what chain lube are you using?
Moderator: robbosmans
I use Finish Line Lube and Degreaser. It works ok.
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Over the last year I've tried 4 different lubes looking for the cleanest...
From my experience :
Campy Superlative for me was by far the best
Pros - Lasted a long time, kept the system clean and quiet
Cons - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
ProLink - Ran out of Superlative before going to Hawaii in Feb , was recommended by the lbs
Pros -
Cons - A filthy MESS on the chain if you ask me!! I'll leave it at that
Dumond - Picked it up in Hawaii, recommended by a store there
Pros - Quiet
Cons - I seemed to have to reapply it alot... and I mean ALOT... my silver Ultra Narrow chain was black from having to apply so much to stop it from squecking.
Finish Line Dry Teflon - Currently using, and will stick with my longtime fav before I tried Superlative
Pros - Nice Quiet and smooooth, my chain stays silver, easily cleaned
Cons - None
On a sidenote though.. guys with the new Campy Record Ultra Narrow chains..are you finding you need to lube the chain about 3 times after a good cleaning?? I usually lube one, wipe excess, lube again, wipe excess... I was finding this would last for about 60KM, then I have to reapply a 3rd, and wipe off excess... my other bike with the 6mm chain doesn't do this...
From my experience :
Campy Superlative for me was by far the best
Pros - Lasted a long time, kept the system clean and quiet
Cons - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
ProLink - Ran out of Superlative before going to Hawaii in Feb , was recommended by the lbs
Pros -
Cons - A filthy MESS on the chain if you ask me!! I'll leave it at that
Dumond - Picked it up in Hawaii, recommended by a store there
Pros - Quiet
Cons - I seemed to have to reapply it alot... and I mean ALOT... my silver Ultra Narrow chain was black from having to apply so much to stop it from squecking.
Finish Line Dry Teflon - Currently using, and will stick with my longtime fav before I tried Superlative
Pros - Nice Quiet and smooooth, my chain stays silver, easily cleaned
Cons - None
On a sidenote though.. guys with the new Campy Record Ultra Narrow chains..are you finding you need to lube the chain about 3 times after a good cleaning?? I usually lube one, wipe excess, lube again, wipe excess... I was finding this would last for about 60KM, then I have to reapply a 3rd, and wipe off excess... my other bike with the 6mm chain doesn't do this...
I've used nothing but a mixture of mineral spirits and synthetic motor oil for about 7 years. Costs about 5 cents per ounce. I get excellent chain life, but I also apply it after every ride of significant length. It's rare that the chain would ever need to be removed for cleaning since it's lubed and wiped clean after nearly every ride.
I've been studying chain wear and found that my technique nearly eliminates chain elongation. A typical chain might only have 1/4 of the allowable 1/16 inch per foot elongation after 6000 miles. Unfortunately it doesn't stop roller wear. I've found that roller wear can be 20-30 times greater than the wear on the pins and their bushings. Roller wear must be measured separately with calipers spanning between pairs of rollers, or with some type of go/ no-go gage. A new chain will measure about .210 inch between rollers. I consider the rollers shot when they reach about .240 inch.
At this point I'm not sure how much this roller wear has to do with the grit the chain is exposed to and how much is due to chain tension. I ride the mountains in a 28 or 30T chainring for long periods. The chain tension is a lot higher with a small chainring.
I've been experimenting with very thin 6/1 mixture of MS and oil, but after finding the significant roller wear, I've switched back to a thicker 3/1 mix to see if roller life improves.
I've been studying chain wear and found that my technique nearly eliminates chain elongation. A typical chain might only have 1/4 of the allowable 1/16 inch per foot elongation after 6000 miles. Unfortunately it doesn't stop roller wear. I've found that roller wear can be 20-30 times greater than the wear on the pins and their bushings. Roller wear must be measured separately with calipers spanning between pairs of rollers, or with some type of go/ no-go gage. A new chain will measure about .210 inch between rollers. I consider the rollers shot when they reach about .240 inch.
At this point I'm not sure how much this roller wear has to do with the grit the chain is exposed to and how much is due to chain tension. I ride the mountains in a 28 or 30T chainring for long periods. The chain tension is a lot higher with a small chainring.
I've been experimenting with very thin 6/1 mixture of MS and oil, but after finding the significant roller wear, I've switched back to a thicker 3/1 mix to see if roller life improves.
- VeloScaper
- Posts: 543
- Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:20 am
- Location: Sitting over the center of the Earth.
wear does chain elongation come from?
- VeloScaper
- Posts: 543
- Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:20 am
- Location: Sitting over the center of the Earth.
chisa wrote:strain
you mean like the plates? cuz the only thing left to strain is the pin and rollers.
I guess I should have been more direct with my rhetorical question and besides 6000 miles is plenty, chains aren't meant to last forever.
VeloScaper wrote:wear does chain elongation come from?
Elongation is often called stretch. It's the accumultive wear of all the pins that bear against the bushings formed into the inner plates. Elongation is what changes the chain pitch and can cause premature cog wear.
The maximum allowable elongation is usually considered to be 1/16" per foot, which involves 24 pins. This figures out to be .0026 inch of wear for each pin and bushing pair.
Roller wear on the other hand, is not accumulative. It contributes nothing to the increase in chain length.
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