Which do you prefer and why?

I bought a wax based lube per numerous recommendations, but I found it to gunk up on the rear derailleur pretty quickly and the chain sounded EXTREMELY dry after only a 20-30 miles.

After de-greasing and switching back to a wet lube, it was SOOooo much better. The drive-train was smooth as silk.

I know the wet lube splatters more, and looks dirtier, but man it feels so much better, and sounds way quieter and smoother when pedaling. It made my bike feel brand new again.

The two products I used were White Lightening Clean and T9. T9 being far superior IMO.

Anyone have a different experience or and I doing something wrong?

I use Tri-Flow myself. If I was really concerned about the grease/grime, I'd either use a full chain case, a belt drive, or just hang the bike on a wall and call it a piece of art.

I agree that the "dry" lubes just create gunk.

I use this all condition lube. Its more like a wet lube and is quieter than the dry version they offer. I do clean my chain and apply it once per week as it only effectively lasts about 90-100 miles or so.

Maybe I'll try that one. I used the clean version of white lightening and it just seemed "gummy" and my chain sounded like crap after only around 30 miles or so.

Using the wet lube took was like night and day.

Chain-L...stuff lasts forever. I got tired of having to re-apply dry lube every other ride.

30 weight oil mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits. About 5 bucks a quart, which will last about 20 years.

Last night after cleaning the chain I did throw on some Boeshield, because I couldn't find the oil bottle. I bought the Boeshield because people said it was awesome - but I found it not really any better than just regular old oil. Same with about a half dozen other bike specific lubes that I've tried.

The nice thing about spray lubes is that they're fast - you can lube a chain in about 5 seconds. Boeshield is extremely expensive though. If I want to use spray lube (like in the winter when I just don't want to be in the garage lubing a chain when it's -10*F) I use DuPont Teflon+Wax spray, $5 for a big spray can at Lowes.

If you are gunking up the drive train quickly, you are probably using too much. I've been using White Lightning for most of 20 years and don't apply it any more often than I did wet lubes that I used before. My application of the lubricant is about every 6 weeks or 500 to 600 miles. I hardly every have deposits of wax on the drivetrain or components because I don't flood the chain constantly with the stuff.

As for the noise, it may just be something that you get used to but I don't notice any excessive drivetrain noise on my bike. It doesn't squeak, it doesn't clatter nor does it shift poorly.

The benefit to dry lube is you don't gunk up the chain. If that's happening then I agree with cyccommute, you're probably applying too much. However I disagree with him on the frequency of application. When I was using White Lightning about every third ride my chain would start to squeek and shift poorly, it would get better when I applied the dry lube again. By most accounts I've read dry lube must be applied very frequently, as in weekly. This Chain-L stuff I recommended, they say it can be over 1,000 miles before you need a re-application. It does attract more gunk though, so I need a deeper de-greasing every so often. With my schedule I'd rather have longer maintenance that I can shift in time to when I'm less busy than required frequent but short maintenance.

Are you using the White Lightning Clean Ride?

Another Chain-L user here. Works well for me, doesn't wash off when it rains, and the chain doesn't gunk up.

Hmmmm, I applied it once after cleaning the drivetrain really well. About one drop per link.

The chain noise started around my 3rd ride. So I guess our experience is sorta similar.

Noise like what I heard is not something I'm ok with getting used to. It wasn't squeaking, just noisy, like it was straining or something. Once it was cleaned and a wet lube applied, it was perfect.

Don't know how you could go 500-600 miles on one application. That seems infrequent, but I guess it depends where you are riding.


I was. Probably not anymore.

May have to try this. Thanks for the recommendation.

Anyone use Finish Line? I've seen that floating around as well..

How does Chain-L compare to other thick chain-specific lubes like chainsaw oil?

Don't know, I haven't used chainsaw oil. I generally look for cheap alternatives on things and don't mind stepping outside of the overpriced bike world. But chain lube is one area where I don't want to mess with it too much. For a while I tried transmission fluid, heard that was a good alternative. But Chain-L is so specific and unique and has such incredible longevity that I don't mind paying for it. To be honest, I don't know how they'll stay afloat, the lube lasts so long that I actually got some samples and over the course of a couple years haven't made a dent in them. I've been planning on ordering some just to support the company, although it'll just sit on my shelf forever.

It's very thick, the best analogy is it's just like thick honey, but obviously made of more durable and appropriate stuff.

In order of frequency of what I use:
Prolink, T-9, Triflow, the Dupont teflon/wax aerosol stuff, classic WD40 (when something needs lubed and nothing else is around).

I like Prolink because it seems to do a good job of cleaning and lubing the chain at the same time.

The trick to using oil is to wipe off the excess. Before cleaning and oiling put the chain on the biggest cog in the back and the big chainring. Clean and lube the chain and turn the cranks for 30 seconds. Wipe off the chain really, really good. Don't worry about over-wiping, not possible. Turn the cranks 30 seconds. Wipe the big chain ring, wipe the biggest cog on the back. Repeat last two steps once again.

I use bathroom wipes for the wiping.

Thought I'd seen this conversation before:

https://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-381616.html

I use it in the winter, spring, summer, fall while road riding, commuting, touring and mountain biking. I usually apply it only after the chain gets wet. Here in the Colorado that can be as infrequent as it is in central California.

I've used it in the Southwest, the Northeast, the Midwest, the Northwest and the Southeast and never had to use all that much of it except when I get caught in a rain storm. I'm also a pretty good mechanic...I teach people how to work on their bikes at a local co-op...and my drivetrain shifts as crisply as anything I've seen out there. I don't find it making excessive noise nor having troubles working in what I would call a normal manner. Even in high torque situations like those experienced in touring or mountain biking, I've never had issues with the lubrication. Frankly, it's been just the opposite. I used to blow through chains and freewheels back in the old days of using Phil's Tenacious Oil and other wet lubes. They just attracted dirt, trapped it in the mechanism and ground the chain to dust.

Chamois Butt'r... oh forget it, you guys were talking about chains.

For my bikes that never see rain I use White Lightning Clean Ride,for my winter/bad weather bike I use Finish Line Wet,and for my bike clinic I use Pedro's ChainJ. I actually picked the ChainJ because it was biodegradable(farmer's markets being green 'n all),but I'm really pleased with it.

we used t-9 boeshield and it seemed to work well. have only done it once though.

FWIW after many years of removing the chain and washing in a can of mineral spirits, I gave up and bought a Finish Line chain cleaner. It's way better than the Nashbar cleaner I bought once which never worked well and broke after about 2 uses. It makes a huge difference, it gets the chain way cleaner than a mineral spirit rinse, and I'm using a bio-degreaser so it's less toxic as well. Cleaning used to be enough of a pain that I didn't do it that much, now I'm doing it every 2 weeks (about 250 miles or so).

The Finish Line cleaner is pretty nice. Reviews on Amazon indicate it's about the best one available, better than the one from Park.

Pro-Link for me. Lube, wipe, ride, repeat ad infinitum.

Mobil-1.....$6 a QT.