Bicycle Mechanics - What lube do you like?

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Im a White Lightning Race person, you?

It seems we are meeting here to much . Or I should be riding more . I have always used bull shot or finish line . I lean more to bull shot though .

Pedro's Syn Road lube (oil based chain lube) and Pedro's Syn grease

Personnaly I have tried a lot of oil brands. Pedro's teflon extra dry lube, Pedro's Syn ATB lube, Tri flown, Fisher teflon lube, Finish line, but never tried out the White Lightning. I heard from a friend that it was really nice. Maybe I should try it. According to me the best lubs that I tried are Pedro's and Finish line.

TriFlow for me! Hasn't failed me yet.

I have found the two chain lubes I like best are Tri-Flo and Finish Line Teflon. I have found that Tri-Flo works best for my road bike. The key is don't use too much. It penetrates well and lubricates for a long time. If you don't use too much, you don't have the dirt retention problem many say it causes.

For my mountain, I have found Finish Line to be good. It holds up in the wet better than Tri-Flo, but it doesn't last as long overall, which is why I still use Tri-Flo on my road.

I have been using White Lightning lately on my mountain bike, and I don't like it. It works out quickly, it's not self cleaning by any means, and now that it winter here in Washington, it doesn't penetrate into cold chains and they arn't lubricated well. For what it costs, it's a big disappointment. It doesn't retain dirt as fast as the other lubes, but dirt and grime still collects in the works. As soon as I've used what I have, I will go back to Finish Line for my mountain bike.

For Chains I've used: tri-flow- works good picks up dirt; Phil Wood lasts a long time picks up dirt worse; Campy Grease- lasts a long,long time especially if applied to a hot chain; Finish-Line works real good- not so much dirt; foam stuff for industrial use- works ok dirties like phil wood: finish line- gets gummy and builds up, not too bad on dirt pickup- use hair-dryer on chain after applying it in cold, putting bottle in micro-wave for a few seconds helps too; Prolink works very well very little dirt pickup!; Dumonde Tech(lite) perhaps best, still on trial, seems to work quite well with almost no dirt pickup
On Brake and Derailleur pivots/pulley and spring butts I prefer to use Silcon spray- does not attract dirt at all just apply a little more often

I've used a motorcycle product, called Maxima Chain Wax, on my bicycle chains for about a dozen years now. It sprays on, stinks like diesel fuel (paraffin base) and dries to a barely sticky consistency. I can ride daily for two weeks without relubing, and it'll stay on in the rain.

The chain wax tends to build up on the links and derailleur parts, but WD40 will dissolve it right off. In fact, you can WD40 the stuff off, and regress to your previous lube if you so desire.

I discovered this stuff after I tired of lubing my motorcycle's chain. (Oil chain with ANY conventional lube, and it spatters the entire rear of the bike for the next 200 miles.) Your friendly Honda-Kawa-Yama-Suzi dealer will sell you a small can for $5, or a large one for $7.

For all threads I've converted to Dupont Teflon. It eliminates galling on components that often seize together. It comes in a little hypodermic tube at $15.00 a pop. I won't put any threads together without it now. If you use S&S couples this is the only lube they will warranty and they have tried them all.

TriFlow and LubriMatic Marine/Wheel Bearing Grease.

KY Warming, cheap and does the jo....

White Lightning here.

boeshield T9 for drivetrain.

erader

Rock n roll here. http://www.rocklube.com/ I have to apply it weekly. It strips the dirt off whilst lubricating, leaving the chain dry ( & shiny Ooooo shiny). I have used this on my MB in real muddy / sandy conditions and the gears have not crapped out where co riders have.

"KY Warming, cheap and does the jo...."
i kept slipping off the saddle

Tri-Flow with Teflon. Works a dream! This thread is old by the way!

Way to ask the question--which lube do you like instead of which one is the best! Kudos. If you're talking chain lube, for my MTB I use my own blend of parrafin wax and Teflon that I cook the chain in (SRAM ProLink baby!) for about 20 minutes. Such a dry lube seems to have worked the best for me here in our extremely sandy conditions. I use a Teflon based dry-lube made by DuPont for my Road Bike.

Just curious, what will you guys use when a key ingredient in making teflon what it is, is removed from the market?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012502041.html

few have heard of this lube, but its one of the best: DuMonde Tech

they're big in car and motorcylce racing lubricants, but also have bike lubes and greases. i first tested it about a month and a half ago on my daily commuter/rain bike and have yet to reapply. plus, its not at its best till after the third application, i cant wait.

Just curious, what will you guys use when teflon is removed from the market later this year?

Huh? I had no idea that it was being removed! I suppose I'll find something else to blend with my wax and I'll use the was on the road bike.

Add one more for Boeshield T-9.

I use the Finish Line Teflon Dry. It keeps the chain clean. I use it every 300 miles or so even though it doesn't really seem to need it then. I clean the chain and cogs then apply. I find if I get a flat (always seemes to be on the rear) my hands don't get as dirty as with other lubs.

Just curious, what will you guys use when a key ingredient in making teflon what it is, is removed from the market?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012502041.html

Uh, where do you see any mention of Teflon being removed from the market?

Purple Extreme for the chain. I used Boeshield T-9 for years and think it is a good lube but it builds up more waxy crud than Purple Extreme.

Al

I've been using Le Tour weatherproof semi-dry chain lube for a couple of years with good results. You have to let the volatile components evaporate for a few hours before you ride or you'll have the stuff all over your bike and your leg. i get it from Branford Bike.

Any motor oil, any marine grease.

Purple Extreme on the chain on the roadie, White Lightning on the mtb. I used Phil grease for a while but I don't tend to be as picky with grease as I do with chain lube. And the Phil stuff isn't cheap. I think I've got some Finish Line or Pedro's grease right now, not sure.

Oh, and holy old tread, Batman!

tri-flow...

http://www.chefswarehouse.com/ImageData/big/GO124.jpg

Pedro's Ice Wax for chains. Pedro's Syn Grease for hubs (and anti-seize). Tri-Flow for light weight lube, other than chains.

I have just bought a 240 ml bottle of white lightning. I've never tried wl before, I ride a road bike on fairly dirty country roads (mud / sand in winter, dust in summer).
To those of you who use wl, how many miles do you get out of an 8 oz bottle?
If it's the top seller in the US it can't be bad right?

I am currently using a 50/50 mixture of LPS 1 and Prolink as my chain lube. Things seems to be working well so far. I like the fact that my drivetrain stays clean and the lube works for a while before needing a re-lube.

I should tell you that this is however an experiment. I was able to get a whole lot of LPS 1 at an extremely reasonable price, hence my decision to use it in conjunction with Prolink. So far, so good.

PS: I ride in SoCal, where the riding condition is mostly dry.

Regards,

Pro-Link on my fair-weather bike. Finish Line XC on the commuter. Tri-Flow is a good lube for everything but chains. It just picks up too much crud.

I've used all of the more common ones mentioned above.

TriFlow was a favorite for many years, and still works fairly well, but attracts dirt & creates grime more than I'd prefer; also seem to need to re-lube more often.
I do like the 'sweet' aroma tho' :p

Pedros SynLube was another longtime fave; similar complaints as TriFlow tho', IMHO.

White Lightning seemed to really need frequent re-lubing, and the drivetrain was fairly noisy.
I gave the nearly full bottle to someone on a beater at a trailhead; He geeked out like I had just given him liquid gold...

#1) I discovered the Boeshield from Nashbar a few years back and it instantly became my favorite for dry/moderate conditions - I use it on absolutely everything on the bike that pivots, etc., as well as chains. It's especially good on cables, and I even put a couple drops on my full-sus shock's tube (Fox) and rub it in a bit with my finger until it dries - I swear it makes the shock WAY SUPPLE on little bumps (no damage to the seal either, in fact it seems to condition the seal).
It did seem to get better and need less re-lubing (chain) after a few doses.
Also smells good like TriFlow!

#2) For rain/muck I really like Finish Line X-Country Lube.
It holds up well in wet conditions - I've commuted about 200 miles lately in nearly constant rain, including a few serious downpours, and playing in mud, and have yet to need to re-lube.
It also makes the drivetrain SILENT.
It does develop a little grime on the derailleur pulleys, but less than most non-"dry" lubes.

I've long been in the habit of wiping down the chain & pulleys with a rag after every ride, so grime and/or waxy build-up is never a real issue for me unless it's extreme (TriFlow). The chain & pulleys also last much longer with regular post-ride wipe downs.

I would agree that motorcycle "wax" lubes would probably work extremely well (I also have used Maxima Chain Wax on motos for years), but I don't like to use any pressurized products on bicycles; too much overspray. Although the anti-shear strength of moto chain lube can't be beat.

As for grease, I really don't think Campagnolo white lithium grease can be beat for any bicycle use.

I've settled on:
1. Finish Line teflon for derailleur pivots and brake caliper pivots
2. General purpose lithium bearing grease for wheel hubs
3. Pedro's Ice Wax for the chain
4. No lubrication for inside of cable housing (but keep them clean)

I currently use Pedro's Ice Wax and Boeshield for the chain (I rotate between them). I only bike on the dry days. So water isn't a problem on the chains. The Bike Lust for the frame.

Just wondering, can I substitute Boeshield for grease? Grease for the bearings, seatpost, etc.

Would it also be a smart idea for me to clean the chain, apply a thin layer of ice wax, then on top of it apply another layer of boeshield? Is that a good idea?

Motion Lotion.

few have heard of this lube, but its one of the best: DuMonde Tech
.
I've tried it. Green stuff in little bolttles. Light and heavy versions. i didn't like it.

Purple Extreme for the chain. I used Boeshield T-9 for years and think it is a good lube but it builds up more waxy crud than Purple Extreme.

Al
Purple Extreme is o.k. I hear it repels water real well. I've tried it but it gets too dirty for me.

I haven't been able to ween myself off of the WL. I know it is out of fashion and everyone wants to move on and discover the next wonder lube, I do to, but I haven't been able to find anything better than White Lightning. There seems to be a few common complaints about it that I don't understand. The biggest complaint seems to be that it doesn't last long enough. I used to ride off road 1-2 hrs a day and only had to re-lube once a week. I don't ride in rain or mud but there are stream crossings. I think most chain oils get dirty too quickly. I'd rather have an unlubed chain than a dirty chain and it's so much easier to lube a chain than clean a chain. I also hear that people don't like how noisy there chain is with WL. I've grown to appreciate that noise-it's what a good clean chain should sound like, most people just don't recognize it for what it is. The other complaint I hear is that it "builds up" too much and makes a waxy mess. That only happens when you apply too much.
Bike chains are not under any temendous torque/load that requires some space age polymer super lube. Any lube will work fine if it is clean. I think the dirt that most lubes collect will create more friction than a dry chain.
If you think about what is happening to a bike chain you'll realize that it isn't doing anything that requires a super lube. The rollers don't rotate very much while under load. The only time they rotate while under load is when they are on the back to top of cassette and top to middle of chainring (or there abouts). Even then they don't have to rotate a lot, maybe 180 degrees. The inner links also pivot on the pins but are only under load at the same time as the rollers. They can't pivot very much, it's less than the roller rotate. It's not like bearings that are constantly rotating. The other friction point is between rollers and cassette/chainring teeth, I have to beleive that this is the lowest friction point unless it is dirty. This is where dirt will create friction.

I currently use Prolink and its the best I've used so far. Very good lubrication performance, it lasts reasonably well and it keeps the chain pretty clean.

Many years ago I started out using light machine oil! I've used Tri flow, went to White Lightning which I thought was good at the time but it had too much build up and not so good in the cold Canberra winter climate. I used Rock & Roll lube for a while but wasn't impressed. Prolink realy impressed me however. Great stuff!

Regards, Anthony

Just wondering, can I substitute Boeshield for grease? Grease for the bearings, seatpost, etc.

Would it also be a smart idea for me to clean the chain, apply a thin layer of ice wax, then on top of it apply another layer of boeshield? Is that a good idea?

Boeshield instead of grease - Not recommended.

Years ago (too many...) I raced BMX for several years and became obsessed with light weight (still am) and reducing/eliminating friction.
I used only oil in the hub bearings in place of grease for a while.
I don't recall the specific results (damage, etc.), but recall quickly switching back to proper grease.
Due to very high specific point-pressure loading between the balls and races, bearings (including roller-type) that carry any real loading (bike hubs & BB's) simply need grease for anti-shear qualities and "cushioning".
Bearings can be ruined in short order if they experience any significant loading without proper grease.

Layering different lubes - Again, not recommended.
1) Too much hassle.
2) Different lubes will likely have different base chemicals & volatiles - A particular lube's base & volatiles may very well strip the other lube's essential lubricity.
In plain English - They can defeat each other.

My advice - If you can have only one:

Boeshield for everything except bearings.

It's very inexpensive compared to some of the more esoteric products, lubricates & quiets well since it has just enough oilyness, and stays very clean, especially if allowed to set-up overnite.
I you could combine only the best qualities of Tri-Flow, X-Country and the various "Wax/Dry" lubes, you'd have Boeshield.
I'm impressed (hard to do), and I simply don't know how it could be improved upon.

Bearings:
Just about any decent white lithium grease will do for bearings.
The lithium is what provides the anti-sheer quality that bearings need.
It can be found economically in auto parts stores, etc.
Try to get a better quality brand, but be sure it's lithium based (sometimes referred to as "lithium soap").
The white versions seem to have just the right consistency and weight for bicycle use, and I think tend to stay a bit cleaner when exposed.
I prefer Campy because it seems to work in the long term just that *little* bit better than the generics, with no particular shortcomings or drawbacks.
I've tried Phil and many others, but haven't found any that I feel work as well all around as Campy.

Rock "N" Roll Gold (http://www.rocklube.com/products_detail_gold.html) Follow their directions and it works like magic. Smooth, quiet, clean drivetrain. What else could you ask for in a chain lube?

Anybody know the functional difference, other than price, between:
Rock N Roll Gold: http://www.rocklube.com/products_detail_gold.html
Rock N Roll Absolute Dry: http://www.rocklube.com/products_detail_absolutedry.html

Anybody know the functional difference, other than price, between:
Rock N Roll Gold: http://www.rocklube.com/products_detail_gold.html
Rock N Roll Absolute Dry: http://www.rocklube.com/products_detail_absolutedry.html

I think olive oil would be a healthier choice :D

everyone should stop thinking so hard about lubes. Bicycles are not very demanding so anything works. The question should be how often and how much to use. I've been wrenching for over 30 years and I simply like a clean chain and most bikes I see that the owners use White Lightning on have build up White Lightning instead of built up gunk. And from 10 yards away I can tell if someone is using Triflow from a drip bottle, too much lube and lots of gunk. So any lube is good but Finish Line Dry puts down a very light amount of lube on the chain and also dries up to a light wax film in a minute, keeping the chain pretty clean and without the build-up of too much lube

everyone should stop thinking so hard about lubes.

Maybe everyone already has stopped thinking about it--like three years ago? Kidding.

Dry lubes in general are a recipe for a clean chain with a short life. The pin and it's bushing are actually under a very high pressure per square inch when they are under load, due to the small contact area. Not just any lube will do the job equally. Lubrication experts recommend a lube with an extreme pressure additive, like that found in gear lubes.

Most people don't know that the wear on the rollers in much larger than the wear on the pins and it's bushing. When chain reaches, .5% elongation, each pin and bushing has a combined wear of .0025 inch. A roller with that mileage might have an OD that is .005 inch smaller and an ID that, is .010 inch larger.

I've done chain wear testing that proves that not all light oils are up to the job. WD-40 contains 20-30% oil, just like my homebrew lube but it will produce about half the chain life.

I use homebrew made either with synthetic motor oil or better yet, 80/90W gear lube, that has EP additives. This lubes cost a few cents per ounce rather than $1-2 per ounce.

I don't actually use any lubricants on my bike, but I DO enjoy talking about the subject....

Maybe everyone already has stopped thinking about it--like three years ago? Kidding.

This thread began in 1999. :twitchy:

This thread began in 1999. :twitchy:

What's old is new again! :backpedal: