Chain Lubricants

[johannrissik]

You all should seriously try Smoove lube, I only apply every 3-4 rides or so. It doesn't build up black residue like normal oil, and it cleans easily with the Smoove chain cleaner when you do clean your chain.  

 

This stuff has changed my life.  

It doesn't build up black residue because it's not lubing the chain. 

 

"Lubing" bike chains is not just a matter of lubrication.

Some riders use what everyone else does (fashion).

Others use wax-based stuff because they hate the black residue (quite understandable) and are willing to shell out more regularly for new components.

Others use oil and get used to the fact that the chain is dirty. 

 

It's really not such a big issue. Just don't confuse lubrication with wax-based chain cleaner......

 

To each their own

[GaryvdM]

Velo/Friction Facts: Chain Lube Efficiency Tests

Edited February 13, 2018 by GaryvdM

[Vetseun]

Smoove

[dasilvarsa]

Chain Lubing with Wax is not a New Fashion

It has been used as a Factory Lube in the Old Days.

If you have the time to read.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

[GaryvdM]

I've been experiencing some noise between my chain and cassette into longer rides when the chain gets stretched most (when in granny gears). 

 

During a recent race at the waterpoint one of the technicians just started spraying Squirt generously onto my chain AND cassette. I was getting a bit skep at the whole business, especially putting it all over my cassette too. But the noise was gone and shifting was smoother again.

 

Can you put lubricant on your cassette?

But what I was actually wondering is what is the best way you guys use to clean your drivetrain?

I just read one guy mentioned paraffin?

Would you then use it regularly?

I usually use clean green or that Red stuff from Nam

 

 

So paraffin - might refer to using paraffin to clean the chain, or using melted paraffin wax (same thing as candle wax) to lucubrate the chain. Both require removal of the chain from the bike, which means replacing the quick links or pressfit pins for Shamino chains every so often.

 

Cassettes don't need lube, nor does the outside of the chain. Lube needs to be "inside" for the chain. When I say inside I mean between the pins and the bushings, and between the bushing and the rollers.

 

When the guy put the lube on for you durring the race, it was probably a lack of lube between the bushings and rollers that was causing the noise, and replacing that solved that.

Edited February 13, 2018 by GaryvdM

[johannrissik]

Chain Lubing with Wax is not a New Fashion

It has been used as a Factory Lube in the Old Days.

If you have the time to read.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

You're Quite Right.

 

About 15 years ago I used to soak my chains in melted wax with added bees wax and graphite powder. Worked a treat, my little n = 1 experiment.

Later I came to the conclusion that the weekly deep clean was probably playing the most important part. It was, however, quite therapeutic.

Nowadays I just use automotive engine oil, but that's me.

 

Oh yes, I have over the years also had plenty of time to read Sheldon's site, even exchanged a few emails with him.

[MrJacques]

I use this stuff, seems to work well enough, but you need to leave it to dry properly. Think I bought it at Midas.

 

https://www.wynns.co.za/product/wynflon/

Edited February 13, 2018 by Jacquers

[solty]

Squirt, usually applied evening or couple hours before.

 

Going to give the candle wax method a try sometime, method as described by ozcyclery Youtube guy. I like his semi-scientific methods.

[whippetlegs]

Anyone keen to share the cost of buying some 1.6micron PTFE with me in Gauteng?

 

It comes in 20kg batches and I don't need that much for my home experiments to make some chain lube.

[snutkin@gmail.com]

Anyone keen to share the cost of buying some 1.6micron PTFE with me in Gauteng?

 

It comes in 20kg batches and I don't need that much for my home experiments to make some chain lube.

 

Provisionally interested, depending upon pricing. I know exactly where you are going with this purchase… May be interested in trying this little experiment myself. Although it does seem like a lot of trouble to go to every few hundred kilometres.

[DieselnDust]

same here. would be interested. 5L of PTFE will go a long way for small batches.

[Simon123]

Lately using the Muc Off Dry Lube.  Yellow cap and it smells like banana sweets. LOL

 

DH bike in Morzine last year, multiple roadies on the, well, roadie and also XO1 and XT 12-sp (with XTR cassette) and been some of the best lube and cleanest chains I've ever had.   Strangely the roadie I have on my IDT (wheel off) fukking hates it.

[MudLark]

Ditto PTFE.

Edited June 11, 2020 by MudLark

[Thomo]

Lately using the Muc Off Dry Lube. Yellow cap and it smells like banana sweets. LOL

 

 

I was thrown the first time I opened one of those... since when does bike lube smell like bananas. LOL:)

[Simon123]

I admit to sniffing it more than I should. LOL