Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - What's your favorite lube?

Doc Johnsons :D

Seriously though, I'm almost out of Tri-Flow and was wondering what all everyone likes. So far I've had great results with Tri-Flow, but I'm open to trying new things?

Any suggestions? Likes and dislikes?

Thanks!

I've been using Dumonde Tech Lite (http://www.dumondetech.com/ProductBicycle.html). It might be my imagination, but I haven't had to lube as often as with other lubes.

Hard to beat Tri Flow IMHO.

I must be mellowing somewhat. It's not like me to not take a swing at such a well served pitch...........

Hard to beat Tri Flow IMHO.

I must be mellowing somewhat. It's not like me to not take a swing at such a well served pitch...........

Yeh...I'm leaving the hanging curve for someone else, too...

Yeh...I'm leaving the hanging curve for someone else, too...

But low hanging fruit is the tastiest fruit!

I buy a twin pack of Finish Line each year. It's got a 7oz bottle of both the "dry" and "wet" formula, which gets me through the entire year for 3 bikes.

I'm considering dropping the coin for a bottle of Chain-L (there's a guy on the forums who pushes it in his sig file.) I've read about it, as well as talked to some of the other randos in my club, and they're pretty happy with the stuff; even if it is a painstaking process to put the stuff on.

In the last year I've been alternating between TriFlow, Pedros Road Rage and Finish Line 2 Step. My observation-

Pedros is slickest, but the chain gets dirty quicker. I keep wiping the chain and it stays oily.

Finish Line is OK, nothing special, seems to wear off fastest and leaves a dry chain.

TriFlow is good, doesn't pick up dirt as fast, maybbe doesnt stay on the chain as long.

I ride 50/50 dirt and pavement. The dirt is S. NV hardpack and sand.

Aww geez.... I was expecting some real zingers here. I leave disappointed. :notamused:

I switched from Dumonde Tech Light to Purple Exterme (http://www.purpleextreme.com/) about 2 years ago. I like the way the stuff works and it doesn't attrack dirt like the Dumonde did. I get around 400-500 miles between lubes, but a lot of times I do lube sooner because of the ride I doing, I do double and triple centuries. In the winter I relube around 200-300 miles. Purple Extreme has a cleaner call Golden Degreaser that does an excellent job cleaning the drive train.

Lately I've been using alternating between the Rock n Roll Gold and the red Absolute Dry version. Seems to stay cleaner with less muck that before (some version of Lightning).

What's your favorite lube? Do you mean on the bike or on the rider?

I like FinishLine myself! Very neat and works well.

I use TriFlow at times but don't care for it. Mostly since it spray all over the frame and wheels after application, usually atleast 2 rides. I try wiping to remove excess but always makes a mess. Finishline doesn't make the mess.:thumb:

Only time I buy TriFlow is when I get them confused at the shop cause the labels are similar:D

Pro-link - used by most of the mechanics I know. Expensive but worth it!

I can also tell you those same mechanics would never ever think of using Tri-Flow on a bike. :eek:

Dznuts

Pro-link - I can also tell you those same mechanics would never ever think of using Tri-Flow on a bike. :eek:



Why is that? I had mechanics suggest I use Boeshield's lube, of course it was $9 compared to the $3 of Finishline.

It wasn't any better than FinishLine and also very messy!:mad:

I've been using ProLink ProGold lube for the last couple of years. It gets lots of recs over in the roadie forum. Seems to work well, certainly better than anything that doesn't cost a fortune or require a special order....

Prolink Progold for chain, Tri-flow for everything else :) Mountain bike differs in that it gets Ice Wax or White Lightning on the chain, its ridden on dusty limestone trails, oil is bad news for those conditions.

I also use Park Polylube1000 grease, I have a 1lb tub that should last me...the rest of my life :)

I am not schooled in the lube brands. For a while I was just using a 2 & 1 oil I had in my garage. It would get messy after a while. This past Christmas I asked Santa for a chain cleaner. I got one and it came with some kind of Teflon Dry Lube. Much cleaner but it seems like I have to re-lube after a couple of rides because my chain gets noisy going through the rear cassette/derailer(i don't feel like spelling it right) area. I was told or read that when that gets noisy you need to apply more lube to the chain.

I've found thinner lubes wash off quicker in wet weather. Thicker "wet" lubes attract more dirt. Pick your poison.

I've used both, and I'm currently using a wet lube by Finish Line (can't remember the name). I'm also removing the chain every now and again and cleaning it in mineral spirits, then soaking it in a mixture of mineral spirits and bar oil (for chain saws). Although this gets the chain very clean and well-lubed, it's too much of a pain to do every time.

My preference now is ProGold Prolink chain lube. :thumb: I switched from Finish Line's Ceramic Wet Lube -- it worked well but the chain/drivetrain always seemed to have a black residue no matter how often it was lubed & wiped it down. :(

Haven't tried it yet, but I've heard some good things about Rock & Roll Absolute Dry (Red).

Liquid Wrench's Super Lubricant. Works as well as Tri-Flow for less then half the price.

Depends on the season for me.

From mid-October through early May (now), I much prefer wet chain lube, like Finish Line Cross Country Wet Lube (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1030952_-1_1526500_1523500_400042). It snows enough here for the state to spread lots of salt on the roads, but not enough to wash it all off the road surface when things dry out. The dry and powdery and salty debris rusts my chain, if I try to use a dry lube. I have to clean my drive train more often when I use wet lube, though. Your chain and cogs get really gritty and nasty after a rain/snow.

You need a few good rain showers to wash all of that salt off the road to switch to dry lube. It can still snow here in late April and early May (it snowed last week, actually), but the ground is too warm for ice to build-up on the streets.

After some serious chain and cog cleaning, I'm switching to triflow dry lube sometime over the next week or so.

ProGold Prolink. Just bought some of this @ REI. (http://www.rei.com/product/760720) I just applied it for the first time, so no results to report. It gets high marks from others who have tried it in my club.

I use the Teflon Finish lube.

I currently have Boeshield and Pro-Link. Both seem fine and I don't believe I can really tell the difference. I remove and clean my chain with Simple Green/hot water every few months and then apply lubricant. My chain cleaning is not based on me seeing dirt build up but rather on me noticing chain noise or less responsive shifting. I probably reapply lube once or twice between actually removing and cleaning the chain. I love the power link that comes with SRAM chains as it makes it easy to remove and clean!

:Di like" her" natrual luv lube

:Di like" her" natrual luv lube

Does that come in a spray or a squeeze bottle?

Pro-link - used by most of the mechanics I know. Expensive but worth it!

I can also tell you those same mechanics would never ever think of using Tri-Flow on a bike. :eek:

Thank you for your suggestion!

From the responses here it would appear that many people are using some flavor of tri-flow, would you mind sharing the reason why your bike mechanic friends shy away from it? I, and I assume the other users of tri-flow, would really like to know.

Thanks!

Pro Link Gold from when I was MTB ing a lot.
Felt like I had to re-apply often to keep things from rusting etc. With 4-5 family bikes in operation, that was a pain.


Currently using Park's CL-1 as it was all the nearest LBS had on hand when I ran out of ProLink.
It's been good so far.

Pro Link Gold from when I was MTB ing a lot.
Felt like I had to re-apply often to keep things from rusting etc. With 4-5 family bikes in operation, that was a pain.


Currently using Park's CL-1 as it was all the nearest LBS had on hand when I ran out of ProLink.
It's been good so far.

This was my experience with ProLink Gold, too. Good lube, but it was necessary to reapply it every couple hundred miles...which means ten days to two weeks for me, and before and after every century ride. The Dumonde seems to last forever, and they recommend reapplication only when the drive train starts getting noisy. I went over 800 miles before I needed to reapply. I've now got over 1200 miles on a ten speed chain with zero noticeable wear. A couple of the other lubes mentioned in this thread (Chain-L and Purple Extreme) seem similar, but I have no experience with them. I might try one of them when I run through this bottle of Dumonde Tech...which at my present rate of consumption won't be until some time around 2012.

I've been using some random Motorcycle chain lube from a spray can that was a leftover from my grandfathers shed(I've only been back to riding in the last 3 years, before this bikes were toys). Then I bought another newer can of similar stuff last year. This year I've just been using 10W-30 in an old oil can, I know this will give some folks chills, but the chains are happy. I see a lot of chains where people don't bother to lube at all. I will be switching to some tenatious or tri-flow when I put the new chain on my Fuji. I'm building the Fuji up and thus will be taking a bit more persnickety care of it, until now my bikes have all been run-of-the mill cheapies, just keep the chain lubed and don't worry about it too much.

I never even considered motorcycle chain lube. I converted my internal combustion bike to belt drive a L-O-N-G time ago - I wonder how PJ-1 would work on a bicycle chain.

From the responses here it would appear that many people are using some flavor of tri-flow, would you mind sharing the reason why your bike mechanic friends shy away from it? I, and I assume the other users of tri-flow, would really like to know.

I started using it because it was highly recommended and easy to find. I keep using it because it seems to lubricate very well, it lasts a long time, and the chain never seems to get very dirty. I also like the fact that ProLink seems to work equally well on my road bikes and mountain bikes. No need to use a separate lube for off-road riding. It does seem to do better with some drying time. If you're the type to squirt lube on the chain then immediately go for a ride, ProLink might not be for you. I generally apply it immediately after a ride, wipe off the excess, then let it sit overnight.

It's been a long time since I've used Tri-Flow. My impression was that it needed fairly frequent application to keep the chain looking good and running smoothly. I use Tri-Flow on lots of stuff... just not bicycle chains.

I never even considered motorcycle chain lube. I converted my internal combustion bike to belt drive a L-O-N-G time ago - I wonder how PJ-1 would work on a bicycle chain.

My guess is PJ-1 would be a sticky mess. Then again, it worked just fine on my quads I had growing up. I dunno, it would be iteresting to find out.

Pro Link is specifically designed for use on bicycle chains.

This is the product desctription:

"ProLink Chain Lube will not let dirt and grit stick to your chain – in wet or dry conditions. It greatly reduces friction and wear, allowing smoother operation of your chain and cables, and it will keep your chain and drive train area clean and seemingly drag free. ProLink is a thin-bodied lubricant that uses MFR technology, a molecule which bonds to the metal surface. It does not build up or become tacky because it contains no solids like Teflon, wax, moly, graphite or plastic."

I have used alot of lubes including the waxes (White Lightning) and graphites( Pedro's) and find Prolink to be the cleanest. I have less buildup on my chain between cleanings. I really am sold on Prolink.

Here is the description for Tri-Flow:

"Superior Lubricant Drip Bottle
Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant provides twice the lubricating power of most competitive brands. Its light viscosity allows for deep penetration into hard to reach moving parts. High grade petroleum oils provide optimum lubrication under extreme temperatures (-60 to 475F) and humidity. Formulated solvents soften and remove dirt and contaminants, while special additives displace moisture and prevent rust and corrosion"

Tri-Flow is a general lubricant good for keeping door hinges from getting rusty. Not certain I would want to use it on something so delibcate and intricate as chain links. Plus dirt builds up becasue of the ils. I can tell immediately looking at a chain who uses what lube.

Many years ago, in a time and place far away, I would ride my bike and never lube it. I didn't know I was suppose to. I took the bike in once a year for a tune up. I now generally lube my chain (specially on the mountain bikes) before every ride. My road bike maybe every other or 2 rides. ProLink cleans the chain and keeps the grit from grinding things up. I never have trouble shifting and my bikes work without an issue.

I will agree with the prolink needing to dry overnight. When you put it on it is pretty wet, and will bring out the dirt in your chain. I put a drop on each roller, backpedal the crank (I do all this in my Park PCS-9 workstand) and after its worked in real good, I hold a rag over the chain and backpedal again to wipe off excess. After it dries overnight, the chain looks dry but is very well lubed, and everything stays pretty clean.

I wont use any product that is dumb enough to state to wait until the chain is noisy to re-apply. If a chain starts making noise, damage is likely already happening. Keep 'em lubed and they should last. I oil my chain once a week or once every 5 rides. That does not use much oil at all. Would you run your car engine oil until the engine made noise running? I hope not...

I have been using Dumonde now for the past few months and I really like it.

Pro Link is specifically designed for use on bicycle chains.

This is the product desctription:

"ProLink Chain Lube will not let dirt and grit stick to your chain – in wet or dry conditions. It greatly reduces friction and wear, allowing smoother operation of your chain and cables, and it will keep your chain and drive train area clean and seemingly drag free. ProLink is a thin-bodied lubricant that uses MFR technology, a molecule which bonds to the metal surface. It does not build up or become tacky because it contains no solids like Teflon, wax, moly, graphite or plastic."

I have used alot of lubes including the waxes (White Lightning) and graphites( Pedro's) and find Prolink to be the cleanest. I have less buildup on my chain between cleanings. I really am sold on Prolink.

Here is the description for Tri-Flow:

"Superior Lubricant Drip Bottle
Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant provides twice the lubricating power of most competitive brands. Its light viscosity allows for deep penetration into hard to reach moving parts. High grade petroleum oils provide optimum lubrication under extreme temperatures (-60 to 475F) and humidity. Formulated solvents soften and remove dirt and contaminants, while special additives displace moisture and prevent rust and corrosion"

Tri-Flow is a general lubricant good for keeping door hinges from getting rusty. Not certain I would want to use it on something so delibcate and intricate as chain links. Plus dirt builds up becasue of the ils. I can tell immediately looking at a chain who uses what lube.

Many years ago, in a time and place far away, I would ride my bike and never lube it. I didn't know I was suppose to. I took the bike in once a year for a tune up. I now generally lube my chain (specially on the mountain bikes) before every ride. My road bike maybe every other or 2 rides. ProLink cleans the chain and keeps the grit from grinding things up. I never have trouble shifting and my bikes work without an issue.

Thank you much :thumb:!!! I think I am going to go with the Prolink once this bottle is up.

Would you run your car engine oil until the engine made noise running? I hope not...

The engines in my car and truck typically do make noises when they are running :p

I know what you mean, just couldn't help myself :lol:

http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Performance-Lubricants-Multi-Use-Fluoropolymer/dp/B000GL19TY

Dupont Multipurpose

Best lube depends a lot on where you are what you do. I like the Dupont but it
washes off, so I don't use it in the rainy season.

PTFE ( teflon ) spray for the chain , lithium based grease in squeeze tube ( with nozzle ) for ball bearing in the hubs and silicone grease for the suspension fork seals ( on my MTB ). Don't know the brands ( most likely the brands available in USA are not available in Romania and vice-versa :) ), I think the PTFE spray is made in Holland and the silicone grease in Great Britain .

I wont use any product that is dumb enough to state to wait until the chain is noisy to re-apply.

Your assessment of Dumonde's intelligence is duly noted. I prefer to base my assessment on results. ProLink Gold: apply every ten days and replace the chain at 900 miles; Dumonde: reapply at 800 miles, no noticeable wear after 1200 miles. I can live with that.



If a chain starts making noise, damage is likely already happening.

Not at all.



Keep 'em lubed and they should last.

Agree.



I oil my chain once a week or once every 5 rides. That does not use much oil at all.

Not terribly worried about the amount of oil. I'm more concerned with the amount of protection that oil provides.



Would you run your car engine oil until the engine made noise running? I hope not...

Apples and oranges, my friend, apples and oranges.

ProLink Gold: apply every ten days and replace the chain at 900 miles;

I ride 100-150 miles/week, apply ProLink ProGold once or twice a month (at most), and generally get at least 2000-3000 miles out of a quality chain.

Breakfree CLP

I ride 100-150 miles/week, apply ProLink ProGold once or twice a month (at most), and generally get at least 2000-3000 miles out of a quality chain.

Cool :thumb: glad that works for you. Do you consider SRAM PC 1070 a quality chain?

KY.

Oh wait, this is a BIKE forum..... !

sumtimes a squirt bottle

Cool :thumb: glad that works for you. Do you consider SRAM PC 1070 a quality chain?

Yep! I typically use 1070s or 1090s, depending on what's on sale. The only chain I've had problems with was a KMC DX10SC. That piece of junk didn't last 750 miles, but I don't think using ProLink ProGold was the problem there...

I wont use any product that is dumb enough to state to wait until the chain is noisy to re-apply. If a chain starts making noise, damage is likely already happening. Keep 'em lubed and they should last. I oil my chain once a week or once every 5 rides. That does not use much oil at all. Would you run your car engine oil until the engine made noise running? I hope not...

it turns out that this is not the case. Chains wear on the inside, on the pins and on the insides of the rollers. Most wear is caused by road grit that's found its way into the chain, usually carried in by oiling. If there's oil with the grit, as there almost surely is, it won't make any noise as the grit eats your pins. (you'd have to do a lot of effort to find a better grinding paste than oil and fine sand particles.) Only a dry (unlubricated) chain makes noise, but then it's clean.

As for a car making noise, no one would put up with a car that had as poorly engineered components as bicycle chains are.

Yep! I typically use 1070s or 1090s, depending on what's on sale. The only chain I've had problems with was a KMC DX10SC. That piece of junk didn't last 750 miles, but I don't think using ProLink ProGold was the problem there...

Had a similar problem with a wipperman 10 speed, but that one might have been the lube. I was using one of the White Lightning formulas and it just couldn't keep the thing from rusting...that chain needed to be lubed almost every ride.



I will agree with the prolink needing to dry overnight. When you put it on it is pretty wet, and will bring out the dirt in your chain. I put a drop on each roller, backpedal the crank (I do all this in my Park PCS-9 workstand) and after its worked in real good, I hold a rag over the chain and backpedal again to wipe off excess. After it dries overnight, the chain looks dry but is very well lubed, and everything stays pretty clean.

I wont use any product that is dumb enough to state to wait until the chain is noisy to re-apply. If a chain starts making noise, damage is likely already happening. Keep 'em lubed and they should last. I oil my chain once a week or once every 5 rides. That does not use much oil at all. Would you run your car engine oil until the engine made noise running? I hope not...


it turns out that this is not the case. Chains wear on the inside, on the pins and on the insides of the rollers. Most wear is caused by road grit that's found its way into the chain, usually carried in by oiling. If there's oil with the grit, as there almost surely is, it won't make any noise as the grit eats your pins. (you'd have to do a lot of effort to find a better grinding paste than oil and fine sand particles.) Only a dry (unlubricated) chain makes noise, but then it's clean.

As for a car making noise, no one would put up with a car that had as poorly engineered components as bicycle chains are.

Thanks for that analysis!