View Poll Results: Wet lube (oil or grease) or dry (wax, etc) lube for inclement conditions?
Something more WET than DRY
30
78.95%
Something more DRY than WET
3
7.89%
No lube; I want my chain to rust solid
5
13.16%
Voters: 38. You may not vote on this poll
Foul weather chain lube - WET or DRY?
11-29-06, 02:46 PM
#1
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Foul weather chain lube - WET or DRY?
Okay, it's winter. Rain here in the Pacific Northwest, snow in the Midwest. What lube do you prefer for harsh weather?
11-29-06, 02:47 PM
#2
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I use Finish Line Wet for the rainy season, and Dry for the summer. Even with the snow, the FL Wet seems to be holding up well.
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11-29-06, 02:48 PM
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I am also in the Pacific NW and I really like the Finish Line WET Lubricant, it also says "cross country" and "extreme riding conditions" on the bottle. I bought it at REI for a reasonable price. They had some more expensive boutique stuff too, but finish line has served me very well over the years.
11-29-06, 02:49 PM
#4
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ha Clifton's post just beat mine, I guess great NW minds think alike 
BTW, I have never had any luck with white lightning or similar, even in the best conditions.
BTW, I have never had any luck with white lightning or similar, even in the best conditions.
11-29-06, 02:50 PM
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Another vote for Finish Line XC. It's the thick green stuff. I put it on the night before a ride and let it work all the way in before wiping it really well the next morning.
11-29-06, 02:51 PM
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I have a separate bike I ride when the chance of precipitation is over 50%. I use Boeshield. Anything that is not gunky and greasy washes off in about five minutes. I had been using Phil's Tenacious but it was just too, well, tenacious.
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11-29-06, 03:18 PM
#9
GATC
Originally Posted by fender1
50/50 mix ATF and 10w30. Apply, wipe off excess and ride. Works great and is super cheap.
11-29-06, 03:21 PM
#10
GATC
Originally Posted by HardyWeinberg
This is what I've been doing lately, I'm quite happy so far.
I have a 'thin' pump can of it in my cube at work, at room temp (which was 53F yesterday am so it's not sooooooooo thin), and a 'thick' one in the garage at home at ambient temp (which is in the 20s lately so it's fairly viscous).
11-29-06, 03:35 PM
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I use what ever I have. At the moment its some tri-flo that I picked up several years ago. I'll use that till its gone regardless of the weather.
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11-29-06, 03:36 PM
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Finish Line Cross country or Pedro's Syn Lube. And I am not stingy on it either. I Prefer to have a chain swimming in oil when its wet, than a wiped dry chain that does not have any excess on it.
Just in case any of you can still find it-as I have not seen it for at least 3 years. Black Gold used to make a chain oil that stuck to everything. That almost had to be steam cleaned off the bike to get it off.
Just in case any of you can still find it-as I have not seen it for at least 3 years. Black Gold used to make a chain oil that stuck to everything. That almost had to be steam cleaned off the bike to get it off.
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11-29-06, 10:28 PM
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I had a post some months ago about my frustration when I "discovered" dry lubes. You have to put them on after every ride!!??
I see the attraction in dry, warm weather so that things don't get so gunky, but it's been raining here lately and it feels like I'm squeeking my way to and from work and spending all of my spare time lubing my chain.
I'll finish the bottle of Pedro's Ice Wax I have then go back to the Syn Lube.
I see the attraction in dry, warm weather so that things don't get so gunky, but it's been raining here lately and it feels like I'm squeeking my way to and from work and spending all of my spare time lubing my chain.
I'll finish the bottle of Pedro's Ice Wax I have then go back to the Syn Lube.
11-29-06, 10:37 PM
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Finish Line Wet is what I use. It is what we used in the shop I used to work at as well.
11-29-06, 11:17 PM
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Is Dumonde Tech considered a wet or dry lube? In any case, it's what I use all year round and it's FANTASTIC.
11-30-06, 08:25 AM
#17
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I tried White Lightning and Ice Wax, and just completely destroyed a chain in salt air at the beach. I had a hell of a time getting the rust and junk off of it...
I've used Pedro's Extra Dry since then for the summer on my joyride road bike, and am planning on Syn Lube for a commuter/beater I'm building up at the moment.
I used Finish Line XC a few years ago, and never had trouble with rain or anything else, but it made a goopy mess of the cassette and chain. I wasn't too good about cleaning it off at the time, used a chain cleaning gizmo, but now know that pulling the chain off and soaking it seems to work a lot better...
I've used Pedro's Extra Dry since then for the summer on my joyride road bike, and am planning on Syn Lube for a commuter/beater I'm building up at the moment.
I used Finish Line XC a few years ago, and never had trouble with rain or anything else, but it made a goopy mess of the cassette and chain. I wasn't too good about cleaning it off at the time, used a chain cleaning gizmo, but now know that pulling the chain off and soaking it seems to work a lot better...
11-30-06, 09:11 AM
#18
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Originally Posted by jeff-o
Is Dumonde Tech considered a wet or dry lube? In any case, it's what I use all year round and it's FANTASTIC.
11-30-06, 10:08 AM
#19
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I stopped using dry lube years ago. Wet 4 teh win!
11-30-06, 11:18 AM
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In the summer I use finish line wet, but in the winter I've been using pedro's Icewax (it seemed apropos). When it's -25 C, rinsing and cleaning a chain is no fun - so I reapply the wax every day to about 1/2 my chain. It keeps the chain clean, running relatively smooth, and so far no rust.
