean too.


I think the dry variant of the Dynamic chain lube has been the winner in the Tour tests at least twice. I have been using it for years and could not be happier. The chain remains well lubed, but also clean as the famous whistle.
http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/dyna ... 0-ml-26805

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Dr.Dos
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by Dr.Dos

Both Dynamic and Motorex Dry are awesome lubricants that do not not collect excessive dirt.

Wheever
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Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 2:22 pm

by Wheever

beatle wrote:
Wheever wrote:I am a convert to off-the-bike solvent cleaning of the chain. Mineral Spirits in a gatorade bottle or similar. Shake well, let sit for a while, shake again, fish out and wipe and let dry. I don't like water because it's easy for the chain to not get the chain entirely dry without baking. With the mineral spirits, it evaporates quickly. If you lid the bottle, you can use it over and over, making it more economical than water-based solvents.

As to lube, I've been using Rock-n-roll gold, but it does pick up dirt pretty quickly. I've been wanting to try paraffin baths, and seeing how that works. Tried squirt and Ice lube, and didn't really like either.

No matter what, off the bike cleaning is the best way, and a Wippermann connex link is much superior to any of the KMX products.


How long does a Wippermann last?


I've heard they last for tens of thousands of miles. The best part about them is they're tool less, in use, and really easy to work.

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by xena

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addictR1
Posts: 1878
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:11 am

by addictR1

i've been using some concentrated ballistol on my KMC chain and shifts very smooth.

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