PeteHski

Yeah, I've been using Silca Super-Secret drip-on wax for about a year now and it is excellent. Easy application, low wear, quiet, no mess. It scored very highly in Zero friction cycling's lab tests too, which is what first prompted me to give it a try. Before that I was using Squirt, which is quite similar but doesn't penetrate the chain links as easily as the Silca SS.

I've just got a new bike and been riding it with the factory grease for the first couple of hundred kms. Even riding on good dry roads it's already starting to look like a sticky, black, oily mess. Tomorrow I will clean it up and convert it to Silca wax and all will be good

indyfabz

Listen, folks. I settled this a long time ago.

NFS is the best lube. Period.

rsbob 

Are you sure we aren’t related?

tomato coupe

I think that was overshadowed by the resolution of the old vanilla vs. chocolate debate on the previous day.

JWK

I am just joining in this thread to say that I am extremely happy and, well...relieved I believe would be the accurate descriptor. I have actually been not sleeping well lately and I have realized it is anxiety brought on by thinking this thread was just going to scroll off into oblivion. As the months have passed, it has just been gnawing at my nerves more and more.

But now, all is well. Thank you so much, Mooree for bringing this one home. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot thank you enough.

Thank you.

qwaalodge

Even used cooking oil is better than the blue can WD40

WD40 is an anti-seize. To be a good anti-seize, it must turn into a very thick, gummy sludge after some time, great to prevent bolts from sticking together permanently. But also makes it a very poor lubricant.

indyfabz

It’s not rocket surgery, folks. Vanilla. Period.

cyccommute 

No. It isn’t. It is a lubricant in a solvent, just like oil based bicycle lubricants…even to the same proportions. Look at the SDS for WD-40 and the SDS for just about any other chain lube and you’ll see the same or similar CAS number for the constituents in the mixture.

Chuck M 

Every time one of these chain lube threads come up, I think about all the crap my dad lubed my bike chains with as a kid. Everything from 30 weight motor oil, WD-40, silicone spray to 3-in-1 oil. He used everything but bacon grease; he saved that for frying taters.

qwaalodge

We're talking the blue can WD40 right?

Well if it is a lube, then it's the only lube I know that turns into sticky, messy, gummy thing after many days.

Mineral engine oils on the other hand will turn into black, messy grease after many days but not sticky nor gummy. Even used cooking oil will not turn into sticky gummy mess. If I was given only two choices, between WD40 and used cooking oil, I'll choose used cooking oil.

I'm not promoting either situation. Nothing beats a clean chain. A clean chain is the ONLY way to have long chain and cassette life.

cyccommute 

That pretty much describes any oil based lubricant.

Have you never cleaned a wall of a kitchen? Cooking oil is a fatty acid which means it is reactive and contains unsaturated hydrocarbons which means it will oxidize. Mineral oils, like those found in WD-40 and oil based bicycle lubricants aren’t generally reactive nor do they oxidize easily. They tend to stay liquid a lot longer than cooking oils when exposed to air.

I don’t promote mineral oil based lubricants because of the mess…whether it is WD-40 or something els.. I would never promote vegetable based oils and certainly not animal based oils as lubricants because they are reactive with animal based oils being more reactive than plant based ones.

But I also want to dispel some of the misunderstanding of what WD-40 is and isn’t.

Zdawg

I like the dry lube from Muc-off. It comes with a slight hint of banana for some reason but the most important thing is that it's dry lube and doesn't attract that much much to your drivetrain

PeteHski

This ^ 100%
That's where oil based lubes fail for me. With the drivetrain fully exposed, the oil soon gets contaminated and quickly turns into a messy black grinding paste. Wax based lubes keep your drivetrain much cleaner with none of the oily mess.

GhostRider62

I switched from MSW to Silca melted wax with liquid touch-ups. Awesome product.

In defense of the bacon fat crowd, I did a tour once where it rained every day. I ran out of oil. I switched to extra virginal olive oil for a few days until I got to a town. It worked. Optimal? Who knows. But the chain lasted the tour.

PeteHski

We appear to be living in a parallel universe, lol.

jnbrown

Rock N Roll gold works best for me

Hiro11

Three chains in rotation all waxed with Silca Secret Wax.

dedhed

Belt Drive

mchb

3 in 1 silicone spray lubricant.

NoWhammies

+1 on Rock 'N Roll Gold. Since landing on this as my bike lube of choice I haven't looked back.

Reflector Guy

3-in-1 was what my dad used..... He kept cans in the basement, in the garage and in his toolbox. We used it on everything.

What we didn't do, however, was clean the chain. Ever. Eventually the chain and gears became black, oily messy things which I am certain were slowly destroying themselves with the thick, grimy oily mess. Limestone dust + oil was particularly tacky and I am sure did little good to the chains!

roadsnakes

For the past few years I`ve been using Synthetic Gear Lube with a little STP added.
I have a few old, empty 3- In- 1 containers that I add it to. It makes for easier application.
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Chuck M 

My dad had a can in the medicine cabinet for some reason.

sw20

I found this to be the worst lube I've used, used it a few times and had the noisiest drive train everytime, sounded like the chain was completely dry. Switched to Muc Off C3 Ceramic which IMHO is the best dry lube I've used.