xccelr8

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice as to the best chain lubes for a road bike. I have been using Boshield T-9. Most of my riding is done in the dry. I have found that my chain seems to pick up a lot of grit and grime which affects my shifting. I apply the lube every 200-300 miles. Am I doing something wrong?

Any suggestions for a good all around lube that won't pick up a lot of road debris. I am thinking about trying Prolink Gold.

Also this might sound like a dumb idea but has anyone every tried a synthetic motor oil such as AMSOIL as a chain lube? I use AMSOIL in my vehicles and think it's outstanding.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

xccelr8

DogBoy

I thought the best chain-lube was WD-40..... j/k

OneTinSloth

i had been using prolink for a while, but have recently become a believer in tri-flow. just the little black bottle that's usually about $4.95. you have to apply it a little more often, as it doesn't really harden like some other chainlubes do, but it's amazing, and it smells nice, too.

ManBearPig

I've settled on Prolink. There is no perfect lube -- i.e. one that lasts forever, never attracts crud, and that eliminates chain maintenance. Chains must be maintained, period. Sad, but true. I wonder why folks stopped working on a sealed transmission?

Chops83

Another fan of the Tri-Flow here

Matt Gaunt

Weight!

I use a wax based lube for my road bike and a more runny, highly effectlive but mega-crud-attracting one for my MTB.

jlin453

I've never used a wax based lube, but the chain that my new bike came with had this wax based lube. I was wondering why my fingers were sticky after I touched the chain.

ManBearPig

That's a good reason to keep working on it. Who woulda thunk 15 years ago that a cell phone would fit in a shirt pocket?

OneTinSloth

that's not lube...it's a protectant that keeps the chain from getting rusty while the bike sits in the box or at the shop for months and months and months...same deal with the gunky crap on new chains straight from the box. simple green takes care of that, then triflow.

OneTinSloth

maintenance. taking care of a chain isn't that difficult. overhauling any kind of sealed drivetrain is a pain in the ass...internal gear hubs, shaft drive, even fully enclosed chainguards *shudder*...plus internal gears aren't as efficient as external gears.

Matt Gaunt

Good point. I suppose if the boffins at Trek make the bike 'too light' for any of the regulations then a housed transmission would be viable.

Might be a pain in the a$$ to maintain, though - still gotta lube the chain and cogs.

Matt Gaunt

HA!! Posted my reply at the exact same time as OneTinSloth and put the same sentiment in it too - it's like one mind!

joeprim

WD-40 is called WD because it is Water Displacer great stuff, but not lube.

Joe

howling.fantods

I like triflow too. Picks up grit if you don't wipe it off enough, but if you wipe down the chain pretty thoroughly after applying it, it stays pretty clean, and still has all the lube it needs in the actual contact points. Every 200-300 miles doesn't sound often enough. I usually re-lube after every long ride, or every couple of days if I've just taken it out for short errands. I've tried wax lubes, but it starts sounding craptastic after 50 miles or so.

Matt Gaunt

LOL!!! yeah i suppose - my MTB is silky smooth on runny oil but I just haven't got the heart to do that to my roadie! Looks foul most of the time but it's so effective if you keep it under control.

DogBoy

Hence the j/k

skydive69

I use Pedro's spray on dry lube. I used to use Pro lube, but unlike Pedro's which seems to pick up little dirt, Pro lube picks up everything on the road requiring frequent chain cleaning. I can now run my chain quickly through a towel, spray on a coat, wipe off excess on sides, and chain sparkles without running it through a chain cleaner.

Voodoo76

Tri-Flow is very effective. Most people over use it, apply one drop per roller and wipe excess off. Much less dust collection & should last a week or two unless you run into a bit of rain.

climbo

Homebrew - it's been discussed all over the place on forums. 3 parts OMS to 1 part motor oil, shake, spray, wipe down, ride. I've been using it for years, cheap and it works.

Avalanche325

I found that White Lightning runs way cleaner than Pro Link.

'nother

I just recently "switched" from Tri-Flow to White Lightning ("Epic"), so far so good. Definitely does not seem to attract as much crap as TF or other lubes. Guess we'll have to see about the longer term; I've only been running it for about 100 miles so far.

Dr Mono

Another vote for Tri-Flow

JBar

I use Tri-Flow, usually clean my bike once a week or so and thoroughly wipe off any excess lubricant. My bike is cleaner than most but I think my drive train will last longer and work better as a result. If I'm going to spend 8-10 hours a week on my bike, it's no big deal to spend 15-20 minutes to keep it clean. Of course, if I followed that rational, I'd have to wash my truck.

jsigone

I use White Lighting on both the MTB and Roadie.

DXchulo

Nice to see lots of Tri-Flow believers like myself.

If you want something that doesn't attract much dirt and you live in a dry area, you should try some wax-based lube and see how you like it.

I used some wax stuff a while back and didn't really like it because I had to apply it more often, but that's just me. Plus, I missed the beauty of the black stuff on my chain.