Chain lube

[gravitylover]

In order of preference -
Chain L
DuMonde Light
Pro Link

Ya want durable? Chain L can't be beat. Want a lube that will actually help your drivetrain last longer? Same answer. DM Light is great if you like to lube frequently and it's pretty much the best for any metal on metal interfaces and cables but only if the ambient temperature is above about 65 degrees. Pro Link is a detergent polymer when it's in a liquid state and will do a great job of getting your chain clean if you over apply it initially then spend forever wiping and have the patience to let it sit for a while and then wipe again.

Chain L is the best though. I often get a couple of hundred miles between applications if I've been patient and done it right. Start with an uber clean chain and heat the bottle to 140* then apply generously. Run the chain through your fingers making sure to spin all the rollers so it gets inside where it needs to be then let it sit for a few minutes. Then wipe and take a quick spin to force the excess out of the inside of the rollers then wipe again. Then wipe again in the morning. I know it sounds tedious but I'm four seasons on my current chain and cassette with little to no apparent wear and it's quiet and sparkly.

[jm2e]

I know it sounds tedious but I'm four seasons on my current chain and cassette with little to no apparent wear and it's quiet and sparkly.

Yea, it sounds tedious. I got one of their free samples, but it's still sitting in my garage. What evil shit happens if you just drip that shit on like regular lube without all the elaborate process of masturbating your chain for 24 hours?

[reynolds.trailrun]

Id hate to belabor this thread but anyone use chainsaw bar oil? It seems like if the blue stuff the lbs sold me was better my tree climbing friends would be using it on the saws.

My nose seems to think that bar chain oil (I always used Stihl branded stuff since I have a Stihl saw... drank too much of their kool-aid) and Finish Wet Lube are pretty much the same. Maybe not but they do smell quite similar. Bar chain oil is definitely a bit thicker but way cheaper than the Finish Line lube. Too be honest, when I finish up my current bottle I will probably switch over to the bar chain lube.

I used to use Finish Line teflon dry lube while in KY and Utah. Worked great for most of my riding. Here in the PNW I had to re-lube way too often like every other day. So I switched to wet lube pretty quickly. Now I get a week or two depending on the riding.

[Canada1]

I'm now about 20 rides into using wax again and don't think I'll go back. It is awesome to not have to worry about grease on pants and hands.

[Canada1]

I'm now about 20 rides into using wax again and don't think I'll go back. It is awesome to not have to worry about grease on pants and hands.

It's cheap, it's easy and seems invincible in the bad dust this year from the drought. My kids bikes are the best as it seems they never go on a ride without throwing the chain at least once and now it is no worry because I don't get grease all over .

detruser, I owe you beers.

[54-46]

... I keep one link. marked with bright yellow mechanic's paint on the chain always. Start there and put ONE drop per bushing...no where else on the chain needs it, just the silver bushings themselves...you want to get where the bushing meets the side of the link. ONE drop. Do every bushing individually until you get back to the marked link. Then just run a shop rag along chain after. ...

^ This. I usually clean/lube after every other ride, at least. If you do it after, and use Pro Link (or whatever you like), then the combo of solvent and lube has time to work and isn't as wet when you roll out to ride. Run chain through rag and wipe off after letting the chain sit overnight.

[Roxtar]

Hey does anyone know of a source for the old Chainwax by Bike-Pro? It was also sold under the name Tufwax?

[crashtestdummy]

I've used White Lightning for 15 years without any problems. I got a new bike, so I decided to try Dumond Tech, once again since everyone raves about it. After one ride my chain looked like I'd coated it with honey and drug it through the sand. In spite of the 10+ bottles of Dumond Tech that I have, I went back to White Lightning. And it's dry, dusty southwest desert riding for me.

[gravitylover]

Yea, it sounds tedious. I got one of their free samples, but it's still sitting in my garage. What evil shit happens if you just drip that shit on like regular lube without all the elaborate process of masturbating your chain for 24 hours?

Ehh, a little bit of patience and wipe it well ( a few times) and you'll be fine. Similar diligence each time for the first few applications and you'll be good to go.

I've used White Lightning for 15 years without any problems. I got a new bike, so I decided to try Dumond Tech, once again since everyone raves about it. After one ride my chain looked like I'd coated it with honey and drug it through the sand. In spite of the 10+ bottles of Dumond Tech that I have, I went back to White Lightning. And it's dry, dusty southwest desert riding for me.

Re: Dumonde - You used too much and didn't wipe thoroughly or let it dry sufficiently.

Wax has its purpose, dry and dusty is it. The problem is the chain isn't actually lubed because the wax just sticks to the outside and then falls off when it gets dirty and heavy. That's what it is supposed to do and it does it well. If you resign yourself to replacing chains a bit more frequently it's fine but if you wait too long you're also replacing the cassette and that can get pricey if you ride a lot.

[crashtestdummy]

If you resign yourself to replacing chains a bit more frequently it's fine but if you wait too long you're also replacing the cassette and that can get pricey if you ride a lot.

I ride weekly and my chains and cassettes last for years, except for a pair of XT cassettes that bent and were warrantied. And I've only broken one chain in the last 15 years.

My truck lives in the back of my truck under a shell. When I've used Dumonde, I want to hurl every time I open the shell. I hate that smell.

[gravitylover]

I ride weekly and my chains and cassettes last for years, except for a pair of XT cassettes that bent and were warrantied. And I've only broken one chain in the last 15 years.

My truck BIKE? lives in the back of my truck under a shell. When I've used Dumonde, I want to hurl every time I open the shell. I hate that smell.

Yeah, I tend to get pretty amazing wear on my chains and cassettes too.

I have the worlds worst sense of smell so haven't had that problem but I've heard many times before that the odor is nearly unbearable for some people. It's too bad. So, about those ten bottles

[tahoermk]

Does anyone know if Rock n Roll Blue causes degredation to the plastic parts on MRP g2 mini chain guides and rollers? They say to be careful of certain chemicals, but I can't find any info/ ingredients on the rock and roll labels.

[joetron]

Rocknroll does contain petroleum distallites, but I have had good luck using it on guides for the past 8 years. The guys at MRP had never tested it, so we tested it a few weeks ago and put some plastic guide parts in a bag filled with rnr gold. They sat overnight, fully soaking. No noticeable damage overnight, where apparently the other lubes on MRP's list would have developed cracks and started breaking down.
My experience has been that I smash or bend guides before RnR has any effect.

[tahoermk]

Thanks flowtron, I appreciate the info!

[axebiker]

Does anyone know if Rock n Roll Blue causes degredation to the plastic parts on MRP g2 mini chain guides and rollers? They say to be careful of certain chemicals, but I can't find any info/ ingredients on the rock and roll labels.

Not directly related, but I've been refilling the same little plastic RNR bottle for about 4 years (bought the bulk stuff), and the bottle hasn't had any issues...

[Roxtar]

This thread actually inspired me. I'm planning a move to the drylands of northern NM and would like a good dry lube. Since Chainwax is no longer available I decided to make some of my own. I've got a buddy who's a beekeeper. He's getting me a couple lbs of beeswax. I just bought some paraffin wax blocks on ebay and 4oz of PTFE powder from a piano supply place.
I'm thinking of a 50/50 beeswax/paraffin mixed in with some of the PTFE powder, kept in a small crockpot.

[Canada1]

This thread actually inspired me. I'm planning a move to the drylands of northern NM and would like a good dry lube. Since Chainwax is no longer available I decided to make some of my own. I've got a buddy who's a beekeeper. He's getting me a couple lbs of beeswax. I just bought some paraffin wax blocks on ebay and 4oz of PTFE powder from a piano supply place.
I'm thinking of a 50/50 beeswax/paraffin mixed in with some of the PTFE powder, kept in a small crockpot.

My time in Los Alamos is where I always used wax. There is sand on every ride, and wax was the only way to go. The only thing more plentiful than sand is the goat heads! (Mr. Tuffys)

[Roxtar]

My time in Los Alamos is where I always used wax. There is sand on every ride, and wax was the only way to go. The only thing more plentiful than sand is the goat heads! (Mr. Tuffys)

LA is exactly where I plan to move to.

[Andy_B]

This forum used to kick fucking ass. Tromp MTBR for content with good users. Now we have lube threads?

Has SR died?

At-least no one is listing wattage numbers when comparing chain lube.....

[NuMexJoe]

I'll do ya one better, Brad. Before I got lazy, my routine was to take the chain off, clean it in a 2L bottle with mineral spirits, and then soak/swish in a melted mix of paraffin and molybdenum disulfide. The hang the chain to dry/wipe off. Each treatment was good for several rides so long as things weren't wet, and it never gunked up. If you look into the properties of PFTE vs MoSO2, my recollection is that the moly is a better choice because PFTE requires much higher temps to plate onto metal surfaces. But nowadays, I buy my wax-based chain lube while on road trips as a way to throw a bike shop a bone in exchange for trail beta.
- Joe

This thread actually inspired me. I'm planning a move to the drylands of northern NM and would like a good dry lube. Since Chainwax is no longer available I decided to make some of my own. I've got a buddy who's a beekeeper. He's getting me a couple lbs of beeswax. I just bought some paraffin wax blocks on ebay and 4oz of PTFE powder from a piano supply place.
I'm thinking of a 50/50 beeswax/paraffin mixed in with some of the PTFE powder, kept in a small crockpot.

[Roxtar]

I'll do ya one better, Brad. Before I got lazy, my routine was to take the chain off, clean it in a 2L bottle with mineral spirits, and then soak/swish in a melted mix of paraffin and molybdenum disulfide. The hang the chain to dry/wipe off. Each treatment was good for several rides so long as things weren't wet, and it never gunked up. If you look into the properties of PFTE vs MoSO2, my recollection is that the moly is a better choice because PFTE requires much higher temps to plate onto metal surfaces. But nowadays, I buy my wax-based chain lube while on road trips as a way to throw a bike shop a bone in exchange for trail beta.
- Joe

I was hoping for some new molecular grade, zero friction, NASA stuff that requires high level clearance just to discuss, that you could slip out of the lab.
All our drivetrains would last forever.

No, wait, that might not be a good thing.
Nevermind.

[XXX-er]

So I started using Squirt lube last season which was working pretty good but this season the product came out of the bottle in congealed blobs and did not penetrate the chain

The bottle sez DO NOT let it freeze and since the weather usually hits at least -20 every winter I figured thats how I fucked it up

So I emailed Squirt they got back to me right away and they say the product is a wax and water emulsion, the water is the carrier which evaporates leaving behind the wax so try adding 10% water and shake the bottle

I added a couple teaspoons of hot water and shook the bottle ... it did the trick

[sethschmautz]

I typically use White Lightning, but have recently been considering doing the paraffin wax/oil bath as hyped here. I need to read up on it a bit more, but I do love having the clean chain that I have with White Lightning, and this seems like it might solve the issue of having the wax penetrate the rollers.

Anybody do this?

Seth

[Danno]

So I started using Squirt lube last season which was working pretty good but this season the product came out of the bottle in congealed blobs and did not penetrate the chain

The bottle sez DO NOT let it freeze and since the weather usually hits at least -20 every winter I figured thats how I fucked it up

So I emailed Squirt they got back to me right away and they say the product is a wax and water emulsion, the water is the carrier which evaporates leaving behind the wax so try adding 10% water and shake the bottle

I added a couple teaspoons of hot water and shook the bottle ... it did the trick

good info. I use Squirt, seems to work really well, but I have had the dreaded bottle freeze.

Also, I always give the bottle a good shake before applying.

[bagtagley]

The bottle sez DO NOT let it freeze and since the weather usually hits at least -20 every winter I figured thats how I fucked it up

I'm a fan of Squirt. Same benefits of other wax lubes, but lasts a good bit longer.

They have a low temp version now, BTW. Not sure how low it can go, but this winter while my regular stuff was too thick to use, dude's low temp stuff worked fine.