What are everyones favorite chain lubes? I've been using White Lightning but wonder if it's the best.
Anyone have experience with Pro lube, Raceday, Pedro's etc.?

Yes I use Pedro's Ice Wax, I have no complaints. It lasts long enough holds off the dirt here in Tx. This is important considering it is like wet cement after a rain. I used Finish Line teflon and Cross Country for years, but I like the Ice Wax much better. I tried White Lightning but after about 100 miles my chain started squeaking, I abandoned it. I have never used Pro Lube. So having said all that IMHO the Pedro's is the way to go at least from a MTB aspect. I assume it would be excellent for a road app.

I have to say White Lightening - the standard stuff, not race day. I've been using it for years and swear by it. I've tried Pedro's Ice Wax a couple of times and it was just too thick, didn't seem to get in all of the nooks and crannies well. Seemed like I had to use a lot more to get it to penetrate which meant it cost me more.

As you can see though, Hunter has had good luck with Pedros, so as the saying goes "Your mileage may vary".

I would suggest buying a small bottle of one of them and trying it until the bottle runs out. If you don't like it, buy a small bottle of something else and give that a shot. Sometimes you can get free samples at races, festivals, etc.

Thanks guys, I've just finished a bottle of White Lightning race day and it was full of clumps as if the lube had gelled in the bottle. I had a hard time even getting it, I finally had to take the whole top off and just pour it on. I've never had that experience with the regular WL, it's been working pretty well for me.

When I first get a bottle of white lightening, I pry off the top and drop a small hex nut in it. Helps mix it up a lot better. For a short time they were including a bearing or something for mixing, but for some reason stopped.

Also, don't keep the lube in a car or somewhere cold. Makes it much harder to mix. Room temp or warmer is best.

try using a hair dryer on the chain while rotating pedals to make it (white lightining) penetrate better, a must when it's cold.

I've been using "Pro-Link" lately and like it much better than White Lightning; no buildup, easier to apply, seems to last a lttle longer

I use campagnolo Oil, But, after about 20 or 40 K your chain is really dirty, the chain need to be clean after every ride.., but it is a good chain oil

I have lately been using Motorex oils (they are bike specific, despite their name) from Switzerland. I have found them to be quite good, but I can't really compare them to the products mentioned above due to lack of availability in my country. They have a whole line of oils, greases and degreasers all bio-degradable - anybody used any of these ??

claude

ATF (auto tranny fluid). Self cleaning, CHEAP, and does the job extremely well. For winter riding i boil it down until it gets much thicker.

For bearing grease I prefer the cheap Wal Mart grease that they sell under the name of Mystik JT6 no. 2 multi purpose. It doesn't smell, it's clear so you can count bearing balls, it costs 1.97 for 14 ounces so it costs less than Phil Woods at 6 bucks for 5 ounces. It's marine grade too so it won't wash away.

For the chain I use Pro Link gold. It seems to be easy to apply and not attract much grit. It also last quite a few days.

Garth

motorex synthetic is the only grease i use on my bearings. by way of chain lube, i use to use rock'n'roll gold until i was introduced to purple extreme. purple extreme is a dry synthetic that claims to last 400 miles. its best if you completely clean your drivetrain first. i was very surprised by how well it works both on the road and in the mud.

For dry lubes, the best I've used thus far is the Rock n' Roll -- the original pink stuff rather than some of the newer formulations. It cleans the chain nicely and is a fantastic dry lube - all in one step. Don't use as directed, which calls for you to squirt a stream onto the chain where it passes over the cassette. If used in this manner, the cleaner component of it will penetrate the hub and break down the grease. Instead, just drip it onto the chain and wipe excess.

I don't like Pedro's Ice Wax -- too thick -- doesn't penetrate into the pins. I find the thinner lubes work better because they flow better to where you need the lube to be. I have used Pedro's Extra Dry as a chain lube, and I like it, but it needs frequent application.

Lots of people endorse Boeshield T-9, and I've heard great things. I'm tempted to give it a try when my bottle of R n' R runs out.

Was this the oldest favorite lube thread you could find Bushman? I'm thinking a little OCD .

Oil, any oil, use it sparingly and often.

i honestly dont pay attention to the start dates. Perhaps every thread should be closed after a day or two if this a concern.

seriously that works?


I like the T-9 stuff. I tried pedros syn lube and all it did was act as a dirt magnet

This thread is SIX YEARS OLD

START CHECKING THE DAMN DATES ON THE THREADS BEFORE YOU POST.

You need to ********** start. Here's a clue, if it's more than a few pages back in the archive IT'S OLD AND DEAD Check the last post date, if it's more than say six months old LEAVE IT ALONE

Perhaps every thread should be closed after a day or two if this a concern

I think they are pretty good here about closing threads. Another 6 year old thread you replied to was closed. The topic in this one is covered a few times a month it seems, so responding to one that has had no action in 6 years seems a waste of time. A date ordered search on lube, oil, lubrication, grease, favorite, best or preferred in some combination will give you many many recent and probably more relevant threads. As you can see, it can be annoying to varying degrees to participants when old threads on beaten down topics are unearthed.

Forums get ruined this way. Valuable contributors get tired of people treading up the same old stuff and stop contributing.

It's especially true if what's being dragged up is grease, degreaser, or chain lube threads -- the most over-analyzed subjects on bike tech forums.

So ... what you see as harmless, others see as potentially doing long-term harm.

My $0.02. YMMV.

Perhaps you should just stop digging up really old threads as it's only newbies like you that pull this crap. Start checking the last post date before you start adding to long dead conversations. Especially ones that have far newer versions and/or get covered repeatedly
Ding ding ding

masiman, neil0502, thank you for the info, and for being polite about it. I'm used to the metalwork forum i also use, where topics are always brought back up for discussion, or to add specs or updates etc. I was'nt aware that it was a big deal.

again, thank you for being polite, unlike some.

You want polite? Try Miss Manners. I gave up being polite about this years ago because it never got anywhere and it was always some newbie doing it. I also saw the other thread and the attitude you gave in there when people told you how old the thread was and felt that a heavier hand was needed.

Jeez--take it easy Francis. Cut the guy some frackin slack. No one is making you read or respond to this thread. If its existence upsets you that much, leave it alone. Instead of berating newbs about invented forum protocol, and if it is such a big deal for you, perhaps you could draft a newbie user manual that can be provided when a member signs up and give it to the mods.

Also, there are only so many things that can be discussed here before there is a repeat. Thats the nature of forums, newbs become senior members and pass info to newer newbs---senior members leave because they get tired of the same old threads all the time.

Further, I suppose if he had just posted a new thread on the topic, he'd get flamed and directed to "use the search function." Here, teh guy DOES use the search function and replies to an existing thread rather than wasting space with a new one and you still give him a load of crap.

Finally, what the hell difference does it make when the thread was started? Unless there has been some revolutionary discovery about chain lube, I suspect the info is still relevant and that the poster can gain knowledge as to the opinions of existing members

id say look at the pedro's stuff and pick what u need, i use Ice Wax