OK, so my wife and I both have new road bikes that were built up by two respective local bike shops. Her chain remains nice and clean after several (dry) rides, and mine is now black and gunky after several (dry) rides. 🙁
Without spoiling the results of the poll, which of these two lubes do you all prefer? So many people rave about ProLink, and many also sing the praises of Boeshield T-9. Based upon our two chains, I know which I'm inlcined to use, but I'm very interested to hear some other serious riders' experiences with these two lubes on the road.
Those two brands aren't readily available in Oz but Rock n'Roll from the States is & very popular it is too , even if their advertising expenditure is a fraction of Finishline, Pedro's etc. www.rocklube.com
Well, Prolink has been my choice for the last four years, although I just purchased the T-9 to try. I'm not sure how the two compare yet; to early to tell. The shop that sold me the T-9 had both for sale, but recommended the T-9. Can't wait to see if anyone else can give experiences with the T-9 vs Prolink.
Well, Prolink has been my choice for the last four years, although I just purchased the T-9 to try. I'm not sure how the two compare yet; to early to tell. The shop that sold me the T-9 had both for sale, but recommended the T-9. Can't wait to see if anyone else can give experiences with the T-9 vs Prolink.
I have tried both. To tell the truth I am not sure that there is much difference. I tried the T-9 on my wife's road bike last summer and the Prolink on mine. I ride at least 60% more than my wife. I could not tell the difference. I now use Prolink on both bikes since it is easier to find the Prolink.
Regarding the condition of the chain, I agree with Alienator, it is not a completely a function of the lube but rather the relative length and quantity of exposure to road dust, etc.
Well, whatever you choose, how the chain looks really has nothing to do with how well the lube is working.
I do realize that, but neglected to throw in the fact that the black one has also picked up a LOT of grit and crud. Although the shop swears they cleaned the factory goo off the chain first, I'm thinking they may not have adequately removed it, and that has caused the problem. I have a hard time believing such a highly-regarded lube would do this to my drivetrain; I can actually hear all the [censored] running through it.... 🙁
Anyway, appreciate all of your input, and would love to hear more from others!
Those two brands aren't readily available in Oz but Rock n'Roll from the States is & very popular it is too , even if their advertising expenditure is a fraction of Finishline, Pedro's etc. www.rocklube.com
I have had no problem getting Prolink in AUS. The list of retrailers is here:
Any remnants of factory preservative grease should disappear after you lube the chain a few times. All oil-based lubes I've seen will leave the chain black and gunky if too much is used, or the chain isn't wiped down after application. Use just one drop of lube on each bushing, and then wipe the chain down well (after spinning the cranks a few times to distribute the oil). I wipe the chain frequently after rides if there is significant lube or gunk visible on the sideplates.
Crunching noises need to be cleared up. You could either flush out the grit with fresh lube and a good wipe down (after spinning the cranks), or use a chain cleaner machine with some water-based solvent before relubing. I don't clean my chain very often, but if you ride in high sand or dirt conditions, a little chain cleaner machine and some citrus solvent may be a good $25 investment.
Boeshield T-9, if you follow the instructions and let it dry before riding. Switched to Dupont's Teflon Multi-Use Dry, Wax Lubricant, only $5.00 USD at Lowe's and it works just as good as any other chain lube/wax. Like T-9, after spraying, let it dry before riding (doesn't take long and leaves a waxy coating). Motorcycle guys use it on their chains. ProGold's Metal Friction Reducer (MFR) and Maxima Chain Wax is pretty good too. Shell Advance Teflon Chain lube or Bel-Ray chain lube is more tacky/sticky, although Shell holds the edge here. Others have covered the usual suspects in bicycle chain lubes.
