Chain lube question
07-15-11 | 07:14 PM
#1
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Chain lube question
Today I cleaned and lubed my chain with the clean ride lube....when I got to cleaning the chain off first, I noticed a blackish buildup on the lower 2 sprockets so I cleaned them off. Looked almost like ball bearing grease.
I think that's just the build up from dirt and wax from previous lubrication. Am I correct or is there another type grease for the lower sprockets?
I think that's just the build up from dirt and wax from previous lubrication. Am I correct or is there another type grease for the lower sprockets?
07-15-11 | 09:11 PM
#3
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Bikes: Custom bmx, giant tcr advanced
what your calling "grease" is probably contaminated lubricant what i typically recommend to customers with gunky chains is to carefully clean the chain with a degreaser, making sure that none of it goes into your bottom bracket or hub in fact taking the wheel off is sometimes easier, and then lightly applying new lube to the chain. as far as choosing a lube goes typically a dry teflon lube will do but if your doing mountain biking then your probably going to need something cleaner and drier like a wax lube and if you constantly put alot of miles on your bike then i recomend a wet lube
07-16-11 | 11:56 AM
#4
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
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Bikes: Some bikes. Hell, they're all the same, ain't they?
https://cyclinginsider.com/3827/chain...-with-shimano/
/end thread
/end thread
BikeRumor: What is Shimano’s official stance on the chain lube that comes stock on a shimano chain? Is it actually a lube, or a grease? And is it best to leave it on until the chain gets noisy and relube, or strip it right away and relube before riding?
Nick: So that brings us to lubrication. I mentioned that the chain wears because of friction as the chain moves to wrap around a gear. Well, that friction is reduced if there is lube on the chain. If there is dirt mixed in, the lube makes a bigger difference in reducing friction. If there is water mixed in, the lube helps displace the water. The grease that comes on a Shimano chain is applied at the factory to the individual pieces before the chain is assembled. The grease does a better job of reducing friction than aftermarket chain lubes and it lasts longer. The main reason we use liquid chain lube, whether it is one that stays liquid or a dry lube that has a solid lubricant in a liquid carrier (like a PTFE lube) is because we need to get the lube on a part that is not accessible without disassembling the chain. So the best thing to do when installing a new chain is to leave the factory grease on, not apply any other lube, ride until it wears out and then start applying liquid chain lube. In dusty conditions you can wipe off the outside of the new chain with a rag that is wet with a gentle degreaser to keep dirt from sticking to the grease. The factory grease also keeps the chain nice and quiet. After soaking a chain in degreaser and then lubing the chain with liquid lubricant the chain gets noticeably louder.
Shimano does not have an official recommended chain lube. They all seem to work pretty good. Different people have different preferences and different conditions require different lubes.
Nick: So that brings us to lubrication. I mentioned that the chain wears because of friction as the chain moves to wrap around a gear. Well, that friction is reduced if there is lube on the chain. If there is dirt mixed in, the lube makes a bigger difference in reducing friction. If there is water mixed in, the lube helps displace the water. The grease that comes on a Shimano chain is applied at the factory to the individual pieces before the chain is assembled. The grease does a better job of reducing friction than aftermarket chain lubes and it lasts longer. The main reason we use liquid chain lube, whether it is one that stays liquid or a dry lube that has a solid lubricant in a liquid carrier (like a PTFE lube) is because we need to get the lube on a part that is not accessible without disassembling the chain. So the best thing to do when installing a new chain is to leave the factory grease on, not apply any other lube, ride until it wears out and then start applying liquid chain lube. In dusty conditions you can wipe off the outside of the new chain with a rag that is wet with a gentle degreaser to keep dirt from sticking to the grease. The factory grease also keeps the chain nice and quiet. After soaking a chain in degreaser and then lubing the chain with liquid lubricant the chain gets noticeably louder.
Shimano does not have an official recommended chain lube. They all seem to work pretty good. Different people have different preferences and different conditions require different lubes.
Last edited by BarracksSi; 07-16-11 at 12:05 PM.
07-17-11 | 08:00 PM
#5
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
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From: Washington, DC
Bikes: Some bikes. Hell, they're all the same, ain't they?
Re-reading the OP's post --
Ah, my link has nothing to do with what you're asking, I'll bet.
No, there isn't another type of grease necessary for either end of the cassette (not sure whether you're talking about the smallest or biggest sprockets, but that doesn't matter here).
What you could be seeing is grease from inside the freehub/freewheel body. That's thicker than chain lube, and it sits either in the axle bearings or inside the hub where the pawls engage the hub body.
Is this the first time you've cleaned these gears? I'd also say to try the Mechanics subforum if you haven't already.
Today I cleaned and lubed my chain with the clean ride lube....when I got to cleaning the chain off first, I noticed a blackish buildup on the lower 2 sprockets so I cleaned them off. Looked almost like ball bearing grease.
I think that's just the build up from dirt and wax from previous lubrication. Am I correct or is there another type grease for the lower sprockets?
I think that's just the build up from dirt and wax from previous lubrication. Am I correct or is there another type grease for the lower sprockets?
No, there isn't another type of grease necessary for either end of the cassette (not sure whether you're talking about the smallest or biggest sprockets, but that doesn't matter here).
What you could be seeing is grease from inside the freehub/freewheel body. That's thicker than chain lube, and it sits either in the axle bearings or inside the hub where the pawls engage the hub body.
Is this the first time you've cleaned these gears? I'd also say to try the Mechanics subforum if you haven't already.
07-17-11 | 08:07 PM
#7
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From: CT
Barracks what i think he might mean is just lube + dirt build up on his cassette. looks like grease.. but isn't.
In between full break downs i take a metal tooth cleaning thing like they scrape with at the dentist and scrape off the gunk from between the cogs. I also do that to the sides of the Rear derailleur pulleys where stuff usually gathers up.
When it starts looking real grungy I take the cassette off the wheel, dissemble and clean it with Simple Green.
In between full break downs i take a metal tooth cleaning thing like they scrape with at the dentist and scrape off the gunk from between the cogs. I also do that to the sides of the Rear derailleur pulleys where stuff usually gathers up.
When it starts looking real grungy I take the cassette off the wheel, dissemble and clean it with Simple Green.
07-17-11 | 09:09 PM
#8
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
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From: Washington, DC
Bikes: Some bikes. Hell, they're all the same, ain't they?
Things like this are best done in person or with some good, well-focused pictures.
07-17-11 | 09:22 PM
#9
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From: Gig Harbor, WA
Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker, Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo, Dahon Mu P 24 , Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Rodriguez Tandem, Wheeler MTB
