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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