Kiiwiiz

[POLL]

I'm from Orlando, living in Gainesville and I just bought my first real bike for commuting. Getting started with all of this can be overwhelming but I'm having a lot of fun with it and I'm excited!

I'm in the market for some chain lube. Before I make any purchase I wanted to get an idea of what people are using in different climates and see what is overall most popular. So I setup a poll with a pretty extensive list of chain lubricants in an attempt to account for the broad spectrum of different products out there. I live on Central Florida so I need something pretty versatile. Ease of cleaning and application frequency are my two biggest concerns. Cleaning and lubing to me isn't a big chore so I don't mind more frequent application, but I don't want to be wiping down a black chain all the time either.

I think I'm leaning toward the wax and polymer based lubes, RnR Gold, Dumonde and Boeshield are the most appealing to me at this point.

What type of lubricant do you find works best for your climate? Where are you located? How many miles before reapplication in muddy/wet or dusty/dry conditions? What do you use remove your lube for deep cleaning?

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Please feel free to share this poll with your friends/community, the more data we have the better!
https://www.wedgies.com/question/564...32d62f00000494

FlatFender

I've always been a Tri-flow guy myself (would have voted but it's not on the list).

canadian deacon

In years past I used a wet lube exclusively (Finish Line) sometimes changing to fluid film for the winter months. I have been using a wax (White Lightning) all summer and am considering sticking with it through the winter.

I reapply every couple of days or after riding in the rain. My commute is 20+ km one way.

FoldMeSideways

Nothin' quite like using good ol' oil for lubrication. Messy? Yes. Effective? Also Yes.

shelbyfv

In the time it took to write your epistle, you could have searched the forum and found enough chain lube threads to last a lifetime. I think the latest one was the day before you signed up.

Fly2High

Chain-L for t bikes have long durations between cleanings.

White Lightning Wet Lube before that.

Both very good lubes

hig4s

I just use a spray silicon lube.

fietsbob

[yet another chainlube thread] ... what ever is handy ..

1983

Bikeman.com has (had?) a 1 liter bottle of Pedro's GO veggie based oil for $10. Works like a charm so far for me.

indyfabz

The guy who built my custom frame is now using the biodegradeable version of this:NixFrixShun Bicycle Speed Shop He really likes it. Met the inventor of it at the Philly Bike Expo last weekend.

avidone1

You forgot the category "other"
I use "other"

avidone1

You seem to enjoy doing this on any number of threads.
Ok, we get it. You have been on the forums a long time and you have a good memory.

fietsbob

Å little bit at the LBS.. they buy triflow

ThermionicScott 

+1, there's plenty of data in past threads, but oh well. I use Chain-L, for its glorious scent.

Doctor Morbius

Garfield Cat

I found this web site helpful. Its aimed at the industrial lubricant sector but it should help here. My observation? It's the big companies that are concerned with their production processes that have the answers. We can learn from them.

Advice for Chain Lubrication

Another guess on my part? Maybe very few bike lube makers have in-house technical people to match the chemists and petrol engineers "know-how" to make it right.

What would they do? Hire consultants to come up with a few formulas with the right mix of additives, etc. Then its just marketing to the local shops. I would imagine the Boeshield guy didn't do much but buy the entire rights to it and sell from his place in Michigan?

RushFan2112

I try to not overthink chain lube and buy whatever is on sale. Right now that happens to be Dumonde Tech Lite.

nayr497

Homebrewer here. Paint thinner and motor oil. Mix up a big batch, put in contact solution bottles. Been doing this for years now and get LOTS or KMs from all my chains, from race to cross to commuters. It's so cheap, you can apply liberally, let it flash off, give a light wipe off later on.

Whatever lube you go with, just lube frequently. Cheapest way to keep your drivetrain happy.

Garfield Cat

The Dumonde is 4 oz. and on sale it could be $10.00. Same for that Boeshield 4 oz at about same price. That would be $2.50 per oz.

BlazingPedals

What about that study that showed no lube at all had less friction than the best lubes?

Podagrower

I was using Chain-L exclusively until this summer when I got tired of having a constantly black chain and gears, the stuff is great, but holds dirt too much for my road biking-I still use it on my back up/commuter/rain bike because it is the right choice for that bike. The road bike gets White Lightning Clean Ride wax based lube, feels as good as the wet lube, but a cleaner drivetrain overall.

tramptrade 

Royal purple. Not doing the off-site poll thing.

themp

White Lightning Clean Ride

Just purchased a hybrid mainly used on Greenways. I was lucky enough to be introduced to a very experienced bike mechanic on a ride one day. I ask if he would spend some time with me and we have done multiple days of bike maintenance at his home. He has ridden well over 120K miles and has built so many bikes for himself and others it is mind boggling. His opinion is that he has never had a chain wear out using White Lighting Clean Ride. But he does use this every 100 miles on all his bikes. And his technique is different on how to apply it. Here is what he had me do:

1.) After 300 miles on my new hybrid bike, he had me clean the chain with gasoline. He is old school here and I could have used another solvent, but the gasoline did remove the factory applied grease/lubricant. You want to start with a completely lubricant free chain.

2.) Next you put the White Lighting Clean Ride in a small container, would say a few ounces. Then using a china small paint brush go along the chain with the container catching the drips as you liberally soaks the chain with the White Lighting Clean Ride. As you do this you can see the very fine metal wear particles dropping into the container.

3.) For the first time lubrication with Clean Ride you do the chain twice on rotation. There after every 100 miles you just do it once on rotation.

4.) After letting it dry for a period of time you take a rag and wipe down the chain. You want the external chain surface to be clean of the lubricant.

What I like is that chain/cassette and all the chain runs against stay very clean. I do not ride in the rain, but I do ride on gravel surfaces and trails at times. Water and rain will wash this out pretty fast, so this lubricant is not for that.

GP

Triflow, for years. I tried some new wonder stuff last year didn't like it. I've always thought I was in the "don't care - lube is lube" group but I guess I'm not.

canklecat

Using Park CL-1 for now. Works for cables and joints too. Thin enough to migrate where needed, not so thin that it splatters everywhere. Might consider something else after this bottle is finished, which will take a couple of years.