Chaain lube

Javier said:

I've noticed that after a good 25-30 mile ride my chain and drive train
look really dirty. While I clean the drive train after each ride, I'm
now realizing that it's time to switch lube due to the road conditions
I ride in. I've been using finishline wet lube, which turns into a mess
after one ride. Would switching over to a dry lube make a big
difference? I don't mind cleaning and lubricating the drive train on my
road bike after every ride. I just don't want to kill the drive train.

I'm not a fan of dry lubes.

Did you wipe off all the excess lube from the outside of the chain before
riding?

I don't think you need to clean your road bike chain that often unless you
ride in rain or dirt. If it's wet, wipe if off with a rag to prevent rust.

Art Harris

I've tried many different types of lubricant over the last five years,
riding mountain bikes and road bikes. I found that the dry, wax-type
lubes do not last long and do not provide the level of lubrication I
was looking for. I have tried all kinds of wet lube and finally
settled on pro-link chain lube. It goes on quite thin and seems to
stay on the chain for long rides. It does not attract dirt and I find
after a ride I can just put the bike in the work stand and wrap the
chain with an old towel, spin the chain through it, add a few more
drops and the chain is quite clean. With this method, I only do a
total removal and de-greasing of the chain every one to two months
depending on how much I am riding. I use it now as my one and only
lubricant for all of my bikes.

-AJ

Javier said:

I've noticed that after a good 25-30 mile ride my chain and drive train
look really dirty. While I clean the drive train after each ride, I'm
now realizing that it's time to switch lube due to the road conditions
I ride in. I've been using finishline wet lube, which turns into a mess
after one ride. Would switching over to a dry lube make a big
difference? I don't mind cleaning and lubricating the drive train on my
road bike after every ride. I just don't want to kill the drive train.

Javier

No need to lube after every ride. Use Prolink, apply onto a dry chain
the night before. Don't relube until when you ride it sounds like a
bird is in your pocket(chirping of the dry chain). Lube after that
ride, but not right before the ride. Most use too much, lube too often.

AJmtnbiker said:

I've tried many different types of lubricant over the last five years,
riding mountain bikes and road bikes. I found that the dry, wax-type
lubes do not last long and do not provide the level of lubrication I
was looking for. I have tried all kinds of wet lube and finally
settled on pro-link chain lube.

Same here, tried both dry & wet - dry is cleaner but doesn't last at
all, and the "squeaks" start soon. Wet lasts much longer but can pick
up crud. Pro-link seems the best compromise, lasts longish and doesn't
pick up crud.

Tips for lubricating chains: Warm lube or a warm chain will help the
lube penetrate (obviously most true for wax-based stuff). This seems to
be important when the bikes are stored at around 40 F (~5 C). Warmth,
time, or working the links a bit allows the lube to penetrate into the
roller where it is needed. Wipe off *after* allowing for penetration.

Mark

Spray on dry lubes don't generally work that well, as they rely on an
evaporative vehicle to transport the lubricating agent, usually teflon
particles or wax into the working parts of the chain. Both of these
take time to penetrate the plates efficiently to do their stuff
properly, and the vehicles usually dry too quickly to allow propper
penetration.

Wax can be applied at home, but in order to to achieve the required
results it must be allowed to penetrate completely. If you're wiling to
take the time an effort, it should give you the results you want:
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner/tech3.html

- -
Comments and opinions compliments of,
"Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

My web Site:
http://geocities.com/czcorner

To E-mail me:
ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net

On Sun, 29 Jan 2006 15:20:00 -0500, [email hidden]
(Chris Z The Wheelman) wrote:

[---]

Quoted message said:

Wax can be applied at home, but in order to to achieve the required
results it must be allowed to penetrate completely. If you're wiling to
take the time an effort, it should give you the results you want:
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner/tech3.html

There are a number of inconsistencies in that article, which strike me
every time it comes up here:

Firstly, it advises washing the chain in water:

Quoted message said:

Take your cleaned chain, or new chain (a new chain doesn't need to be
cleaned in solvent), and submerge it in a tub (or sinkfull) of water.
Don't worry, it wont rust. It won't be wet long enough. Make sure you
get water in between all the link plates, that's what's going to clean
your chain.

Fair enough, but then, when referring to the chain being submersed in
heated wax:

Quoted message said:

In a little while you will hear a bubbling noise. that is not the wax,
but the water trapped between the links of your chain boiling. As it
boils out, it carries with it all the embedded dirt, grime, old lube
and worn particles of metal. Your chain hasn't been this clean since
you bought it!

Where is all that rubbish coming from, if it was previously removed by
washing the chain in water?

And finally, if the intent is to re-use the wax, as could be surmised
from:

Quoted message said:

A pound of wax will run you about $1.50 and that should last you about
a year

Does all the "embedded dirt, grime, old lube and worn particles of
metal", which got flushed into the wax the previous time it was used,
then contaminate the chain, if the same wax is used again to lubricate
the chain a second time?

Chris Z The Wheelman said:

Wax can be applied at home, but in order to to achieve the required
results it must be allowed to penetrate completely. If you're wiling to
take the time an effort, it should give you the results you want:
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner/tech3.html

Wax can be applied at home without doing the comlete "dissassemble and
dunk" routine.

I hang the bike, wipe the chain down with paper towels, then apply the
wax about 10" at a time to the lower run of the chain by scraping it on
like a crayon.

I use a propane torch on low flame to preheat each 10" of chain, then
crayon the wax on, then re-heat until I see it flow into the links.
Backpedal 10" and repeat until done, then wipe off the excess. I use a
foot-square sheet of aluminum hanging from the chainstay to protect the
tire, etc.

And my wax has about 5% oil (either motor oil or gear lube) blended in.
This cures the problem of "not working in the rain." I do have to
melt a pot of wax once to do that blending, but from then on, I just
chip out a new "crayon" once every year or so.

This method takes about as long as applying a liquid by the
one-drop-on-each-pivot method, which is what I used to use. Chains
seem to last as long, and the bike is twenty times cleaner.

- Frank Krygowski

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Javier said:

I've noticed that after a good 25-30 mile ride my chain and drive train
look really dirty. While I clean the drive train after each ride, I'm
now realizing that it's time to switch lube due to the road conditions
I ride in. I've been using finishline wet lube, which turns into a mess
after one ride. Would switching over to a dry lube make a big
difference? I don't mind cleaning and lubricating the drive train on my
road bike after every ride. I just don't want to kill the drive train.

Javier

No need to lube after every ride. Use Prolink, apply onto a dry chain
the night before. Don't relube until when you ride it sounds like a
bird is in your pocket(chirping of the dry chain). Lube after that
ride, but not right before the ride. Most use too much, lube too often.

How does Pedro's Ice Wax compare to ProLink, in your opinion?

Quoted message said:

This method takes about as long as applying a liquid by the
one-drop-on-each-pivot method, which is what I used to use. Chains
seem to last as long, and the bike is twenty times cleaner.

Sounds like a good method. Just curious... how long do your chains last
(distance), how do you decide it is time for a new one, and what sort
of weather do you ride in?

Javier said:

I've been using finishline wet lube, which turns into a mess
after one ride. Would switching over to a dry lube make a big
difference? I don't mind cleaning and lubricating the drive train on my
road bike after every ride. I just don't want to kill the drive train.

I guess you can use a wax lube, but here in the frozen (well, not
frozen, it's been pretty damn warm. it's almost 50F at almost 5AM)
northeast US, I've been using Shell's Omala gear oil. To keep the crud
down, I clean the chain in the ultrasonic tank, then dry at 300F for 15
mins, and while still hot, hang from a nail and hit it with the oil.
The heat helps the rather thick oil penetrate. Wait a bit and wipe off
_all_ of the excess while still warm. It's cheap and very effective,
and if you've done a good job of wiping, it doesn't collect much crud.

If you're paranoid, use 2 chains. Swap after each ride. Use some sort
of magic link.

--
BMO

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chris Z The Wheelman said:

Wax can be applied at home, but in order to to achieve the

required

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

results it must be allowed to penetrate completely. If you're

wiling to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

take the time an effort, it should give you the results you

want:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

http://www.geocities.com/czcorner/tech3.html

Wax can be applied at home without doing the comlete

"dissassemble and

Quoted message said:

dunk" routine.

I hang the bike, wipe the chain down with paper towels, then

apply the

Quoted message said:

wax about 10" at a time to the lower run of the chain by

scraping it on

Quoted message said:

like a crayon.

I use a propane torch on low flame to preheat each 10" of

chain, then

Quoted message said:

crayon the wax on, then re-heat until I see it flow into the

links.

Quoted message said:

Backpedal 10" and repeat until done, then wipe off the excess.

I use a

Quoted message said:

foot-square sheet of aluminum hanging from the chainstay to

protect the

Quoted message said:

tire, etc.

And my wax has about 5% oil (either motor oil or gear lube)

blended in.

Quoted message said:

This cures the problem of "not working in the rain." I do

have to

Quoted message said:

melt a pot of wax once to do that blending, but from then on, I

just

Quoted message said:

chip out a new "crayon" once every year or so.

This method takes about as long as applying a liquid by the
one-drop-on-each-pivot method, which is what I used to use.

Chains

Quoted message said:

seem to last as long, and the bike is twenty times cleaner.

You are kidding, aren't you? I have been riding every day (well,
five or six days a week) in the rain for the last month -- and
not just a little rain. A lot of rain -- sometimes inches of
standing water. Even heavy lubrication lasts maybe a day or two.
The chances of me fiddling around with propane torches after I
get home from work is zero. Lately, I have been using a ProLine
product I got off a sale table at Performance. It is supposedly
made for cruddy weather and application on a dirty chain. It
seems to stay put for a day or two and builds up less crud than
30 weight, which is all I use when it is dry. -- Jay Beattie.

Quoted message said:

I'm not a fan of dry lubes.

Quoted message said:

Did you wipe off all the excess lube from the outside of the chain before
riding?

Quoted message said:

I don't think you need to clean your road bike chain that often unless you
ride in rain or dirt. If it's wet, wipe if off with a rag to prevent rust.

Quoted message said:

Art Harris

Yup, I wiped off the chain, it just seems to get grimmy really fast.

Javier

Javier said:

I've noticed that after a good 25-30 mile ride my chain and drive train
look really dirty. While I clean the drive train after each ride, I'm now
realizing that it's time to switch lube due to the road conditions I ride
in. I've been using finishline wet lube, which turns into a mess after one
ride. Would switching over to a dry lube make a big difference? I don't
mind cleaning and lubricating the drive train on my road bike after every
ride. I just don't want to kill the drive train.

I use wet lubes too. Try wiping your chain *before* each ride. Oil on
the outside of the chain doesn't do anything for you but collect dirt.
Run the chain through a rag until it comes clean.

Between rides more oil will seep out, so you'll need to wipe before riding
again.

Eventually enough oil will have seeped out that the inside is too dry,
resulting in squeaks and stiff shifting. This is when it's
time to clean and relube.

Matt O.

Quoted message said:

No need to lube after every ride. Use Prolink, apply onto a dry chain
the night before. Don't relube until when you ride it sounds like a
bird is in your pocket(chirping of the dry chain). Lube after that
ride, but not right before the ride. Most use too much, lube too often.

How does Pedro's Ice Wax compare to ProLink, in your opinion?[/QUOTE]

I agree with Peter. It's hard to beat Prolink. I've used motor oil, chainsaw oil and Pedro's wax products. They all work. But Prolink is easy to put on, attracts less dirt, and works for a reasonable amount of time. A bottle lasts my wife and I for a season in the Boston area.

Steve Shapiro

Quoted message said:

The chances of me fiddling around with propane torches after I
get home from work is zero. Lately, I have been using a ProLine

Do you mean Prolink? Prolink's my choice.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Javier said:

I've noticed that after a good 25-30 mile ride my chain and drive
train look really dirty. While I clean the drive train after each
ride, I'm now realizing that it's time to switch lube due to the
road conditions I ride in. I've been using finishline wet lube,
which turns into a mess after one ride. Would switching over to a
dry lube make a big difference? I don't mind cleaning and
lubricating the drive train on my road bike after every ride. I just
don't want to kill the drive train.

Javier

No need to lube after every ride. Use Prolink, apply onto a dry chain
the night before. Don't relube until when you ride it sounds like a
bird is in your pocket(chirping of the dry chain). Lube after that
ride, but not right before the ride. Most use too much, lube too
often.

My chain's rollers rattle before they squeak, and this drives me nuts.
Don't you have the same problem with your fixie? Derailleur systems don't
have this problem as severely because they don't generate enough chain
tension over rough roads to reach the critical vibration frequency.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Ron Ruff said:

Quoted message said:

This method takes about as long as applying a liquid by the
one-drop-on-each-pivot method, which is what I used to use. Chains
seem to last as long, and the bike is twenty times cleaner.

Sounds like a good method. Just curious... how long do your chains last
(distance), how do you decide it is time for a new one, and what sort
of weather do you ride in?

Honestly, I can't tell you how many miles my chains last. I've finally
started to keep maintenance records, so in a few years I might be able
to say. But one of the reasons I got interested in waxing chains was
an article (from decades ago) in a now-defunct road bike magazine. The
author kept detailed records of his chain life using about a dozen
different lubes. (FWIW, this was in the days before tiny boutique
bottles of repackaged chainsaw oil and the like.) Anyway, the
paraffin-lubed chain lasted the longest by far.

Admittedly, he was doing the full-blown hot dip method, so it may not
apply to my method.

I usually decide it's time for a new one when I start getting skipping
on the smallest rear cog when I stand to sprint. Sometimes I get more
conscientious and measure, usually allowing a max of 1/16" over-length
in 12".

I generally avoid riding far in the rain. For example (mea culpa) I
won't bike in to work (7 miles) if it's raining when I leave. I
usually will if they're predicting rain for the ride home.

Also, I do run fenders most of the time, and I feel this helps.

Even if this method of lubing were no better for chain life, I'd do it
for the cleanliness. I'm no neat freak, but I really don't like black
gunk over everything on the bottom half of a bike. And I'm too busy
(or lazy) to clean the bike regularly.

- Frank Krygowski

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message news:oVBDf.80910$0G.24149@dukeread10...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The chances of me fiddling around with propane torches after

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

get home from work is zero. Lately, I have been using a

ProLine

Quoted message said:

Do you mean Prolink? Prolink's my choice.

That's it. I wouldn't waste the money during the summer. In
fact, I hate spending that kind of money on a lubricant at any
time of the year. But it does go on easy and gives me good
lubrication without turning into a mess -- as 30w will do when
applied so frequently. -- Jay Beattie.