Chain lube that doesn't turn black?
04-27-15, 02:49 PM
#26
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I second the dupont PTFE chain stuff. I use it on my 650 and until I ride in the rain it looks purdy and gold. Oh, yeah, I also use it on the bicycle chains; nice and quiet too. I wipe down after every ride and only a small smudge of black comes off.
04-27-15, 02:52 PM
#27
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Decided to give wax a try. Bought new KMC chain, broke it in with factory lube then stripped it clean and waxed. I've re-waxed once so far. Ridden in some light rain but nothing significant. This is about 250 mi after rewaxing, just finished a 100k organized ride:
So far I am happy, but if I get caught in a real rain my opinion might change. Chain seems to run a little quieter after rewaxing. It does take a little bit of work when I first ride it and I wipe off excess wax on outer side plates after the first ride.
scott s.
.
So far I am happy, but if I get caught in a real rain my opinion might change. Chain seems to run a little quieter after rewaxing. It does take a little bit of work when I first ride it and I wipe off excess wax on outer side plates after the first ride.
scott s.
.
04-27-15, 03:14 PM
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sounds like you are over lubing the chain and not getting rid of the excess.
After I clean a chain, I lube it with homebrew, wait a few minutes, then take a rag and run the chain thru it until the come away clean....
After I clean a chain, I lube it with homebrew, wait a few minutes, then take a rag and run the chain thru it until the come away clean....
04-27-15, 04:48 PM
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I prefer wet lubes eventhough they are dirty. I use synthetic gear oil on my road bikes because it lasts a very long time before I need to relube.
Can't do that on my mountain bikes though because where I ride is just too dusty and sandy. Gotta go dry, so my mountain bikes get Squirt. It's a drip-on wax lube that's water based and works better than the other drip-on or spray-on wax or teflon lubes I've used. It's clean but that's of secondary importance to me.
Can't do that on my mountain bikes though because where I ride is just too dusty and sandy. Gotta go dry, so my mountain bikes get Squirt. It's a drip-on wax lube that's water based and works better than the other drip-on or spray-on wax or teflon lubes I've used. It's clean but that's of secondary importance to me.
04-27-15, 07:19 PM
#31
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OP
Start reading the label. Sometimes the label will indicate on what type of riding best suits the lube.
General rule of thumb: dry for summer, wet for fall/spring rides
I've tried a bunch of brands and for summer I like using this:
Start reading the label. Sometimes the label will indicate on what type of riding best suits the lube.
General rule of thumb: dry for summer, wet for fall/spring rides
I've tried a bunch of brands and for summer I like using this:
04-27-15, 07:35 PM
#32
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I have the same stuff as you, as well as a bunch of other chain lubes.
Unfortunately you're probably not cleaning everything all the way. If you were then you'd have at least a bit more than a mile before the rollers get black. I'm guessing your cleaning the sides but not the valleys of the teeth. Most people do that. It looks good but it's not necessarily clean. If you're hitting those spots then you will need to clean your chain more than you probably should, i.e. get rid of everything under the rollers.
Having said that I think if you use a wax based lube (I use White Lightning most of the time) you'll be happier with the results. Less solvent so it picks up less stuff from your pulleys (main culprit) and cogs (second most common culprit).
How I clean my drivetrain (takes 10 min or less, no disassembly required, not even that much water):
Sprinter della Casa: How To - Cleaning The Bike Quick
Make sure you clean the valleys where the chain rollers hit.
Picture of after (and using White Lightning it's usually good for weeks):
Hope this helps.
Unfortunately you're probably not cleaning everything all the way. If you were then you'd have at least a bit more than a mile before the rollers get black. I'm guessing your cleaning the sides but not the valleys of the teeth. Most people do that. It looks good but it's not necessarily clean. If you're hitting those spots then you will need to clean your chain more than you probably should, i.e. get rid of everything under the rollers.
Having said that I think if you use a wax based lube (I use White Lightning most of the time) you'll be happier with the results. Less solvent so it picks up less stuff from your pulleys (main culprit) and cogs (second most common culprit).
How I clean my drivetrain (takes 10 min or less, no disassembly required, not even that much water):
Sprinter della Casa: How To - Cleaning The Bike Quick
Make sure you clean the valleys where the chain rollers hit.
Picture of after (and using White Lightning it's usually good for weeks):
Hope this helps.
Using Boeshield T9 now; having to relube every 150 miles or so.
04-27-15, 08:06 PM
#33
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Are you wiping down your chain after you apply your lube?
You squeeze a drop on each link, wind your cranks a good twenty or thirty rotations to work the lube into the chain, and then you pick up a shop towel and run the chain through the towel to eliminate the excess from the surface of the chain.
If you do this properly you shouldn't really be getting much gunk on the chain.
You squeeze a drop on each link, wind your cranks a good twenty or thirty rotations to work the lube into the chain, and then you pick up a shop towel and run the chain through the towel to eliminate the excess from the surface of the chain.
If you do this properly you shouldn't really be getting much gunk on the chain.
04-27-15, 10:09 PM
#34
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What intervals are you seeing befoe you have to relube with White Lightning? My chain (was relatively new when I was using the stuff) sounded like it needed a relube every 50 miles. I spin a high cadence, so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with that. I ride in SoCal, so it's almost always dry here.
Using Boeshield T9 now; having to relube every 150 miles or so.
Using Boeshield T9 now; having to relube every 150 miles or so.
When I trained in SoCal (I used to spend 2-3 weeks in Carlsbad area every late Jan/early Feb 2004-2011) I think it was maybe 2-3x over 40-60 hours of riding. I built a new bike a number of times, or at least had a new chain and cassette/s, so the chain was pretty new.
T9 is super sticky. I use it in the winter when the bike sits on a trainer. White Lightning is my first choice for outside. If it's wet out (raining) then anything oily.
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04-27-15, 10:20 PM
#35
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Maybe a re-touch every couple weeks? 10-12 hours? In 2010 when I rode a lot I was cleaning the drivetrain (my 10 min job) every week or so in the summer.
When I trained in SoCal (I used to spend 2-3 weeks in Carlsbad area every late Jan/early Feb 2004-2011) I think it was maybe 2-3x over 40-60 hours of riding. I built a new bike a number of times, or at least had a new chain and cassette/s, so the chain was pretty new.
T9 is super sticky. I use it in the winter when the bike sits on a trainer. White Lightning is my first choice for outside. If it's wet out (raining) then anything oily.
When I trained in SoCal (I used to spend 2-3 weeks in Carlsbad area every late Jan/early Feb 2004-2011) I think it was maybe 2-3x over 40-60 hours of riding. I built a new bike a number of times, or at least had a new chain and cassette/s, so the chain was pretty new.
T9 is super sticky. I use it in the winter when the bike sits on a trainer. White Lightning is my first choice for outside. If it's wet out (raining) then anything oily.
04-27-15, 10:32 PM
#36
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If you strip the lube out of the rollers (and bushings in the pulleys) then you'll get squeaking.
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"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
04-27-15, 10:35 PM
#37
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If you clean the chain (dip in degreasing agent) super thoroughly you end up stripping the lubricant out of the rollers. I don't know how to return the chain to a lubricated state after that but it's one of the reasons I clean the chain on the bike, to avoid over cleaning.
If you strip the lube out of the rollers (and bushings in the pulleys) then you'll get squeaking.
If you strip the lube out of the rollers (and bushings in the pulleys) then you'll get squeaking.
I don't usually get squeaking until after about 150 miles on Boeshield.
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