Tri-Flow chain lube thickness?
 

So triflow make 2 chain lubes:
1. Tri-Flow Superior lubricant
2. Tri-Flow Superior Dry lubricant

I am guessing the Tri-Flow Superior lubricant ia not a wet lube can someone confirm this? or is it just as thick as a wet lube?

Also a random question, brand new chains are pre-lubed and dont require any lube out of the box, is this correct? if this is the case how long does the factory lube last compared to regular lube?

fantastic stuff the triflow been using it years i would go with the superior sure why not .

as for the wax on the new chain leave it on until it wares off it's reckoned to be top of the line wax.

not a MS Chemistry grad, but I believe the 'dry' has more volatile liquids that evaporate quickly to leave the solids that include PTFE.

yea the chains ship in something so they dont rust before opening the package.

Tri Flow Dry is said to be best for exposed gears on my Mandolin tuners.

TriFlow the brand, 'Superior' is a promotional claim , to elevate it above it's rivals. :innocent:


LBS uses Liters of it over the year on repairs and tuneups.

The factory chain lube is as good as lube gets. Periodically watch it and when it's time to lube, it's good to clean the old stuff off first before splaying new stuff. I don't know what the factory stuff is but some lube doesn't stick with it well. You can have a gunky mess when the new lubegets dirty.

When my drive train gets noisier, I lube it. I can usually go for several hundred miles or more on a new chain if I do not ride in the rain. Yesterday the bike I rode had 274 miles on the chain since new and it still is good and quiet, I might get several more hundred miles before I need to lube it. Most of the riding on that chain so far has been on pavement, thus not much dust and dirt on the chain.

Never used Tri-Flow, can't comment on it.

But, I buy eight speed chains, your narrower chains might not work the same as mine. I also try to avoid cross chaining.

Been using Tri-Flow Superior lube for years, particularly in the winter. Goes on wet and thin, so you really have to be careful about getting every last drop off the exterior of the chain or it makes a horrible mess in a short time. In the winter, I just lube often and clean often, and this stuff works very well for that application - easy on and easy off.

I take a different tack with new chains. I believe that the primary purpose of the manufacturer's "lube" is to protect the chain from corrosion. It also collects gunk and dirt really well. Then you have a mess when it does need real lube.

I clean my new chains thoroughly, and relube with my preferred lube, White Lightning Epic. It is a light, wet lube that handles most conditions well. I generally wipe and relube the chains about once a week while on tour, about every 300 miles. During wet weather I lube more frequently.

I use the Tri-flow for other oiling points: derailleurs, pedal cleat mechanisms, cables, etc. It is heavier than the Epic, and may last a little longer. It does collect more dirt. I usually carry just a bottle of the Epic lube on tours, and it can be used anywhere. If I run out of lube on a long tour, Tri-flow is usually available, and I'll use it as a chain lube. We get about 3500 miles out of our chains.

Tri-flow is in the syringe, which works well to get into those tight places, like derailleur pivot points.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...40b0e46b6f.jpg

This was the last week of a 3,000 mile ride. My wife took a shortcut through some freshly mown grass; the grass is not usually there. I wiped the drive train down and reoiled the chain weekly, and washed the bike several times during the trip. We had 35 days of rain and over 400 miles of dirt roads and trails. Her RD is dirty, about 2 weeks since wiping and lubing,but not as bad as you would expect after 3 months of tough conditions.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...derailleur.jpg

It seems awfully thin when it goes on.
I used a bottle last winter. Almost every day my chain would look dry (when leaving the house, generally wet when I got home :P)

I'm hoping to find something that will last a bit longer.

I use the Superior variety. I didn't know there was another under the Tri-Flow bannner. I use it on all the bikes. It does get dirty. When the chains start whirring, I put another lot on (anywhere between 500 and 1000km). I don't clean chains much these days. It can be a pain putting dropped chains back on because the chains are grubby, but I tried the wax lubes ages ago, and wasn't impressed with the noise and their longevity.

The Tri-Flow is thin and I use the old habit of one drop per roller. It can be a bit difficult to control drops from the OEM bottle. For touring and long (wet) randonnees, I have transferred an amount into a smaller bottle that was originally for eye drops. It controls the drop size better and fits in the toolkit better than the Tri-Flow bottle. In cold weather, just to make sure it flows OK, I put the bottle in hot water.

Mobil 1 engine oil. It was my go-to for a long time. Dirty chains, but hangs pretty well. I use Tri-Flow only because Machka brought some with her when she moved from Canada to Australia.

I have casually cycled for many years, but my husband and I have been cycling more and more and just invested in some nice touring bikes. We are long distance backpackers who are looking for some other avenues to enjoy. I say that because I am reading and learning as much as I can about bike maintenance and wanted to comment that I have used Tri-flow for years--on my vintage sewing machines :) My LBS had it on the shelf with the lubes. They explained that it is used, as described above, one drop at a time and carefully wiping off the excess. Its used a lot on older sewing machines because it not only lubes but also will cut through and loosen up gears that have rust or grime on them. I have freed up some frozen machines I never thought would get moving with just a few well-placed drops. Good stuff.

Great information on this forum, glad it is here. I'll keep reading, thanks.

I have been using Tri-Flow Lube on my Bike Chain's since 1985 and I like it and I also use
Boeshield T09 Lube