Road Cycling - Lubricants - What is your favorite

Wet or dry? Favorite brand? What is everybody using for their chain and the rest of the bike????

No particular favorite.

I like gin & tonic in the summer, an amber ale after a hard ride, more white wine in summer, more red wine the rest of the year! :D

Tri-flow on the chain, Phil Wood Waterproof Grease on the bearings, talc on the tubes, Pam on the cleats, Redex Udderly Smooth elsewhere. ;)

I sarted using White Lightning on my road chain a few years back and seem to get much more life out of it vs. using a petrolium based lube.

Oiling a chain seems to attract dirt that gets in between the chain's plates and pins and grind them to a pulp. The wax base of White Lightning never attracts dirt. With White Lightning you dont ever get those annoying black chain and sproket marks all over your leg again! You do need to clean the wax off the chain more often though since it tends to build up over time.

Biffster ;)

Road: Finish line Teflon
Cross: Finish Line Cross Country

Tri-Flow for chain and routine lube points.

Finish Line grease for all bearings/cups, etc.


Used Phil Wood exclusively for years but can't hardly find it any more.

WD40 all the way

hahaha j/k

Tri flow for chain and drivetrain

Finish line or phil wood for bearings

Originally posted by SteveE
No particular favorite.

I like gin & tonic in the summer, an amber ale after a hard ride, more white wine in summer, more red wine the rest of the year! :D


Love It! :roflmao: :roflmao:


WD40 for just about everything!

Pro-Link for the chain.
http://www.webmountainbike.com/prolinchainl.html
Tri-Flo for friction points such as derailleur.

KY most of the time, vaseline in a pinch. oh, wait. you mean for the bike. nevermind!

anything wrong with using breakfree CLP? i use it on my guns, its great! i have some in a squeeze bottle. partial drops are very easy to get.

ecco.

Mobil Synthetic. Seriously.

Did somebody say White Lightnin? Not as "lubbey" as Phil Wool Oil but much easier to clean up, and doens't attract dirt.

I've used all of the above lubricants, aside from the Mobil, and none of them top Boeshield. Hard to find but cheap, smooth as glass, long lasting and clean.
http://www.cambriabike.com/tools/boeshield_t9_aerosol.htm

Boeshield was suggested to me and I found it at boat supply stores here in South Florida. I have not used it yet, but will try it next.

Clean your chain thoroughly, apply the Boeshield and let it dry as long as possible. Having a powerlink, I usually take the chain off and lay it in the sun. Let us know if you like it, maybe I'm just crazy ... :D

Boeshield is my favorite! Chain stays clean and quiet. I used Boeshield for years on other things, like saltwater reels and guns, before I discovered bicycles. It's always in my toolbox.

Pedros Ice Wax. Dry or in the rain, it works.

Originally posted by Trsnrtr
Mobil Synthetic. Seriously.
Gear oil?
Transmission Oil?
Engine Oil?


Which?

I use the gear oil on the differentials on my jeep, and find that water turns it into foam with a quickness.

Originally posted by WoodyUpstate
Pedro's Ice Wax. Dry or in the rain, it works. :) Pedro's ice wax is the way to go.Just make sure the chain is very clean before using it.

Finish Line Teflon

Boeshield T9 for summer road bike.

Pedro's Ice Wax for mountain bike.

Wrench Force Slippery Spray for winter bike/wet road rides and derr. pivot points and pedal/cleat lube.

I have been alternating between Dumonde and Rock'N'Roll Gold for my chains. I have yet to try Rock'N'Roll Extreme. Rock'N'Roll is great if you're in a hurry and want to lube and go because it's both a lube and cleaner.

I think it depends on where you live and where you ride. I ride in a very dry desert like climate and found the wax based lubes not very durable, lasting only about 100 to 150 miles. TriFlow did not work that great either and neither did Mobil 1 which is what I use in my cars and it works great for that application. I then tried some stuff called Speed Skate Lube, and that stuff lasted about 300 to 400 miles but was a spray can I did not like that. Then I tried Finish Line Teflon Dry and that is the best lube I have ever used. I left the lube on (as an experiment as I do when ever I try a new lube) for 1,200 miles and the chain never became noisy! I then cleaned the chain just 3 weeks ago because it was getting too black for my taste. I will probably clean the chain every 400-500 miles from now on and reapply the Finish Line product just to be safe. Also the Finish Line Teflon kept my chain cleaner longer than anything I ever used before except for the Speed Skate Lube.

I am so pleased with the performance of the Finish Line Teflon that I was going to try those expensive lubes but see no need for it now. And a bottle of the Finish Line is only about $4 and should last at least 2 years.

Dr zoggs sex wax

Phil Wood Waterproof green grease for all but the chain. ProLube (Link?) for the chain. Have used both for the past several years with good results.

KY jelly for the hubs and bottom bracket:fun:

Hi,

Good thread. I'm beginning to think that there is a fair amount of hokum out there about bike lubricants, and compared to automotive lubes they are expensive. The Bike specific products sold at most bike shops are expensive in comparison and I have to wonder what you are getting for the money. If one took 2 drivetrains, and tested them for 10,000 miles in clean dry conditions the expensive lube might win. What about when you figure in road dirt/grit/grime and water? Who knows.
I'm considering an experiment with synthetic motor oil on one of the bikes, just to compare.

For the moment I have been using Finish Line Cross Country on the road bike chain. It is a bit messy, but does seem to stay put in wet conditions, and I commute all weathers on my road bikes. Cheap all-purpose oil like "3 in 1" is definately poorer and seems to dry out (I think this is actually vegetable based, but don't quote me). Re-packing hubs etc., I have tried white lithium grease, standard autmotive "LM" grease and Finish Line teflon products. None of these last long if the bearing has poor seals, but the white lithium grease seems least able to cope with these conditions.

Sorry for the long post,

Cheers,

Ed

pro-link for the chain, dow corning #44 pure silicone grease for the hubs, headset and anything else with bearings and ivory soap for the cleats.

WL wax on the chain.I heard that shimano makes a dry lube just for clipless pedals.Anybody seen this stuff?

I use/sell a product called Amsoil.

They specialize in synthetic lubricants for macheniery and engines.

Anyhow they make a couple of products that I really like to use on my cycles.

1st is a product called HDMP(Heavy Duty Metal Protector)

A heavy duty spray lubricant fortified with special rust and corrosion inhibitors. Penetrates and adheres to metal surfaces, leaving a long lasting protective coating. Apply MPHD to any metal surface that requires a heavy duty lubricant or is exposed to the damaging effects of salt, moisture or chemical corrosion. Works as an undercoat, leaving a wax-like film. Recommended for motorcycle chains. Won't "sling" off. Dry to the touch. Doesn't attract dust. It is ideal for hinges, wire ropes and springs, nuts and bolts, motorcycle or bicycle chains, and for undercoating car doors, wheel wells, rocker panels, seams and other metal surfaces exposed to water, dirt or road salt

I use this on the chain of both my bicycles and my motorcycle with great success. 16oz can runs about $6 and lasts a long time.

The other product that I use is the synthetic spray grease.

Lastly is the MP, Metal Protector, it's like WD-40 but 10 times better.


AMSOIL Metal Protector (AMSOIL MP) is a synthetic, greaseless all-purpose lubricant that provides metal surfaces with a long-lasting film. It forms no gum or sludge. Its penetrating agents cut through rust and corrosion to allow free movement of hardware parts. Dries electrical and ignition systems, and protects all electrical equipment from moisture, including salt water. Effective in applications as diverse as hardware, household appliances, sporting goods and electrical equipment. No silicone or harmful chemicals

I haven't done any wheel bearing or Bottom Brackets yet, but if I did, I would use the synthetic water resistant great for that.

AMSOIL Synthetic Water Resistant Lithium Complex Grease is an extreme-pressure multi-purpose grease formulated specially for wet-duty performance. Its water washout and sprayoff resistance ideally suit it for use in the wheel bearings of vehicles and trailers frequently exposed to water, mud, snow or ice.


Anyhow, not to toot my own horn but I'm very pleased with the results overall. :beer: :beer:

I was a Tri Flow user for a while but have since gone to Boeshield for chain. Its a much cleaner lube. I also love it for cables/housings, shifters, brake levers, door hinges, just about everthing metal that moves. I use Phil grease on bearings and Phil oil in the freewheel. I prefer astroglide for off the bike activities...

Finish Line Teflon at the shop and Tri Flow or Finish Line at home.

Chain (Normal conditions) - Hot melt paraffin wax for the chains: 70% paraffin, 15% Mineral Oil, 15% Petroline applied by soaking chains in a small deep fryer for 10 minutes. Pedro's Ice Wax when caught out in the rain and my chain wax goes bye-bye.

Chain (Wet, cold & muddy) - WD40 reapplied daily after riding; wipe off the chains before starting a ride.

- Bearings & Cassette Pawls: Phil Wood Waterproof Grease
- Pivots: Phil Wood Tenacious Oil
- S&S Couplings: Dupont teflon bearing grease
- Pedals: Speedplay waterproof grease
- To loosen up the Wife: Tequila

What do you use to clean the chain?

Originally posted by William Karsten
What do you use to clean the chain?

It depends....

If it hasn't rained and the chain only needs more lubrication (e.g., 300 - 500mi or so depending on temp/humidity) I just remove it from the bike, soak it in water, shake off the excess, sit it on top of the cold hardened wax in the "Fry Daddy" and then plug in the Fry Daddy (Note: The latter prevents the wax bath from boiling over which is what would happen if you introduced any room temp or cooler liquid into nearly boiling hot wax).

As the wax heats up the chain sinks into the hot wax bath and two things happen.

1. The old wax on the chain re-melts and any dirt sediment sinks to the bottom of the deep fryer.
2. The water that seeped into the rollers and pins begins to boil which helps to remove old wax then draws in new wax by capillary action as it evaporates.

You let the chain "cook" for 10 minutes or so and then pull it out with a wire hangar or needle nose pliers. Let the wax drip for a second and then lay the chain(s) in a coiled pile to cool on top of a paper towel and several layers of newspaper.

Every once and an while you take the hardened block of wax out of the deep fryer, turn it upside down, and scape the sediment from the bottom to "clean" the wax mixture.

If the chain is exceptionally dirty or has had some other lube applied to it, such as Pedro's Ice Wax after being caught out in the rain, I thow the chain into a parts cleaning bath filled with Citrus degreaser and let it soak for about 5 minutes. After that, it gets a quick scrub with a nail brush down all four sides and then gets hosed off before going into the deep fryer.

For new chains that have factory applied "packing grease" I have a container with diesel fuel that they get soaked in for a few minutes before going into the Citrus bath. The diesel fuel is another chain cleaning/lube product that works well in cold, wet muddy conditions but doubles as a grease solvent. Regardless, any time that you change lubricants (wet to dry, dry to wet, or wet Type A to wet Type B) you really want to be sure to remove all of the previous lubricant so as not to contaminate the new lube.

This may all sound like a lot of work but it's actually not. In fact, I think it takes longer to describe than it does to perform. Moreover, I'll clean and wax several chains at the same time and there are always a few pre-waxed chains in my tool box that I'll put on if it rains while we're away at a multi-day ride event -- like this past weekend at the Georgia Tandem Rally.

By the way, none of this is worth doing if you don't mind having a grimey drive train. Hot melt wax is something that appeals to the clean-freaks. In fact, 30W motor oil and chainsaw lubes are excellent products for keeping your chain nice and slick. Unfortunately, they are equally effective at collecting grit and grime.

Thats to much work on a $25 chain that is replaced at 2000 miles or so.Parktool it 1 or 2 times a month and wipe clean in between.

Originally posted by shokhead
Thats to much work on a $25 chain that is replaced at 2000 miles or so.Parktool it 1 or 2 times a month and wipe clean in between.

That may well be. It all depends on your priorities, expectations and penchant for keeping your bike(s) clean. The wheel and cassette depicted at the following Web page had 6,500 miles of use over two years and that's pretty much what it looks like today with over 10,000 miles. In fact, that's what it looks like most of the time when it's on the bike even after about 300 miles.

http://home.att.net/~mark.livingood/articles/Phil/PhilHubs.html

Well,
my routine is much simpler. I put ProGold and pure Teflon in my citrus cleaner. I give the bottle a shake, and then pour some on a folded paper towel.
I run the chain through 4 times, flipping to get a fresh towel surface. That's it. Once in a while, say once a month, I'll give the chain a shot of ProGold and telfon. I clean the chain like this every time I ride.

KY or vasaline or a pinch.

I keep my bikes pretty darn clean.Chain and cassette are always brite.Wax my frame once a month but thats still a lot of work.More work then the riding.LOL

I use tri-flow. It work really well, but it is pretty dirty looking. I think I might try prolink when the bottle of triflow runs out.

Park Tool cleaning system filled with Simple Green to clean the chain, cassettes, and rings. Pro Link to lube it. It rides soooooo smooth and quiet after I'm done.

Others say that simple green is a big no no.

I considered using brake cleaner (for cars) but it seems a tad bit extreme. Or some B-12 chemtool.

Livngood,

Thanks for your information. Can that be reproduced in an electric pan?

Originally posted by William Karsten
Livngood, Can that be reproduced in an electric pan?

If you only had access to an electric fry pan the recommended approach would be to fill the pan with water and then place a small metal can (e.g., coffee tin) into the water with your wax in the can. Bring the water to a boil around the can which, in turn, melts the wax in the can.

It would also be prudent to take your electric pan out doors or into the garage since melting wax does produce a less than appealing odor and there is the potential for flare ups and/or wax splattering.

Some key safety points to keep in mind:

- Paraffin wax will begin to melt at about 130 degrees
- Water boils at about 212 degrees
- A Fry Daddy heats up to about 360 degrees which is just shy of the boiling point for paraffin wax.
- Paraffin wax has a flash point of about 450 degrees
- All of these temperatures are hot enough to give you 1st or 2nd degree burns in an instant, be careful if you decide to take up this archaic form of chain maintenance. It works well for some of us, but we've been doing it so long that we take the steep learning curve for granted.

What makes the Fry Daddy so effective is that it contains the wax in a relatively small, deep cylinder like a large coffee can, the lining is non-stick, there is no open flame or water involved, and the wax stays in the deep fryer all the time, i.e., after you remove the chains you unplug the deep fryer, you let it cool and then you put it on the shelf with the hardened wax inside until next time. While 360 degrees is a lot hotter than it actually needed for the chain wax treatment, it does ensure that the chain does get fully coated with the wax. However, as another precaution, keep in mind that the chain coming out of the 360 degree deep fryer is also about 360 degrees and will remain to hot to handle with bare hands for up to 15 minutes depending on the air temperature.

There are quite a few Web pages that address the use of paraffin wax for chain lubrication and I'd encourage you do read through some of them. The following is a link to some discussions on the hot melt wax process and recipies: http://catfood.phred.org/query.asp?SearchString=paraffin%20AND%20chain&SortBy=MsgDate%5Bd%5D&Scope=tandem&pg=2

And more links (although not all of them are good) from google: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=paraffin+bicycle+chain+wax&btnG=Google+Search

I'm currently using automotive grease on bearings and automotive Pyroil brand (stinky) penetrant for the chain. I'll be switching to the wax-based white lightning soon.

i am currently using Finish Line's KryTech wax lubricant. bought it from waldo's shop, Arlington Bike Co.

I tried the White Lighting and did not like it. It seemed to be for lack of better language - "gumming things up" or creating a build up - especially between the cogs. I'm now using the LeTour lubricant and like it better thus far, although it is wet and will attract more dirt.

Tried Pedros Cyn Lube at LBS's adivce, never again! Yuck! (what a mess after just 50 mile ride), drive looked like it was dipped in grease. Went back to White Lighting it's my favorite; drive trane stays clean much longer.