globie

At my last chain installation, I switched to Chain-L, having been disappointed at getting only about 2,200 miles using various bike-specific lubes on the previous chain.
Since I've been commuting, almost 10 years now, I came to expect a chain to last about 2,500 miles.
I finally reached 100% life of the newer chain, and it's gone nearly 4,000 miles.
Previously, I would lube about every 200 miles or so, depending on how wet the weather had been. With Chain-L, I never heard the chain "asking" to be lubed, but I reapplied anyway 5-6 times over the life of the chain.
This is on my daily commuter, a loaded LHT I ride about 65 miles per week.
I figure I paid for the bottle of Chain-L in the extra life of that one chain, and it's still nearly full.
I'm satisfied.

SquidPuppet

So you lubed the chain every 700ish miles? Impressive.

SJX426 

Although the last chain I replaced was not 100% Chain-L, it was used in the last couple of years. It lasted 4,500 miles at .75 stretch point.

Iride01 

I marvel at all the people that meticulously clean and lube their chains yet still have issues. I go between 4000 to 8000 miles between changes and I don't lube or clean them regularly. Usually lube is a spritz of cheap lithium grease from a can or a rag soaked in motor oil.

I only ride paved roads and trails. Maybe that's the difference in my experience or maybe it's that I don't use a lot of power. I shift to a lower gear and spin fast. I've yet to replace either front or back sprockets simply on the grounds of wear.

globie

Squid, I relubed sporadically, but it probably averaged around 600 miles. I lubed it before installing. I suspect I could have relubed less often.

Iride01 

I'm just curious so don't take any offense. Do you ride un-paved trails and in the dirt a lot? I wonder if the differences between your experience with chain wear and mine are more to do with the amount of power you might have to put into your pedals when going over rough terrain. Certainly the fact the chain has dirt on it is a factor too. But I would think my chain gets just as much fine grit from the road as those riding in dirt. I'd think torque on the crank would add significantly to the speed of the wear and stretch.

globie

Iride, I am more of a masher than a spinner, so that may have something to do with it. My bike is heavy, too. I rarely ride off road. Also, I am not too particular about cleaning the chain. However, I have a chain gauge and as soon as it shows 100%, I change.

Iride01 

Masher..... hmmm I always called it lugging. I used to be a lugger back in the 60's through 80's. Now at my age I get too worn out, with lots of knee pain if I use too high a gear now. I've learned the value of spinning.

I've just bought one of those chain checkers from Park Tool last week. My Raleigh has 3500 miles on the chain, but the side of the tool that has the 0.5 on it doesn't even begin to fall between the rollers. So to me it's looking like torque may be a key. Though I'm on an older bike with 7 speed freewheel. Maybe when I start riding the Paramount I'm putting an 11 speed Shimano 105 on, I'll have a different experience with chain wear.

By the way, I used to live in Lebanon MO. Pretty state, I enjoyed the five years I lived there as a kid.

SquidPuppet

Why would you think that? Riding off road exposes a chain to massive amounts and a wide variety of abrasives. Think about all the nasty stuff a knobby MTB front tire kick rearward, directly into the chain.

cny-bikeman

Unless you have a stable of bikes, each of which is ridden significantly, I don't see how any lube could entail a significant expense.

ColonelSanders

Has anyone who uses an oil based lube, ever tried Chain L and not liked it?


If I was staying with oil, I would definitely want to try it out, but I am headed towards waxing my chain in a few months time.

1989Pre 

When I get home, I have to wipe the chain down to get the road dirt off, and the rag takes all the lubrication off the outside (plates and rollers) of the chain, so I re-lube just about every time. Just a few links and then I turn the pedals to distribute the lube. If I don't re-lube my chain, it does not shift as well.
Chain-L is too thick for me, and smells nasty. I use it for light grease/heavy oil applications.

Cyclist0108

I find the number of gears on the cassette (and thus the thin-ness of the chain) has more to do with how long it lasts than the lube.

Having said that, wax really appears to be giving me a longer lifetime. I ride off road a lot.

trailangel

I guess The New Yorker has to come up with a cherry flavored Chain-L.
Save the wax for your legs!

leob1

Tried it, didn't like it. I'm sure it's lubrication properties are very good. But it is very viscous, thick, and it was a mess to put on the chain. No matter how much I wiped it after application I kept getting 'strings' of lube coming off the chain and getting all over the bike. When I got enough off so it wasn't being flung all over the place, I went for a ride. My chain was a dirt magnet. Any dry particle that was thrown up by the front wheel stuck to the chain. After a ride on a dry gravel trail the chain looked like it had hair. I had to clean it, again, by dunking it in OMS and re-lubing with a different lube.
Over all, it's not the lube for me(sorry Francis).

trailangel

What a mess these bikes are...

SquidPuppet

Thanks for the feedback.

speedy25

Its a theory but I disagree. I think the lack of lubrication speeds up wear dramatically. Chain waxes have worked poorly for me but others swear by them.

I do like the Chain-L product and find its light odor much less offensive than most of the other chain lubes.

redlude97

you applied too much and didn't wipe long enough. There isn't something magical about it that makes it impossible to remove. Put the bike in a stand, spin chain backwards with a towel with knap, a cheap MF works well for this. Clean chainring and pulleys. Done.

SquidPuppet

Would you describe it as tacky?

Iride01 

None of my statements were intended to compare an un-lubed chain to a lubed chain. I simply stated that I don't clean my chain other than to wipe off excessive dirt with a rag occasionally. I even said I do spritz it with lube every now and then. Maybe four times a year.

So in that respect I still think the power applied to the chain has more to do with wear than the dirt. Bearing surfaces are pretty hard. Most bearings are as hard or harder than most sand and grit you typically come across out on the road or off-road.

I don't disagree that grit will cause wear. I just don't think that it causes wear fast enough to warrant the expense and effort to make a 30 dollar chain last a few months more. It might be that learning to spin instead of mash or lug, will do more to save a chain.

SylvainG

Since it doesn't need to be lubed often (only lubed it once since I got it i early July), I simply disconnect the chain, lay it on pieces of newspaper and put a drop of oil on each roller. I warm up the oil in a hot water bath first so the oil flows better. With the chain off, it's a great time to clean the gears and derailleurs as well.

3alarmer 

...what you describe here is classic user error. It is very viscous, so you need to warm it before application. It is difficult, but not impossible to apply it with chain in place, but the method described above of removing chain and laying it on paper or in a pie pan is much more easily done. Finally, you don't get anything at all from the stuff on your chain's exterior except dirt and trouble.

You need to carefully wipe off the stuff on the outside (after you get some of it to go inside) with a rag or shop towel that has been moistened with mineral spirits.