How to avoid crunchy chain syndrome?

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spartacus
Posts: 1049
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 6:53 pm

by spartacus

So on both of my 1x bikes (MTB and gravel), I get a noisy chain after ~3-4 hours of riding on dry dusty rides. The kind of dirt that puffs up and forms a thin light brown layer on the lower half of the bike. I guess it just gets up in the chain and on the chainring and results in a loud creaking type of noise, especially when the chain is at an extreme angle (the biggest cassette gear for example - the 42T). It becomes a nuisance on longer rides towards the end. When I was bikepacking it got bad enough that I had to get motor oil from a gas station after a couple days. But one long ride can be enough to get it going. Cleaning the chain and lubing it fixes it. I only use basic ass chain lube like rock n roll gold, the kind you spray on then wipe off. It has always worked for my road bikes but it seems inadequate for dusty days off road.

Suggestions?

by Weenie


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Hexsense
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Location: USA

by Hexsense

Wax the chain.
The hot wax one, not a drip one.
Once it's dry, it no longer attract dirt.

gorkypl
Posts: 529
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Location: Poland

by gorkypl

The drip wax is good enough though. But when bikepacking, you really need to take the lube/wax with you, regardless which one you use.

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DrimeOser
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Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:35 pm

by DrimeOser

I have been using all sorts of lube with the exception of molten hot wax. I always ended up with usual dillema: either there is black stick gunk all over the drivetrain, or the thing runs dry too quickly. Right now, I use Tunap Ultimate lube and that is about the best I have come across.

gorkypl
Posts: 529
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Location: Poland

by gorkypl

DrimeOser wrote:
Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:52 am
I have been using all sorts of lube with the exception of molten hot wax. I always ended up with usual dillema: either there is black stick gunk all over the drivetrain, or the thing runs dry too quickly. Right now, I use Tunap Ultimate lube and that is about the best I have come across.
I find that with drip wax the gunk heavily depends on the brand. From the ones I have tried so far - Smoove is very sticky (albeit the chain life seems to be long), Squirt somewhere in the middle, and Momum seems to run the cleanest.

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Miller
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Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:54 pm
Location: Reading, UK

by Miller

My experience with off-road riding is that the chain goes one of two ways:
- gets covered in dust which absorbs the lubricant, chain is dry and noisy
- gets covered in mud which absorbs the lubricant, chain is wet with water and noisy.

Below, pic of dusty, burnished chain.

Image

Sulliesbrew
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Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2019 8:16 pm

by Sulliesbrew

Silca Synergetic has treated me well in both wet and muddy as well as dry and dusty.
Pactimo Brand Ambassador, ask me about a Promo code

PoorCyclist
Posts: 783
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:26 am
Location: California's country side

by PoorCyclist

I stop every few miles to wipe the chain and chainring, apply more rock and roll lube in a tiny bottle. Otherwise start to make the sound you described. I can even feel the grind through the driveside pedal, not good for the chainring.

It depends on the conditions, sometimes there is powdery sand for a mile and that is the worst. If you get a few hours that is great

I don't have time to wax my chain and I need something I can reapply at the trail.

These are things that I found:
Don't climb in the the 42 cog if possible, the extreme chain angle causes lube in the chain to leave. It apparently is a granny gear.
It would help to do a 5 second wipe down after the first climb because the lube you applied before the ride is now coming out and will pickup more dirt.
When coasting downhill try to spin the pedal some so the dirt does not only stick to one particular location of chain or chainring.
I detail the 42 cog and chainring before the ride. I use a small bottle brush to remove dust on the roller part between each teeth.
Last edited by PoorCyclist on Fri Oct 15, 2021 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

fourfa
Posts: 107
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:04 am

by fourfa

I hot wax my chain and had an experience bikepacking on Catalina Island (CA coast, no cars, a couple days worth of dry moon dust fine powder riding) where the chain got very crunchy. Shifting degraded a lot because the spaces next to the limit screws packed up with dust... The dust doesn't really stick to the chain but it does seem to pack into it. Next time I'd like to bring a stiff plastic brush to knock the dust out, and top off with Squirt as needed

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Miller
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Location: Reading, UK

by Miller

Actually my bugbear isn't the chain so much as the jockey wheels. Off-road they're very prone to collecting doughnuts of oily muck.

by Weenie


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kode54
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Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

Hexsense wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:56 pm
Wax the chain.
The hot wax one, not a drip one.
Once it's dry, it no longer attract dirt.
Even a fresh Molten Speed Wax chain wasn't up to the task of a 4 hr fine cement-like dusty trail. I was squeaking all the way home. I really should have brought a small bottle of lube to get me back home. It was annoying as hell.
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