Chain lubricants

[Nefarious86]

Anyone running the new UFO 2.0?

[rudye9mr]

^ yup, my first foray into waxing.....abt 175km between changes, mostly in dry

-very quiet first 40km
-to me, regular drivetrain noise from 40km to 200km
-shifts are smoother for me
-drivetrain remains clean - some black residue, but night and day if you have to mess with chain to fix a rear flat imo.
-on wet occassions, drivetrain remains very clean

my previous chain lube was epic ride for context - would use degreaser with park tool cyclone, wd40 on each roller and hot water to clean chain every 130k then reapply to each roller - drip per roller

with UFO 2.0 - wipe down chain and cassette, take a bounty - strip it and clean in between each roller then re-apply as per UFO, two back revolutions whilst allowing a slow flow to cover the chain

[talltales]

Did anyone ever record the real cost of lubing with such expensive lubes. Listening to the forum posts is seems the lube intervals are far shorter than advertised and some of the lubes are silly expensive. Especially the grapehene one, but also UFO and Super Secret.

Seems to me the prices dictate both very long lube intervals and extended chain life to even begin considering a bottle of lube that i 2x to several times the price of a good chain.

Im aware of the calculated costs from zero friction, But does it add up?

[Cannoli]

Anyone running the new UFO 2.0?

Yep. I used it as the primary lube on several DA and UL chains, as well as recently started using it as a top-up for AB graphen wax coated chains. I feel like I need to reapply every 150km or so to keep the chain running quietly and shifting smoothly. Overall, I'm very happy with it.

[itsacarr]

Any Campag waxers in this thread?

Yup. Chorus & Record 11 chains for me, dipped in homemade paraffin wax/PTFE mix. Bit noisier than wet lubes, but nice and clean

What quick link are you using if any?

[okx]

....
Until I haven't got it and tested, can't comment on this.
But from my expirience, more than 50+% depends on how lube was applyed.
I have a friend, who last year used muc-off c3 dry lube in spain training camp and what he said - worst lube what he have used.
After some time, he used it again, but this time following my recommendations and it worked perfectly.

and what ARE your recommendations?

It may be difficult for me to explain, as english isn't my native language, but I will try:
c3 dry lube, as I understand is made from separate components, one - whis is lube it self and another some kind of liquid which helps to penatrate in to hard accessible gaps of a chain and it evaporates. For that reason, before use, I always shake it for 1-2min. When chain is completle clean and dry, apply lube from iner side of a chain for 2-3 rotaitions of whole chain. During chain rotation lube will be pushed by eccentric force from iner side of a chain to outer side. Rotate chain for aprox 1min, gentle wipe chain with clean cloth and leave it to dry for few hours.
In this way I always have clean, quiet and shiny chain for 200-300km.

[TheRich]

what are you guys using to clean your chains before applying?
my Park tool chain cleaner is starting to annoy me as the inner roller brushes get stuck and dont spin properly

The more expensive metal version is well worth it if you clean chains regularly.

[C36]

Unless I never used it properly, those tools can’t really clean: there is too little cleaning product (so end up recycling dirty fluid) and the chain-links plates do not really move (then difficult to extract the contaminent from the inner parts of the chain). Even after 4-5 baths the liquid is not really becoming cleaner implying a very so-so cleanup (again unless I do something totally wrong...)


—————————————
- Supersix evo2 HM 5707g
- 1995 Miguel Indurain Pinarello restauration project
- R3000si Junior bike restauration project.

[TheRich]

Unless I never used it properly, those tools can’t really clean: there is too little cleaning product (so end up recycling dirty fluid) and the chain-links plates do not really move (then difficult to extract the contaminent from the inner parts of the chain). Even after 4-5 baths the liquid is not really becoming cleaner implying a very so-so cleanup (again unless I do something totally wrong...)


—————————————
- Supersix evo2 HM 5707g
- 1995 Miguel Indurain Pinarello restauration project
- R3000si Junior bike restauration project.

Not sure how important just how clean a chain is is, the critical thing seems to be that you make an effort and don't just let it go.

Some people are willing to take their chain off to clean it and go through more complex processes, and I'm not telling them to stop. I'm saying I'm not going to take my chain off to clean it. I'm going to wash my bike, run the chain through the chain cleaner and lube it when it dries, which gives me more than acceptable chain life.

[Cannoli]

I personally find using a chain cleaner is more effort (and much messier) with significantly less reward. Once you have a quick link on your chain, all you need are a few jars with lids. One with mineral spirits/lacquer thinner for the primary clean, and the other with denatured alcohol or another alcohol based cleaner for the final rinse. A few shakes in each jar is all you need for a clean chain.

[TheRich]

My current DA chain has 5,500 road miles and 2,000 trainer miles on it...just checked it for wear the other day, and runs it quietly.

If you want to take the chain off, go for it. Maybe you save a watt and get marginally better wear. Maybe you like the process. I don't. I do all my own maintenance but at the same time I don't make work for myself for minor gains in efficiency and longevity.

[Hexsense]

what are you guys using to clean your chains before applying?
my Park tool chain cleaner is starting to annoy me as the inner roller brushes get stuck and dont spin properly

Througout clean:
Two jars.
Put chain in mineral spirit jar then shake well. Then, try to briefly dry the chain a bit and dump the chain into the next jar with denatured alcohol and shake well again.
Bring the chain up and wipe then let dry. Alcohol normally evaporate away pretty quickly so it's not a long wait until chain is ready to wax/lube. It is possible to reuse the washing fluid multiple times and you can filter dirt/grit out of the fluid to extend its useful life. Small pickle jar is about the right for this purpose.

I rarely need to do that though. Since waxed chain is so clean. Normally I just rinse it with hot water.

[vinny]

I thought you all might be interested in this [https://biketestreviews.com/latest-word ... ort-bikes/] I started using squirt cuz of this article.

[uraqt]

Squirt and SMOOVE are very good, however Silica is better and has tested better...much better penetration in to the hidden part of the chain.. however it is more $$

https://silca.cc/products/silca-super-secret-chain-lube

I think the best/most cost effective is "Daves' " make your own...

I make my own inexpensive wax based lube from 6-7 fluid ounces of naptha ( camp stove fuel) that I buy for $8.50 a gallon at walmart, with 1 ounce by weight of paraffin and 2-3% of heavy weight lubricating oil, like royal purple gear lube. It's very dry and leaves the drivetrain very clean. I do apply it fairly frequently, like every 150 miles or so, which may not be necessary. I don't believe in the idea that any wax lube lasts for hundreds of miles between applications. The lube has a viscosity much like water. I apply it to the lower section of chain, holding a folded paper towel under the chain to catch any drips. With this lube, chain cleaning can be done with far less frequency, since it does not attract dirt. Some people would never clean the chain, just keep reapplying the lube. I can't say how well it works in wet conditions.

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[TheRich]

I thought you all might be interested in this [https://biketestreviews.com/latest-word ... ort-bikes/] I started using squirt cuz of this article.

Squirt is GREAT for mountain bikes in dry conditions, but the review matches my experience that Smoove lasts longer. (Smoove is not good off road though, it attracts too much dust and dirt)

I wish someone would test the Tungsten All Weather.