How dirty does your chain get?

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CrankAddictsRich
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by CrankAddictsRich

Rick wrote:
Mon May 21, 2018 4:18 pm
So I just spray down my chain with WD-40 ever couple days while rotating it and wiping with a clean paper towel. Works good enough for me. :D
totally the opposite of chain lubrication.

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Rick
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by Rick

totally the opposite of chain lubrication.
I can only plead guilty as charged. :oops:
But it does clean the chain and leave behind enough lube to satisfy me, especially if done pretty frequently. I would dare to say that it lasts longer than some of the dry lubes I have tried. Sure, If I were going out on a century I would put on a coat of something a bit heavier; but even then I am just not that picky. I like the Dumond Tech Lube and the Finish Line Century Lube if I need something longer lasting. I am not claiming this is the best system, just that it is cheap and convenient and works better than you might expect. :thumbup:

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TobinHatesYou
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by TobinHatesYou

Well that's dumb. WD40 is mostly a carrier solvent for a tiny amount of penetrating oil. The money you think you're saving on lube, you're just spending on new chains as they wear out more quickly.

Why not just use an appropriate dry lube? There are many to choose from and they are all suspended similarly in a solvent that evaporates, leaving the lubricious compounds behind. For example Boeshield T-9 is like WD40, but instead of a worthless penetrating oil, the "active" lube is paraffin...

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Rick
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by Rick

TobinHatesYou wrote:
Tue May 22, 2018 6:38 am
Well that's dumb. WD40 is mostly a carrier solvent for a tiny amount of penetrating oil. The money you think you're saving on lube, you're just spending on new chains as they wear out more quickly.
Do you have some data on wear rates ?
Why not just use an appropriate dry lube? There are many to choose from and they are all suspended similarly in a solvent that evaporates, leaving the lubricious compounds behind. For example Boeshield T-9 is like WD40, but instead of a worthless penetrating oil, the "active" lube is paraffin...
I actually do have a spray can of T-9, sitting right beside my WD-40. :) And I do use it occassionally, and like it.
I think you are missing my point: what is "dumb" is obsessing over chain lubes. :)

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Calnago
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by Calnago

I’ve used T9 in the past on 2 month cycle touring trips in all kinds of conditions. And it was a very good lube and lasted a long time between applications. In fact I still have some. Even says it’s good for bicycle chains. Ha. It’s made for the aerospace industry by Boeing so it’s super good cuz it’s aero too. Boeing figured they could sell it to bicyclists as well since cyclists will buy anything if you put the right words on the label. They are right. But nothing wrong with T9 as a good line for chains that lasts.
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Catagory6
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by Catagory6

Boshk wrote:
Fri Oct 27, 2017 4:58 am
Only rode 100km in good weather on my new XR3 and my Chorus chain is already black when I wipe it.
I was doing some adjustments and my hand touched the chain and it's black oil/lube.

Granted I didn't clean the factory lube off the new chain (some suggest doing that and apply a 'better' lube)

How often do you clean and any recommendations for a better lube?
Just using a standard Finish line product.
its not lube, its a preservative.
the one and only time i DIDN'T strip off that stuff (as advised by a local shop) my chain was caked in grime after barely 30 miles.
they said that i should just apply lube over the factory preservative, and the lube would dilute, and strip it off.

i soak a brand new chain in turpentine until its all dissolved off. wash it in simple green, or a mixture of citrisolve and dish detergent.
** edit: FULLY RINSE, insert into old pillow case, spin-dry
then submerge it in ethyl alcohol to remove any trace of water

then i apply pro-link, a couple drops to each link individually. (running the chain in the large chain ring for easier cleaning).
spin the cranks for a bit. then wipe thoroughly.
reapply as needed.
when needed, do a complete cleaning as above

strip off that preservative
Last edited by Catagory6 on Tue May 22, 2018 7:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.

BdaGhisallo
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by BdaGhisallo

Catagory6 wrote:
Tue May 22, 2018 5:58 pm


strip off that preservative
100% - that gunk is evil.

TobinHatesYou
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by TobinHatesYou

Rick wrote:
Tue May 22, 2018 4:32 pm

I think you are missing my point: what is "dumb" is obsessing over chain lubes. :)
I didn’t say it was dumb to obsess over chain lube. I said it was dumb to use WD40 as a lube when T-9 does the same thing while also depositing paraffin inside the pins/rollers. To degrease chains. I’d much rather use something like a chain scrubbing tool with Zep citrus, then again with water followed by blasts of compressed air to dry. That leaves the chain free of any residue like the light oil in WD40 so that a real lube can properly adhere to the metal surfaces. If you try to use T-9 on a chain coated with WD40. The paraffin would just be caught in the oil and work itself out.

AJS914
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by AJS914

Just use some wet lube on your WD-40 treated chain after the solvent dries off. Go straight for 30 weight motor oil. A quart will last you a decade. :-)

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themidge
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by themidge

Calnago wrote:
Tue May 22, 2018 5:10 pm
I’ve used T9 in the past on 2 month cycle touring trips in all kinds of conditions. And it was a very good lube and lasted a long time between applications. In fact I still have some. Even says it’s good for bicycle chains. Ha. It’s made for the aerospace industry by Boeing so it’s super good cuz it’s aero too. Boeing figured they could sell it to bicyclists as well since cyclists will buy anything if you put the right words on the label. They are right. But nothing wrong with T9 as a good line for chains that lasts.
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Sounds like good stuff having read the blurb on Planet X and the reviews, lots of people seem to think it's great. I have a question though, does the waxy finish prevent squeaking? My drivetrain tends to start squeaking in certain cogs and then all of them if it gets even slightly dirty, so I have to properly clean and relube the chain quite frequently. Anything that would mean I don't have to clean my bike so often would be very much appreciated!

I use finish line wet lube all the time by the way, I think I need to somewhat broaden my horizons.

TobinHatesYou
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by TobinHatesYou

themidge wrote:
Tue May 22, 2018 11:00 pm

Sounds like good stuff having read the blurb on Planet X and the reviews, lots of people seem to think it's great. I have a question though, does the waxy finish prevent squeaking? My drivetrain tends to start squeaking in certain cogs and then all of them if it gets even slightly dirty, so I have to properly clean and relube the chain quite frequently. Anything that would mean I don't have to clean my bike so often would be very much appreciated!

I use finish line wet lube all the time by the way, I think I need to somewhat broaden my horizons.

T-9 will be a bit worse than a wet lube for quieting a drivetrain since it's pretty much paraffin when it dries. So it will be very quiet/damped at first, but after maybe 100mi, you will start to hear the plates rasp against the gears in when not in the center of the cassette. It's up to you, but the sound does not correlate to the chain needing more lube. You only need to relube when your shifting gets lazy or you hear telltale squeaks.

avispa
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by avispa

Boshk wrote:
Fri Oct 27, 2017 4:58 am
Only rode 100km in good weather on my new XR3 and my Chorus chain is already black when I wipe it....
How often do you clean and any recommendations for a better lube?
Just using a standard Finish line product.
When I raced, our mechanics used to tell us that chains should be judged by how they sound, rather than how they look. A chain could be perfectly lubed and clean, yet look dark. Whereas, a dirty chain is going to give you that sandy mild grinding sound. Many times, the lube you use has a lot to do on how fast your chain is going to look black, becasue it will attract more dust to it. Wet lubes normally get "dirty" quicker and look darker, because they are thicker and thier mixture is based on "oilier" compounds.

On my Campagnolo chains, I always run the factory lube for about two weeks of rididng (400-500 miles), unless I get caught in rain.

Currently the two lubes I've found the best for where I ride (mostly dry, and mildly dusty conditions), are: White Lighthing Clean Lube and Muc-OFF Ceramic Dry Lube C3. I use these lubes for about 200 miles and then clear the chain with a mild cleaner. Once a month I do a better job of cleaning with a heavy duty cleaner from the same brands I mentioned above.

Your derailleur pulleys will also get more/less dirty based on these lubes as well.
Last edited by avispa on Wed May 23, 2018 1:33 am, edited 5 times in total.


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Calnago
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by Calnago

@themidge: I don’t use T9 anymore. I just had that lying around from years ago so posted it up cuz it was mentioned. My lube of choice these days, and for the past several years, is Duomonde Tech Lite. It’s yellow, it’s light and lasts through a torrential downpour and more (and since you’re in Scotland they might be of interest to you). Image
I never remove the chain and never use a degreaser (except before the first application when trying to remove any remaining packing grease). Just a wash run through a Park Chain Cleaner tool with a little bit of Dawn Dishwashing liquid and warm water. Rinse completely with a hose. Let dry, or dry with an air compressor if you have one, then apply a single light drop of the stuff to each roller. Run it through the gears and you’re done. Never completely remove it, just run it till you hear noise etc. Go to their website for complete instructions on application etc. It will coat your chain eventually to feel like a waxy film when not in use but as soon as you start rolling it’s like a black liquid (only black because of the dust etc that will quickly blacken most lines. If you’re prone to chainbites you’ll have constant tattoos. But it makes for a super quiet drive train. The stuff on a new Campy chain is just heavy grease. I’m six of one, half a dozen of the other these days as to stripping that before I install it. It will wear off soon enough. Then I might clean the chain thoroughly with a strong degreaser to get as much of the initial remaining packing grease off before I apply the Duomonde Tech. It really is the best stuff I’ve found for holding up in wet weather and really Lite for the dry weather. Smells good too! After about 3 applications of the stuff a nice coating will be in your chain and, providing everything is adjusted properly, it makes things dead silent during running.
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