NandoBando

Hello! Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Last week I decided to take the plunge into the cycling world and bought a Specialized Venge Shiv Pro UI2 (I think that's what it's called, lol). Spent a pretty penny on her so I want to be sure that I maintain it well.

What is the best lube for my chain? I live in Orlando, Florida. Summer time gives us Floridians random showers/thunderstorms and sometimes when I ride it may be a little wet on the ground.

I've been reading up on lubes and some are better than others it seems depending on locations/conditions, although the reviews don't give me specific information.

Which lube should I be using on my chain given the Florida climate?

Thanks in advance!

FBinNY 

There are lube review pages on competitive forums, and numerous blog and review sites. Search bicycle Chain Lube reviews, scroll past the paid ads and you'll find to the review sites, and separate reviews and threads discussing chain lube.

You're not looking for the holy grail, aka the "best" chain lube, but the one with solid reviews from people in your area, or who ride in conditions similar to yours. In other words, you don't care what someone on Phoenix, AZ might think, but a good review from New Orleans, or one talking about the conditions of early Spring or the Fall in the north where there's a decent amount of rain.

davidad

I live on the Texas gulf coast and use home brew. 1 part chain saw bar oil from Ace to 4 parts unscented mineral spirits. Been using it for ten years. The most important factor in drive train and chain life is regular service. Removing the chain and cleaning and drying it before reinstalling and lubing it.

Myosmith

You will find as many opinions about chain lube as there are riders. For most conditions, including wet/humid, I prefer Dupont's Multi-Use Silicone Lube with Teflon. They make a chain-saver version but I don't like it as well as it leaves a residue that attracts dust and leaves chain tattoos. It is probably more suitable for chainsaws etc. I have used the Multi-Use lube for a couple of years now and it works great, wicks into the rollers well, lasts a long time and is fairly clean. The most important thing is to lube regularly (don't go nuts). How often depends on riding conditions but I generally lube whenever I notice the chain is getting noisy, after a wet ride, or once a week or so as the mood strikes me. Some people are constantly taking their chains off to clean them in mineral spirits. I usually do this a couple of times a summer when the chain seems dirty. If your chain is factory clean and shiny all the time, you are probably a little OCD.