I always leave the factory grease on. As noted, there are pros and cons, but the main upside is that I'm lazy and not doing anything about it is far easier than doing something about it.
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I always leave the factory grease on. As noted, there are pros and cons, but the main upside is that I'm lazy and not doing anything about it is far easier than doing something about it.
I use Simple Green for bike degreaser duties -- have a spray bottle diluted 50/50 with water for chain-on-the-bike drivetrain cleaning, and a jar with a little heavier concentration (maybe 60/40) for soaking the chain.
The initial degreasing of the factory chain lube takes awhile with that concentration. It's sticky, tenacious stuff.
Is this every chain manufacturer? I've never even noticed when buying a new bike.
Sometimes the OEM lube/grease is so thick it affects shifting in the stand. Then I add lube.
I don’t worry about chain life. It’s gonna wear out whether I care or not.
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As I said, YMMV on the degreasing. I prefer to use a dry lube that doesn't attract dirt. Drivetrains on our bikes last a long time. But, I live in the desert and rarely ride in mud, rain, or even creek crossings. If I rode somewhere it rained a lot, sticky tenacious chain lube would probably work better than what I do now.
Too many huckleberries on the higher mountain trails. A total distraction. Hard to stay focused on the pedaling when your wife wants to stop and pick.
Also roots and rocks in the trail makes it too bouncy on the way down.
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Bought some 700c road tubes last year. Don't get flats often but when I went to use a tube I found it has a Schrader valve. Wtf!
In what alternate reality would these be used? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b4b7adfffc.jpg
I wipe off as much as I can and give it a couple of lube/cleaning sessions with the r&r gold. The packaging grease seems to be more for anti-corrosion purposes and pretty thick.
Anyway, had my first e-bike on a non motorized trail encounter today. Went past a stopped group, going uphill, suddenly there's this guy behind me. Which was kind of surprising because I'm reasonably fast for around here and was on my cross bike. So I let him by. E-bike. I say "uh, I don't think you can ride that here."
His response: "well, apparently I can, because I'm doing it." Then he stops, goes back down the trail. So, he just wanted to show that he could ride uphill faster than me on his ebike I guess. I probably should have taken a picture and shamed him on the local cycling fb group.
The only time I ever use a teflon type lube is on a brand new chain after riding it 2 or 3 times. At that point that sticky grease has started to wear out and the solvent that keeps the flakes in suspension breaks down what's left. After that I let it dry, usually overnight, and then hit it with DuMonde Tech.
You people make chains way more complicated than they are.
People hitting me. I rode mid day through the three day weekend and I now understand why hikers hate us.. seriously, there are shit tons of people riding beyond there abilities resulting in one hit a three misses by inches on one freakin trail that has no redeeming downhill value other than proximity to shuttle.
What trail?
Pinecone.
I fall somewhere in between Canada1's and brutah's opinion of Pinecone as a descent. Regardless, descending it fast and loose mid-day on a holiday weekend is about as stoopid as it gets. Had to be so much uphill traffic on it at the time.
Bike in tray of hitch mount rack on friends truck. Apparently I didn't jam the j arm tight enough for the pothole infested dirt road and my bike jumped out. Dragged 30' by the rear wheel, one spoke is tweaked a bit. Fucked up my Ultra hydros, $215 is the cheapest I can find for a replacement. Searched a bunch and it seems the 8020 hydro doesn't have a lever replacement like the 8000 cable.
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That sucks. I’ve had two trays break over the years, but never any bike damage.
^^^
Bummer, had that happen to me too a while back.
In retrospect, I figured that is what i get for not loading my own bike (or at least checking it after the fact).
1upUSA.
Seriously
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Fucking bottom brackets!