Bicycle Mechanics - Rock an Roll chain Lube

I am seeing this starting to appear on the shelves of the local bike shops here in central Fl. Has anyone used it and what were the results

http://www.rocklube.com/gold.htm

Nope, I have not tried it and have no need to. I use Chain-L and it is the best I've ever used and doubt that there is anything better.

If you read the add for that Rock and Roll, it states that it's NOT oil, and oil is exactly what a chain needs.

I have use it here and I don't like it at all.So I now use only Synthetic motor oil on my chain and I like it a lot better.It is a little messy but I clean most of it off with a rag before I ride so its no problem for me.Chain need oil that's the way it was when I was a young boy and for me I will stay with oil only for my chain.My 2 cents anyway. lol

Boy have you just opened up a can of worms, everyone has their own opinion about chain lubes. and never really want to listen to what others have to say. That being said i have used rock and roll extreme for years. I may have to use it a littel more often then some other brands but I doesnt attract as dirt and road grime as some of the other brands I have tried. It does not freeze up as some brands tend to do when your riding well below freezing.

I've been using it for a few months now. Seems to work at least as well as anything else I've tried. When used as directed, it doesn't seem quite as prone to be a grit magnet as some others, and it seems to last a good long while at least in dry conditions. I like the fact that it comes in a bottle big enough to last me awhile.

Boy have you just opened up a can of worms, everyone has their own opinion about chain lubes. and never really want to listen to what others have to say. That being said i have used rock and roll extreme for years. I may have to use it a littel more often then some other brands but I doesnt attract as dirt and road grime as some of the other brands I have tried. It does not freeze up as some brands tend to do when your riding well below freezing.

you made me snort! a whooooooooooooooooooole lotta worms! like religion, car oils/filters/spark plugs, etc.

anyway, i do like the name. brings forth images of ac/dc, queen, steppenwolf, new york dolls, etc.

As previously mentioned, chain lubes is one of those third-rail topics on the forum. I've been aware of Rock and Roll lubes for many years, but personally never used it. I have a friend who swears by it for his mountain rig, and another friend who swears by it for his road bike. I am not sure which variety they're using. Basically, everyone emphasizes a different variable regarding chain lubes: dry/wet, long lasting, wet weather, quiet, cleanliness, wax, oil based, home brew, leave the factory grease on or remove.... I say to each their own and best way to find out is to try it and see if it works for you. In my experience, the lubricant doesn't matter as much as how well you maintain, clean and lube your chain.

I've used Rock "N" Roll Gold for at least seven years and many thousands of miles with excellent success. It seems to clean well, attract minimum extra grit and provide lube where it counts.

Has anyone used it and what were the results

It is useless if you ride in the rain. To state it plainly, it runs off the chain if you only mention the rain. Not that other commercial lubes have a particularly good endurance in the rain, but this one is significantly worse than any other I tried. Rust next morning is practically guaranteed.

Where's my 11-foot pole when I need one... :D

We use it at the bike shop quite a bit. It's obscenely expensive, considering it's mostly solvent. One of its strong points, however, is that it does float dirt out of the chain so you can wipe most of it off.


When used as directed, it doesn't seem quite as prone to be a grit magnet as some others, and it seems to last a good long while at least in dry conditions.

This is basically my result with my own bikes too. Dunno if I'd buy it if it weren't a freebie supply at the shop, though. If you try it and decide you like it, be aware there's also a "refill" size (http://aebike.com/product/rock-n-roll-gold-lube-16oz-sku-lu4505-qc30.htm) that's cheaper in the long run.

I used it for quite a while. It does clean the chain, it does lubricate well, it is expensive, it does stay clean. If you don't use it up fast enough it separates in the bottle and you have to shake it long and hard to make it usable again. If it sits on the shelf long enough, the separated ingredients harden in the bottom of the bottle and it's no good.

I also use Chain L lube, it's the best I've ever used as well. I do clean the chains more then the manufacture claims you have to, but I think in the long run it will work even better for chain life.

There are some decent lubes on the market as long as you avoid wax based products your chain will last a long time. TriFlow is the original chain lube and they used Teflon and Teflon works great, so does Finish Line Dry Teflon. Another great lube is relatively unknown among cyclists and that is Bones Speed Cream, it's skate board bearing lube, I have a friend trying it on his chain and so far he likes it a lot. Some of you skaters should try it and report the results here.

I've been using it for a few years and can't see any problem. I don't even clean my chain, just put more on every few weeks. You need to relube after riding in the rain.

1 part chainsaw bar oil to 4 parts unscented mineral spirits. Apply to a chain that has been removed from the bike and cleaned. Repeat every 650 miles. :deadhorse:

What about WD-40?


(sorry, bad joke)

What about WD-40?


(sorry, bad joke)

Yuck yuck yuck!!! I have used WD40 on chains though...I first cleaned a bad stiff kids chain, then hosed it with WD40, waited 72 hours roughly, then applied a true lube. And the chain was no longer stiff. Great for kids bikes.

Good stuff. Wax based lubes rule!

Good stuff. Wax based lubes rule! HAHAHAHAAHHHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! Lets get the flames of war fanned. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

I use whatever I have on hand. Thinner oils need more frequent re-application than thicker oils. I think I'm slowly becoming a convert to thicker oils.

I use whatever I have on hand. Thinner oils need more frequent re-application than thicker oils. I think I'm slowly becoming a convert to thicker oils.

Me too, that's why I like Chain L.

Me too, that's why I like Chain L.

Chain L is fine for kid's bikes.

Chain L is fine for kid's bikes.

You're kidding, right?

You don't think it's good enough even for kid's bikes!?

You don't think it's good enough even for kid's bikes!?

Of course it's good enough for a kids bike...to good, so I would never use it on a kids bike.

You obviously never used Chain L; this stuff has been highly reviewed as the best bike lube so far that's been manufactured. But you go on and use your wax stuff which is great for polishing shoes!

It's a good excuse for why my bike is so slow.

Enjoy your highly reviewed greasy kid's stuff. :)

It's a good excuse for why my bike is so slow.

Enjoy your highly reviewed greasy kid's stuff. :)

Thanks, enjoy your shoe polish!

That shoe polish joke gets funnier each time you tell it!

That shoe polish joke gets funnier each time you tell it! Kind of like the kid bike joke you keep telling. Now where did put my hair grease...

I'll take Dumonde Tech over RnR, Squirt, and all the other waxy lubes.

I try to stay out of chain lube threads since I have an obvious bias.

There is no Holy Grail of chain lubes, because whatever you do to improve one property comes at the expense of other important properties. The near religious fervor that we see on chain lube threads is really more about ones ordering of priorities than about the products themselves.

I formulated Chain-L around my priorities of maximum chain life with minimum total effort, with good protection for long rides in varied weather. (I don't think you should need a weather forecast to lube your chain). As such it's nearly the polar opposite to Rock n Roll which is a good product for those who don't venture out in the rain, and are willing to deal with frequent applications.

Both are good, along with many others, so it isn't about lubrication as much it is about how and where you ride, and how much time you're willing to dedicate to chain care. Chain lube debates are like arguing about which is better, a good Bordeaux wine, or a good Pilsner.

My advice: If your a strictly fair weather rider who likes to maintain a showpiece bike, try Rock n Roll. OTOH if you ride lots of miles, in all conditions, and aren't willing to accept a Prima Donna bike, than you might like Chain-L, or something similar.

I'll take Dumonde Tech over RnR, Squirt, and all the other waxy lubes.

I know this stuff is some sort of plastic polymer, but what is really made of? I heard wax was in the formulation, is that true? How well does your chain stay clean? How often do you have to reapply it?

I know this stuff is some sort of plastic polymer, but what is really made of? I heard wax was in the formulation, is that true? How well does your chain stay clean? How often do you have to reapply it?

I don't know if it contains wax, but it stinks like you can't imagine. I know they offer a low-odor version, but since I still have half-a-bottle left, it'll be a while before I need to buy more.

Any way... I've found that Dumonde Tech lasts longer than any other lube I've tried. That list includes Squirt, Boeshield T9, RnR Extreme, and Pro-Link. Time between reapplication varies, usually depending on how much off-road riding I'm doing. To put things in perspective, though, none of the other aforementioned lubes would last longer than 20 off-road miles (and some would need reapplication much sooner). With Dumonde, I can easily go 50-60 (dirt) miles before I need to reapply.

For on-road I use the "Lite" formula. Doesn't last quite as long as the original formula, but outlasts all the others I've mentioned. Cleaning is easier than with the original formula because it's less viscous and doesn't attract as much dirt. I put the bike in the stand, and run the chain over a dry fingernail brush. Apply one drop per-link, wipe down any excess, and I'm done.

I don't know if it contains wax, but it stinks like you can't imagine. I know they offer a low-odor version, but since I still have half-a-bottle left, it'll be a while before I need to buy more.

Any way... I've found that Dumonde Tech lasts longer than any other lube I've tried. That list includes Squirt, Boeshield T9, RnR Extreme, and Pro-Link. Time between reapplication varies, usually depending on how much off-road riding I'm doing. To put things in perspective, though, none of the other aforementioned lubes would last longer than 20 off-road miles (and some would need reapplication much sooner). With Dumonde, I can easily go 50-60 (dirt) miles before I need to reapply.

For on-road I use the "Lite" formula. Doesn't last quite as long as the original formula, but outlasts all the others I've mentioned. Cleaning is easier than with the original formula because it's less viscous and doesn't attract as much dirt. I put the bike in the stand, and run the chain over a dry fingernail brush. Apply one drop per-link, wipe down any excess, and I'm done.

Thanks for the reply, on the road bike how many miles do you go approx before you have to reapply?

Thanks for the reply, on the road bike how many miles do you go approx before you have to reapply?

I honestly don't know, because inevitably I end up exploring dirt roads/trails.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/5772368955_5e3fb4d14e.jpg

Nice wheels, and nice use of them, congrats.

I agree, discussing chain lubes really can open a can of worms. I've never used Rock and Roll or Chain-L but have tried Tri-Flow, Pedro's, White Lightning, Prolink, and one or two others whose names I can't remember. I have two lubes of choice: my no. 1 lube is Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector, an aerosol spray-on that applies wet, then dries to a waxy film in about 20 minutes. It keeps my chain quiet, it shifts great, and it's economical. A big 16 oz. can is less than $7 and lasts a LONG time. The other lube I sometimes use is Amsoil synthetic bar and chain oil, which is designed for chain saws but works great on bicycle chains. I put one big drop on each link, then run the bike through the gears and wipe off the excess the next day. It's messier than the Metal Protector but is even more economical. Either one of these makes my chains last a long time.

I still used the Walmart wax lube. However, now they sell Epic Ride, which is advertised as a semi-dry lube. After riding for a week or so on powdery dry dirt roads, a quick wire-brushing and wipe of the chain has left it shiney clean. Maybe they require frequent reapplication, but I like the dry lubes that keep build-up off the chain. IMO they are the best thing for dirty environments. A wet, oily lube in a gritty environment will leave your chain coated with unctuous, gritty, black globs of nastiness.