I found a chain lube I like
 

After years of using Tri-flow and then Finish Line Teflon dry lube, I tried something new. I used Squirt, the South African produced wax lube with a water base. I replaced my chain with a new Campy Record 10s chain a few weeks ago and left the factory lube on and it was pretty good, but it was already getting a little noisy after a few hundred miles. I cleaned off the lube with a Park Tool cyclone cleaner and Greased Lighting, rinsed with water, wiped the chain down and then repeated to get it really clean. I then applied the Squirt, let it sit and reapplied without wiping. I let it sit for a bit, and then had to take my daughter somewhere and it had time to dry, as per the instructions. When I got back I took a short spin and it was dead silent. Even the noisy cog that I had was now quiet.

We'll see how long that lasts, and most reviews say you need to reapply at 100 miles or even less, but it doesn't require the cleaning. It is supposed to stay clean too being wax based. We'll see. I'm planning on doing a solo century this week so we'll see how it goes. This sound much easier than melting paraffin and soaking a chain but gets the same result.

I'll report back from time to time on this thread.

I can't say that I have. I'd always avoided wax lubes, but there was a thread here a week or two ago that prompted me to try. My research came up with Squirt (maybe I Googled it.)

I'd like to hear whether or not it sheds or flakes off bits of black grimy wax particles. I'm always open to new ideas and products, but previous wax based chain lubes have been disappointing as they shift the mess from the chain to the floor. Tracking bits of wax from the garage into the house has gotten me in trouble with the wife so if Squirt (or any other wax based chain lube) works without the messy wax crumbs I wanna know.


-Kedosto

Let's give it a few weeks and I'll let you know. Here's a list of things I'll watch for:

1. How long does it last?
2. How quiet does it keep the chain.
3. Effectiveness in shifting
4. Cleanliness on the chain.
5. Cleanliness on the floor.
6. The scent

Anybody have anything to add? Feel free.

The scent?

OK, done ;)

Chain-L's scent is a mixture of sulphur (unpleasant) and rosemary (pleasant).

Tri-Flow smells like banana bubble gum.

WD-40 smells like, well, WD-40.

Coincidentally, I waxed a chain yesterday and timed the entire process.

• Remove chain
• Put a waxed chain on the bike
• Put the used chain in the crock-pot
• Take the chain out of the crock-pot and hang it up
• Roll up the waxed chain and put it on the shelf

Total time: a couple of hours
Working time: seven-and-a-half minutes.

I'm guessing it's closer to 2 minutes and no wait time to apply the squirt.

But let me ask ya, how are you reattaching the chain? Are you reusing a master link? Are you just pushing out a pin and reinserting it? Both of these methods are weakening the chain. Do you have spare links or fresh pins to use? Supposedly what I did was only required for the first use to remove the factory lube, each additional application just requires a drop on each pin and no removal required. It is also possible to do it while on the road.

I hear you though. If it is easy enough to remove and replace the chain, why not? I just never did the hot wax thing. For that matter I was always bad about doing any maintenance.

I've been waxing chains for the last year and a half, and then following up with Squirt renewal applications at approx. 10 day intervals, so that I can leave the chain on the bike for its lifetime. It seems to work well. I'm now at the point where I am about to restart the process with a new chain. I do notice that Squirt is not quite as clean as pure molten paraffin applications, and is ever so slightly tacky. Not enough to attract sand and grit, but it isn't quite as perfect as paraffin.

I did that, and blindly clicked on the first link that came up.

I like to think I am not too homophobic, but it was eye-opening.

I use a master link. I've been doing it a few years now and haven't had one fail yet, but I carry a spare in my patch kit just in case. I'm pretty meticulous about maintenance and keeping my bikes clean so it works for me. I also carry a little bottle of squirt with me on long rides.

One bike has a Campy Record without a master link, the other has a KMC with it. Still not sure it is worth taking it off. Now that I have a setup to clean my bikes I've done it more often. I have a stand, the Park Tool brush set, a bucket and a garden hose. It takes a half hour tops now, especially since it isn't that dirty anyway.

Good idea to carry the Squirt with me. I'm doing a solo century this week and the application is only supposed to last 100 miles.

Heaven scent, by the sound of it.

According to a Louisiana barrister, WD40 is good for masking the scent of strippers.

I wouldn't know, I haven't been to a strip club in 40+ years.

Did you quit going because you didn't know to cover the smell of cheap perfume? If so, armed with this tip, you can commence going again. Maybe your reserved seat still has your name on it.

Golly I have never sniffed my chain. Am I missing something****************************** :)

thanks...
 

for the lube tip!

If it smells like sulphur it may be gear oil, although Im sure anyone making money selling it, will deny it to the end of the world.

That said, if you want a thick chain oil you can just get a SAE 30 or 50 >single grade< motor oil. In contrast to multi grade motor oil it is very viscous at room temperature. Should be available at any auto parts store.

The last couple years I've been using Dupont Multi-Purpose teflon lube, both the spray and the liquid drip bottle (it started out as my main motorcycle chain lube).
But, that stuff acts like a dry wax lube, leaving huge deposits of gunk all over, and I became less happy with it.
I recently stumbled across two old bottles of Pro-Link in a parts box (Pro-Link used to be my favorite, years ago). But, then I also recently stumbled across a nearly full quart of Mobil1 synthetc motor oil, that I'd gotten a while back to use as a gun lube after reading tons of endorsements for it. (I've long felt that both the gun and bicycle lube industries were largely a sham).
So, I filled a pointy-tipped, plastic dispenser bottle (like the ones BBQ joints leave on the table with ketchup and mustard in them), and have been using that to apply it. The chain appears visibly lubed for a decent length of time, and seems smooth and quiet, and so far it hasn't gotten as nasty as other lubes I've used. It does seem to pick up some road grit, more than the Dupont stuff did, but that's what my citrus degreaser and chain scrubber are for (fortunately, I recently stumbled across that,as well !)

So how did the lube work after the solo century?


-Tim-

I'd be curious to know how it does with gravel. I recently tried a different lube from South Africa, Smoove, and it just made an unholy mess.

Apparently you're supposed to thoroughly clean the chain, let it dry completely, then apply Smoove and let it sit overnight.

Already, it's a lot more fuss than I want to deal with, but I tried it and it still turned my drivetrain into a horrible sticky mess. Way more so than normal chain grease mess.

Guess I'll go back to rock n roll lube every ride.