In article <[email hidden]>,
Rick Onanian said:John Everett said:The prime directive of chain
maintenance is: Never Lubricate a Dirty Chain.
Actually, a semi-clinical study done by one rec.bicycles person has
produced results slightly in favor of _not_ cleaning the chain,
certainly well enough to cast doubt on the idea that one should
Never Lubricate a Dirty Chain.
I don't think so much in terms of cleaning a chain,
as /drying/ it. Cleaning a chain is largely prep'ing
for drying it. Subsequent lubrication of the chain
facilitates the next cleaning/drying operation, and helps
prevent rust.
Never lubricate a /wet/ chain (including wet by
previous lubrication).
If there's a lot of crud sticking to a chain, it's
because the chain is wet. Dry dust mostly just
flings off. So in more arid climes, chain cleaning
just isn't so often necessary. And that white, waxy
stuff like White Lightning is certainly good enough.
Making a wet chain wetter (no matter what it's wetted
with) just makes it attract more crud, and more crud
attracts more moisture. It's a downward spiral.
The wetness provides a vehicle for gritty particles to
work their ways into pin/roller/sideplate interfaces,
as well as getting all over your rear der, cogset and
chainrings. Rear derailers don't shift very well when
their moving parts are clogged with muck & goop inflicted
upon them by dirty chains.
I guess it's mostly particles with a Moh's hardness rating
higher than the chain's, that would cause wear. That would
include powdery silicates. I don't care too much about
preserving my chain because it's just a cheap-o, $10 KMG
knock-off of a PC-48 anyway. But I do want to keep my
dependable, old Exage rear der going for awhile. That's
what I /really/ keep clean & lubed. Maintaining the chain
is just a by-product and side-issue of that endeavour. But
if you're gonna maintain one, might as well maintain both.
If the crud is really thick, sooner or later you'll bring
your bike into your girlfriend's apartment, and it'll drop
off your chain onto her carpet like brownie batter off a
wooden spoon (at least that's how she'll see it), and she'll
moidalize ya. So, there's an incentive for bicycle hygiene.
Of course if a chain is that cruddy, the undersides of the
fenders will really be laden with all kinds of [censored]. When that
stuff dries out and falls on the floor, one is really in deep
doo-doo, because it makes a visibly bigger mess, even though
it's easier to sweep up than chain crud.
Anyhow, whether or not you opt to commit to the drudgery of
chain cleaning, I heartily recommend not bringing your bike
at all into your S.O.'s abode on rainy days.
cheers,
Tom
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