Hybrid Bicycles - Non-gunky lube?

Let me just say upfront that I have tried to use the Search facility but try as I might I couldn't find a relevant thread.

I use the bike for commuting and I just wanted to know some alternatives to Finish Line Wet lube that Im using currently. What I hate about it is that literally days after lubricating the chain it accumulates that black, diguisting buildup of gunk, which obviously gets transfered to about every single part of the drivetrain. Is there some other product to keep the chain lubricated for dry/wet conditions without having to worry about the buildup?

Oh, and is WD40 recommended as a CLEANER/DEGREASER? I know already that it's not recommended as a lube but what about cleaning?

Thanks!
Przemek

No WD40!

Clean and lube your chain with a wax based lube such as Rock 'N' Roll (http://www.rocklube.com/index.htm) or White Lightning. Your chain will no longer attract dirt. It will stay fresh and clean!

Buy too large bottles and get a free pair of Defeet socks! Don't forget to order some Rock 'N' Roll coffee beans and a coffee mug while you're there!

But it'll need to be applied much more frequently than the wet one, will it not?

No, it lasts a long time. It's quick and easy.

But it'll need to be applied much more frequently than the wet one, will it not?

It depends on the conditions you ride in. Wax is pretty good in dry clean conditions but most people think it vanishes very quickly otherwise - however, obviously this will vary with the wax. Rock n Roll has a good rep and it is cheap. If you're curious then I'd buy some, clean and degrease my chain very thoroughly, and try it out.

If you want a clean lube that lasts get yourself a bottle of (Dumonde Tech Lite). It lasts and stays very clean. As far as chain cleaning goes, mineral spirits is the way to go. It cleans the chain and dries completly.

mineral spirits is the way to go. It cleans the chain and dries completly.

Like a paint solvent?

^^^^^
Yep... mineral spirits or naptha in the paint section of any hardware store.

No solvents. Rock N Roll cleans and lubes. Yes you may need to reapply after riding in the rain but it's never absolutely necessary. You don't want to be cleaning your chain with solvents. Avoid that whole mess. I ride in all conditions. DC is not a dry place.

No solvents. Rock N Roll cleans and lubes.

This may or may not be the case - I'm sceptical, because I can't see how a wax that is applied and left on the chain would physically transport dirt away. But you should certain degrease when changing lubes! Two complex polymers interacting can get very nasty - I'm sure everyone knows that trick where you leave a bic leaning against a plastic eraser and after a week or two they'll have melted together.

^^^^^
Yep... mineral spirits or naptha in the paint section of any hardware store.

Citrus degreaser is nicer to use, kinder to the environment, and cheap if you buy off ebay as a janitorial supply, rather than from your LBS (they apply about a 400% markup!)

I agree with @qmsdc15 - I use White Lightning <-- that does the job for me (I commute in NYC and go on longer wkend rides, but my chain stays pretty clean).

i wipe down my chain with a rag after i ride.. just a minute or two to get the crap that accumulated. it helps to make sure your chain and sprockets are actually clean though.. if the chain has a bunch of dirt on the inside, even after you clean it, lubing it will just allow the exising dirt to move out from the cracks and get your sprockets dirty. and if the sprockets are dirty, the lube will just pick it up.

chain lube is used to lubricate the chain itself, not the chain and the sprockets. the lube also protects the metal from rust.. you don't need tons of it dripping off your chain or anything though, just a light coat. i used lithium grease because it doesnt wash off easily.. so far so good :)

more info: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

I'm also a fan of the Rock N Roll - gold. It lasts a long time (even in wet weather) and keeps things as clean as they can be riding in NYC.

If you want a clean lube that lasts get yourself a bottle of (Dumonde Tech Lite). It lasts and stays very clean. As far as chain cleaning goes, mineral spirits is the way to go. It cleans the chain and dries completly.

In my experiance, Dumond Tech Lite was dirty, grabbed a whole bunch of dirt, and left my chain black. I just switched (Last week) to White Lightning after a THOROUGH degreasing. So far, so good, we'll see how it goes long term.

I use a citrus degreaser. Like anything, read the instructions, used properly it works like a charm.

Prolink is the best lube I have used thus far. I use it on my hybrid and mountain bike. It does not turn black like other wet lubes.

I have found you cant get rid of all the black gunk altogether unless you clean it properly, if you do that its like starting with a new chain.
So you need to remove the chain from the bike and clean it good in degreaser in a old ice cream container or similar.
Then hopefully you have a air compressor to blast all the fluid out of the links. "thats a must"
Then I use motorcycle chain lube such as motul synthetic available at motorcycle shops while the chain is hung up "coat it good" and let it semi dry then reinstall the chain on the bike.
Vola lovely clean shifting no oil splatter and a almost permanetly clean chain, thats how I do it. :thumb:

Your throttle twisting tendencies are showing... :D

Your throttle twisting tendencies are showing... :D

Dont get me started dude, I'll make the site crash with pic's. :crash:

Does anyone use paraffin anymore? We used to take the chain off, clean thoroughly and put it into a can of melted paraffin. Let it sit for about 2 minutes to let it penetrate. clean the cassette and gears. Let the paraffin dry. Break each link loose. Wipe it clean. Reinstall and ride. It was super quiet. Bone dry so it never picked up dust and dirt. Good lubricant. I had almost 15,000 miles on that old Miyata and never a chain or gear related failure. Maybe there are good reasons not to use this method but it worked really well for many riders that I knew. Just thought I would throw it out there.
Ride Safe
Check6

Does anyone use paraffin anymore? We used to take the chain off, clean thoroughly and put it into a can of melted paraffin. Let it sit for about 2 minutes to let it penetrate. clean the cassette and gears. Let the paraffin dry. Break each link loose. Wipe it clean. Reinstall and ride. It was super quiet. Bone dry so it never picked up dust and dirt. Good lubricant. I had almost 15,000 miles on that old Miyata and never a chain or gear related failure. Maybe there are good reasons not to use this method but it worked really well for many riders that I knew. Just thought I would throw it out there.
Ride Safe
Check6

I have no experience with paraffin but it sounds good to me.

There is a lot of info online. I swear by it. To each his own.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/158740-bicycle-chain-wax-vs-oil/
An interesting read.
Ride safe
Check6

Funny, ran across this today.
http://www.ecovelo.info/2010/05/30/chain-maintenance-for-clean-freaks/
Ride Safe
Check6

I have had great success with homebrew which is 1 part oil and three parts mineral spirits... after running my bike through the winter using only this it was not showing any measurable wear and was clean and shiny despite the wet conditions we are having.

The type of lube you use should be based on your individual climates and riding conditions... some popular lubes like Finish Line and Tri Flow are terrible here due to the high amount of clay dust as the city is built on.

How does the finish line Dry lube with teflon work? That's what the LBS owner recommended to me. Haven't used it yet, but would love to hear opinions on it.

http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/teflon-plus-lube.htm