Embarrassing Question: How to properly lube a chain?



C

Colin Campbell

Guest
I just got home from a ride on the newer of my two bikes. I've been
having problems with the chain skipping for a couple of weeks. I even
had the bike in at the LBS. There, mechanic #2 said the chain and
cassette looked OK. He diagnosed a bent derailleur hanger, fixed that,
lubed the chain and jockey wheels (I mentioned that another club member
kept telling me it was noisy - I'm hard of hearing), spent a lot of time
adjusting the shifting, and finally said he wanted to replace the cable
guides / holders.

That got done in time for me to ride the bike on a mountain climb, and
it performed flawlessly. Then, a day or so later, the chain skipped a I
was riding up the hill to my house. It seemed to be happening in the 53
x 19, but then, I ride in that combo a lot.

Now, I've ridden the bike seven times, and about 400km since that
service. Today, luckily near the LBS, the chain started skipping badly
and consistently. I rolled in, and mechanic #1 put it on the stand, and
quickly located a tight link. He loosened that up, and said the chain
was terribly dry. He shot the chain and the jockey wheels with lube and
sent me home (to stand in the corner until I learned to lube my bike
more often / better was the way it felt).

I'm in the habit of spraying Simple Green on the chain, cassette, and
chain rings, rinsing that off as part of washing the bike, then lubing
the chain with Pedro's Ice Wax. Apparently, I do not do this often
enough and/or I don't use enough lube when I do the bike cleaning.

Another experienced bike mechanic told me he thought the Ice Wax was the
best lube, so I've been using it for a few years. Mechanic #1 today
used an aerosol spray lube (I didn't see the brand). Ice Wax is much
thicker, and I may not be getting it on the pins or some other moving parts.

How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain?
Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?

Thanks!
 
"Colin Campbell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain? Is
> my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?


IMHO, the choice of lube is much secondary to properly cleaning thing. Note
that I didn't say lubing it.

You should not lube a dirty chain. All that does is to move dirt from the
outside of the chain to the inside.

Oil on the outside of the chain does little other than to collect dirt. It
needs to be on the inside.

Clean the chain very well with kerosene or one of the special chain
cleaners.

It is best to remove it from the bike and the best way to do what is to use
one of the removeable links made by Wipperman or a similar company. If you
don't have one of the these (and I've never seen a factory bike that came
with one), you will have to use a chaintool and buy a new pin for each
removal - major pain.

Soak the chain in the cleaner, use a toothbrush, possibly change the
cleaner, do whatever needed. Do similar for the other drive components. If
you can't remove it practically, clean it on the bike with an old toothbrush
and some cleaner.

After all is finished, place a single drop of oil on each chain link, allow
to soak in for awhile, reinstall, and wipe off the excess.

After the first ride, wipe off more excess. You don't need much lube - that
only attracts dirt. What you need is a clean chain and other drive
components to start.

Jeff



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
 
On Jan 22, 5:18 pm, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Colin Campbell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain? Is
> > my product choice OK?  Are there others I should consider?
>
> IMHO, the choice of lube is much secondary to properly cleaning thing. Note
> that I didn't say lubing it.
>
> You should not lube a dirty chain. All that does is to move dirt from the
> outside of the chain to the inside.
>
> Oil on the outside of the chain does little other than to collect dirt. It
> needs to be on the inside.
>
> Clean the chain very well with kerosene or one of the special chain
> cleaners.
>
> It is best to remove it from the bike and the best way to do what is to use
> one of the removeable links made by Wipperman or a similar company. If you
> don't have one of the these (and I've never seen a factory bike that came
> with one), you will have to use a chaintool and buy a new pin for each
> removal - major pain.
>
> Soak the chain in the cleaner, use a toothbrush, possibly change the
> cleaner, do whatever needed. Do similar for the other drive components. If
> you can't remove it practically, clean it on the bike with an old toothbrush
> and some cleaner.
>
> After all is finished, place a single drop of oil on each chain link, allow
> to soak in for awhile, reinstall, and wipe off the excess.
>
> After the first ride, wipe off more excess. You don't need much lube - that
> only attracts dirt. What you need is a clean chain and other drive
> components to start.
>
> Jeff
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

So why is lubing the dirty chain so bad? While it might move dirt
into the chain, it seems to reduce friction on the chainrings and
cogs, if noise is an indication. And isn't it useful to consider the
chain a consumable, and toss it when it elongates, and protect the
cogs and c rings that way? Of course I'm still on 8 speed, and chains
are cheap for them.
 
On Jan 23, 12:59 am, mtb Dad <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jan 22, 5:18 pm, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Colin Campbell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:[email protected]...
>
> > > How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain? Is
> > > my product choice OK?  Are there others I should consider?
>
> > IMHO, the choice of lube is much secondary to properly cleaning thing. Note
> > that I didn't say lubing it.
>
> > You should not lube a dirty chain. All that does is to move dirt from the
> > outside of the chain to the inside.
>
> > Oil on the outside of the chain does little other than to collect dirt. It
> > needs to be on the inside.
>
> > Clean the chain very well with kerosene or one of the special chain
> > cleaners.
>
> > It is best to remove it from the bike and the best way to do what is to use
> > one of the removeable links made by Wipperman or a similar company. If you
> > don't have one of the these (and I've never seen a factory bike that came
> > with one), you will have to use a chaintool and buy a new pin for each
> > removal - major pain.
>
> > Soak the chain in the cleaner, use a toothbrush, possibly change the
> > cleaner, do whatever needed. Do similar for the other drive components. If
> > you can't remove it practically, clean it on the bike with an old toothbrush
> > and some cleaner.
>
> > After all is finished, place a single drop of oil on each chain link, allow
> > to soak in for awhile, reinstall, and wipe off the excess.
>
> > After the first ride, wipe off more excess. You don't need much lube - that
> > only attracts dirt. What you need is a clean chain and other drive
> > components to start.
>
> > Jeff
>
> > --
> > Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com
>
> So why is lubing the dirty chain so bad?  While it might move dirt
> into the chain, it seems to reduce friction on the chainrings and
> cogs, if noise is an indication.  And isn't it useful to consider the
> chain a consumable, and toss it when it elongates, and protect the
> cogs and c rings that way?  Of course I'm still on 8 speed, and chains
> are cheap for them.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Chain cleaning is a roadie thing and something, I consider, as a waste
of time for mtbing. The only time that chain will stay clean is for
the few hours/days after you've cleaned it, while the bike sits in the
garage awaiting the next ride. As soon as you hit the trail, it'll be
dirty again. A chain is a consumable and as you said, just replace it
when it elongates. I usually lube the chain after I get home from a
ride, after I've hosed off the bike and cleaned off as much mud as I
can. On really dry and dusty rides I often have to lube mid trip,
which means applying lube directly to a dirty chain.
 
On Jan 23, 12:59 am, mtb Dad <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jan 22, 5:18 pm, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Colin Campbell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:[email protected]...
>
> > > How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain? Is
> > > my product choice OK?  Are there others I should consider?
>
> > IMHO, the choice of lube is much secondary to properly cleaning thing. Note
> > that I didn't say lubing it.
>
> > You should not lube a dirty chain. All that does is to move dirt from the
> > outside of the chain to the inside.
>
> > Oil on the outside of the chain does little other than to collect dirt. It
> > needs to be on the inside.
>
> > Clean the chain very well with kerosene or one of the special chain
> > cleaners.
>
> > It is best to remove it from the bike and the best way to do what is to use
> > one of the removeable links made by Wipperman or a similar company. If you
> > don't have one of the these (and I've never seen a factory bike that came
> > with one), you will have to use a chaintool and buy a new pin for each
> > removal - major pain.
>
> > Soak the chain in the cleaner, use a toothbrush, possibly change the
> > cleaner, do whatever needed. Do similar for the other drive components. If
> > you can't remove it practically, clean it on the bike with an old toothbrush
> > and some cleaner.
>
> > After all is finished, place a single drop of oil on each chain link, allow
> > to soak in for awhile, reinstall, and wipe off the excess.
>
> > After the first ride, wipe off more excess. You don't need much lube - that
> > only attracts dirt. What you need is a clean chain and other drive
> > components to start.
>
> > Jeff
>
> > --
> > Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com
>
> So why is lubing the dirty chain so bad?  While it might move dirt
> into the chain, it seems to reduce friction on the chainrings and
> cogs, if noise is an indication.  And isn't it useful to consider the
> chain a consumable, and toss it when it elongates, and protect the
> cogs and c rings that way?  Of course I'm still on 8 speed, and chains
> are cheap for them.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
>
I have an 8-speed cassette, and I use $15 chains. I lube my chain when
it is dirty all the time. I replace the chain when the wear indicator
says .75% worn, which for me is 9-12 months. I can't see spending a
lot of time cleaning a $15 chain.

J.
 
Colin Campbell wrote:

> How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain? Is
> my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?

See "http://bicyclechain.info/"

First rule: don't use a water based cleaner like Simple Green, use
kerosene or mineral spirits.

Second rule: don't waste your money on fancy lubricants in small
bottles. If you're lubricating the chain on the bicycle, buy a large can
of foaming motorcycle chain lube.
 
On Jan 22, 8:00 pm, Colin Campbell <[email protected]> wrote:
> I just got home from a ride on the newer of my two bikes. I've been
> having problems with the chain skipping for a couple of weeks. I even
> had the bike in at the LBS. There, mechanic #2 said the chain and
> cassette looked OK. He diagnosed a bent derailleur hanger, fixed that,
> lubed the chain and jockey wheels (I mentioned that another club member
> kept telling me it was noisy - I'm hard of hearing), spent a lot of time
> adjusting the shifting, and finally said he wanted to replace the cable
> guides / holders.
>
> That got done in time for me to ride the bike on a mountain climb, and
> it performed flawlessly. Then, a day or so later, the chain skipped a I
> was riding up the hill to my house. It seemed to be happening in the 53
> x 19, but then, I ride in that combo a lot.
>
> Now, I've ridden the bike seven times, and about 400km since that
> service. Today, luckily near the LBS, the chain started skipping badly
> and consistently. I rolled in, and mechanic #1 put it on the stand, and
> quickly located a tight link. He loosened that up, and said the chain
> was terribly dry. He shot the chain and the jockey wheels with lube and
> sent me home (to stand in the corner until I learned to lube my bike
> more often / better was the way it felt).
>
> I'm in the habit of spraying Simple Green on the chain, cassette, and
> chain rings, rinsing that off as part of washing the bike, then lubing
> the chain with Pedro's Ice Wax. Apparently, I do not do this often
> enough and/or I don't use enough lube when I do the bike cleaning.
>
> Another experienced bike mechanic told me he thought the Ice Wax was the
> best lube, so I've been using it for a few years. Mechanic #1 today
> used an aerosol spray lube (I didn't see the brand). Ice Wax is much
> thicker, and I may not be getting it on the pins or some other moving parts.
>
> How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain?
> Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>
> Thanks!

Colin,

I also want to mention lubing the lower chain on the top surface as
you work your way through the entire chain. I've seen some folks
oiling the top surface of the leading chain, swing the crankset 360
degree and there flies all your lube...

Ron
http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com
 
On Jan 22, 5:00 pm, Colin Campbell <[email protected]> wrote:

> How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain?

This is a pretty subjective topic, you'll get many different answers.
I don't like to spend a lot of time on it, so here's my basic method:

1. Vigourously brush to clean chunks of dirt/gunk off the drivetrain,
including rings and cog(s).
2. Grab a shop towel and use it to clean the chain as you pedal
backward.
3. Lube with thin lube like Purple Extreme or ProLink Gold -- dribble
it on the inside of the chain while pedaling backwards.
4. Spin the cranks a bit to let the lube pentrate, and then wipe of
excess with shop towel.
5. Preferably let the chain dry.

I do this on my mountain and road bikes and get good performance and
chain life.

Regards,
Anthony
 
In article <[email protected]>, Colin Campbell
<[email protected]> wrote:

> I just got home from a ride on the newer of my two bikes. I've been
> having problems with the chain skipping for a couple of weeks. I even
> had the bike in at the LBS. There, mechanic #2 said the chain and
> cassette looked OK. He diagnosed a bent derailleur hanger, fixed that,
> lubed the chain and jockey wheels (I mentioned that another club member
> kept telling me it was noisy - I'm hard of hearing), spent a lot of time
> adjusting the shifting, and finally said he wanted to replace the cable
> guides / holders.
>
> That got done in time for me to ride the bike on a mountain climb, and
> it performed flawlessly. Then, a day or so later, the chain skipped a I
> was riding up the hill to my house. It seemed to be happening in the 53
> x 19, but then, I ride in that combo a lot.
>
> Now, I've ridden the bike seven times, and about 400km since that
> service. Today, luckily near the LBS, the chain started skipping badly
> and consistently. I rolled in, and mechanic #1 put it on the stand, and
> quickly located a tight link. He loosened that up, and said the chain
> was terribly dry. He shot the chain and the jockey wheels with lube and
> sent me home (to stand in the corner until I learned to lube my bike
> more often / better was the way it felt).
>
> I'm in the habit of spraying Simple Green on the chain, cassette, and
> chain rings, rinsing that off as part of washing the bike, then lubing
> the chain with Pedro's Ice Wax. Apparently, I do not do this often
> enough and/or I don't use enough lube when I do the bike cleaning.
>
> Another experienced bike mechanic told me he thought the Ice Wax was the
> best lube, so I've been using it for a few years. Mechanic #1 today
> used an aerosol spray lube (I didn't see the brand). Ice Wax is much
> thicker, and I may not be getting it on the pins or some other moving parts.
>
> How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain?
> Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>
> Thanks!

Did lubing the chain solve the skipping problem? -- by that do mean the
chain was riding over the cassette's teeth, or that the bike was
attempting spontaneous shifts? The parched chain notwithstanding it
seems that something else was amiss; a dry chain does not tend toward a
self shifting drivetrain.

Luke
P.S. Downie suckers Blake and no suspension?!?!
http://tinyurl.com/yv58nf
 
On Jan 23, 12:59 am, mtb Dad <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jan 22, 5:18 pm, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Colin Campbell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >news:[email protected]...
>
> > > How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain? Is
> > > my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>
> > IMHO, the choice of lube is much secondary to properly cleaning thing. Note
> > that I didn't say lubing it.
>
> > You should not lube a dirty chain. All that does is to move dirt from the
> > outside of the chain to the inside.
>
> > Oil on the outside of the chain does little other than to collect dirt. It
> > needs to be on the inside.
>
> > Clean the chain very well with kerosene or one of the special chain
> > cleaners.
>
> > It is best to remove it from the bike and the best way to do what is to use
> > one of the removeable links made by Wipperman or a similar company. If you
> > don't have one of the these (and I've never seen a factory bike that came
> > with one), you will have to use a chaintool and buy a new pin for each
> > removal - major pain.
>
> > Soak the chain in the cleaner, use a toothbrush, possibly change the
> > cleaner, do whatever needed. Do similar for the other drive components. If
> > you can't remove it practically, clean it on the bike with an old toothbrush
> > and some cleaner.
>
> > After all is finished, place a single drop of oil on each chain link, allow
> > to soak in for awhile, reinstall, and wipe off the excess.
>
> > After the first ride, wipe off more excess. You don't need much lube - that
> > only attracts dirt. What you need is a clean chain and other drive
> > components to start.
>
> > Jeff
>
> > --
> > Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com
>
> So why is lubing the dirty chain so bad? While it might move dirt
> into the chain, it seems to reduce friction on the chainrings and
> cogs, if noise is an indication. And isn't it useful to consider the
> chain a consumable, and toss it when it elongates, and protect the
> cogs and c rings that way? Of course I'm still on 8 speed, and chains
> are cheap for them.

Agreed, that's why I bought a cheaper commuter from a line of bikes
where the beginning of the model line still had 8spd and simple LP
brakes. When I've not been riding fixed gear the past decade, I've
ridden seven or eight speed. Consumables are dirt cheap and not fussy.
If the whole bike is grubby I might quickly toothbrush it with Dawn
and spray it out, but usually it's a matter of wipe detritus off
chain, lube, crank a few times, wipe dray.

I'm in love with Dupont Multi-Use Teflon and Wax lube that I got
turned on to by this group. Super clean, penetrates great, and doesn't
leave the build-up that White Lightning and such do. Cheap.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/dupont-teflon-chain-lube.htm
 
Ron George wrote:
> On Jan 22, 8:00 pm, Colin Campbell <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I just got home from a ride on the newer of my two bikes. I've been
>> having problems with the chain skipping for a couple of weeks. I even
>> had the bike in at the LBS. There, mechanic #2 said the chain and
>> cassette looked OK. He diagnosed a bent derailleur hanger, fixed that,
>> lubed the chain and jockey wheels (I mentioned that another club member
>> kept telling me it was noisy - I'm hard of hearing), spent a lot of time
>> adjusting the shifting, and finally said he wanted to replace the cable
>> guides / holders.
>>
>> That got done in time for me to ride the bike on a mountain climb, and
>> it performed flawlessly. Then, a day or so later, the chain skipped a I
>> was riding up the hill to my house. It seemed to be happening in the 53
>> x 19, but then, I ride in that combo a lot.
>>
>> Now, I've ridden the bike seven times, and about 400km since that
>> service. Today, luckily near the LBS, the chain started skipping badly
>> and consistently. I rolled in, and mechanic #1 put it on the stand, and
>> quickly located a tight link. He loosened that up, and said the chain
>> was terribly dry. He shot the chain and the jockey wheels with lube and
>> sent me home (to stand in the corner until I learned to lube my bike
>> more often / better was the way it felt).
>>
>> I'm in the habit of spraying Simple Green on the chain, cassette, and
>> chain rings, rinsing that off as part of washing the bike, then lubing
>> the chain with Pedro's Ice Wax. Apparently, I do not do this often
>> enough and/or I don't use enough lube when I do the bike cleaning.
>>
>> Another experienced bike mechanic told me he thought the Ice Wax was the
>> best lube, so I've been using it for a few years. Mechanic #1 today
>> used an aerosol spray lube (I didn't see the brand). Ice Wax is much
>> thicker, and I may not be getting it on the pins or some other moving parts.
>>
>> How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain?
>> Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>>
>> Thanks!
>
> Colin,
>
> I also want to mention lubing the lower chain on the top surface as
> you work your way through the entire chain. I've seen some folks
> oiling the top surface of the leading chain, swing the crankset 360
> degree and there flies all your lube...
>
> Ron
> http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com

Ron,
At least I do that part correctly!
Colin
 
Luke wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, Colin Campbell
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I just got home from a ride on the newer of my two bikes. I've been
>> having problems with the chain skipping for a couple of weeks. I even
>> had the bike in at the LBS. There, mechanic #2 said the chain and
>> cassette looked OK. He diagnosed a bent derailleur hanger, fixed that,
>> lubed the chain and jockey wheels (I mentioned that another club member
>> kept telling me it was noisy - I'm hard of hearing), spent a lot of time
>> adjusting the shifting, and finally said he wanted to replace the cable
>> guides / holders.
>>
>> That got done in time for me to ride the bike on a mountain climb, and
>> it performed flawlessly. Then, a day or so later, the chain skipped a I
>> was riding up the hill to my house. It seemed to be happening in the 53
>> x 19, but then, I ride in that combo a lot.
>>
>> Now, I've ridden the bike seven times, and about 400km since that
>> service. Today, luckily near the LBS, the chain started skipping badly
>> and consistently. I rolled in, and mechanic #1 put it on the stand, and
>> quickly located a tight link. He loosened that up, and said the chain
>> was terribly dry. He shot the chain and the jockey wheels with lube and
>> sent me home (to stand in the corner until I learned to lube my bike
>> more often / better was the way it felt).
>>
>> I'm in the habit of spraying Simple Green on the chain, cassette, and
>> chain rings, rinsing that off as part of washing the bike, then lubing
>> the chain with Pedro's Ice Wax. Apparently, I do not do this often
>> enough and/or I don't use enough lube when I do the bike cleaning.
>>
>> Another experienced bike mechanic told me he thought the Ice Wax was the
>> best lube, so I've been using it for a few years. Mechanic #1 today
>> used an aerosol spray lube (I didn't see the brand). Ice Wax is much
>> thicker, and I may not be getting it on the pins or some other moving parts.
>>
>> How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain?
>> Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>>
>> Thanks!
>
> Did lubing the chain solve the skipping problem? -- by that do mean the
> chain was riding over the cassette's teeth, or that the bike was
> attempting spontaneous shifts? The parched chain notwithstanding it
> seems that something else was amiss; a dry chain does not tend toward a
> self shifting drivetrain.
>
> Luke
> P.S. Downie suckers Blake and no suspension?!?!
> http://tinyurl.com/yv58nf

It was just "jumping" as I pedaled, not shifting. The mechanic used a
tool to do something to a pin (probably move it slightly outward) where
there was a tight link, and lubed the chain liberally with something
from an aerosol can. I spun on home (about 7 km) in the 42 x 17,
feeling as if there were no effort whatsoever to pedaling, and I've
ridden the same bike twice since for nearly 100 km without thinking at
all about the chain, or shifting, etc. - that's the way it should be if
things are working, right?

So I think things are good.
 
In article <[email protected]>, Colin Campbell
<[email protected]> wrote:

> It was just "jumping" as I pedaled, not shifting. The mechanic used a
> tool to do something to a pin (probably move it slightly outward) where
> there was a tight link, and lubed the chain liberally with something
> from an aerosol can. I spun on home (about 7 km) in the 42 x 17,
> feeling as if there were no effort whatsoever to pedaling, and I've
> ridden the same bike twice since for nearly 100 km without thinking at
> all about the chain, or shifting, etc. - that's the way it should be if
> things are working, right?

You betcha!

> So I think things are good.

I agree ;-)
 
"landotter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:461c[email protected]...
> On Jan 23, 12:59 am, mtb Dad <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Jan 22, 5:18 pm, "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > "Colin Campbell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> >news:[email protected]...
>>
>> > > How should I go about doing a really good lube job on the drivetrain?
>> > > Is
>> > > my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>>
>> > IMHO, the choice of lube is much secondary to properly cleaning thing.
>> > Note
>> > that I didn't say lubing it.
>>
>> > You should not lube a dirty chain. All that does is to move dirt from
>> > the
>> > outside of the chain to the inside.
>>
>> > Oil on the outside of the chain does little other than to collect dirt.
>> > It
>> > needs to be on the inside.
>>
>> > Clean the chain very well with kerosene or one of the special chain
>> > cleaners.
>>
>> > It is best to remove it from the bike and the best way to do what is to
>> > use
>> > one of the removeable links made by Wipperman or a similar company. If
>> > you
>> > don't have one of the these (and I've never seen a factory bike that
>> > came
>> > with one), you will have to use a chaintool and buy a new pin for each
>> > removal - major pain.
>>
>> > Soak the chain in the cleaner, use a toothbrush, possibly change the
>> > cleaner, do whatever needed. Do similar for the other drive components.
>> > If
>> > you can't remove it practically, clean it on the bike with an old
>> > toothbrush
>> > and some cleaner.
>>
>> > After all is finished, place a single drop of oil on each chain link,
>> > allow
>> > to soak in for awhile, reinstall, and wipe off the excess.
>>
>> > After the first ride, wipe off more excess. You don't need much lube -
>> > that
>> > only attracts dirt. What you need is a clean chain and other drive
>> > components to start.
>>
>> > Jeff
>>
>> > --
>> > Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com
>>
>> So why is lubing the dirty chain so bad? While it might move dirt
>> into the chain, it seems to reduce friction on the chainrings and
>> cogs, if noise is an indication. And isn't it useful to consider the
>> chain a consumable, and toss it when it elongates, and protect the
>> cogs and c rings that way? Of course I'm still on 8 speed, and chains
>> are cheap for them.
>
> Agreed, that's why I bought a cheaper commuter from a line of bikes
> where the beginning of the model line still had 8spd and simple LP
> brakes. When I've not been riding fixed gear the past decade, I've
> ridden seven or eight speed. Consumables are dirt cheap and not fussy.
> If the whole bike is grubby I might quickly toothbrush it with Dawn
> and spray it out, but usually it's a matter of wipe detritus off
> chain, lube, crank a few times, wipe dray.
>
> I'm in love with Dupont Multi-Use Teflon and Wax lube that I got
> turned on to by this group. Super clean, penetrates great, and doesn't
> leave the build-up that White Lightning and such do. Cheap.
>
> http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/motorcycle-chain-lube/dupont-teflon-chain-lube.htm
>
>
I am glad that this DuPont product has the blessing of RBT, because I have
long admired DuPont products in general (see the Bike World link above).
Many are household names. Since it is avail in hardware stores (according to
the review), I can get there without much of a detour. I don't even know
where a motorcycle shop is around here, and I have lived in this town a long
time.

J.
 

>
> How should I go about doing a really goodlubejob on the drivetrain?
> Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>
> Thanks!

Give ernestolube.com a try. Biodegradable and this stuff lasts a
while.

Here's a testimonial from Utah:

"Since switching to Ernesto Lube, we (my riding partner and myself)
lube our bike less. Instead of slicking my drivetrain up before every
ride, it gets done now every five or six rides. This stuff lasts!
We're on a quest to get everyone we know converted to Ernesto Lube."
 
ernestolube.com wrote:
>> How should I go about doing a really goodlubejob on the drivetrain?
>> Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>>
>> Thanks!

> Give ernestolube.com a try. Biodegradable and this stuff lasts a
> while.
>
> Here's a testimonial from Utah:
>
> "Since switching to Ernesto Lube, we (my riding partner and myself)
> lube our bike less. Instead of slicking my drivetrain up before every
> ride, it gets done now every five or six rides. This stuff lasts!
> We're on a quest to get everyone we know converted to Ernesto Lube."


Wow, what an unsolicited, unbiased endorsement! LOL

Bill "ernestolube yo ass" S.
 
Bill Sornson wrote:
> ernestolube.com wrote:
>>> How should I go about doing a really goodlubejob on the drivetrain?
>>> Is my product choice OK? Are there others I should consider?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>
>> Give ernestolube.com a try. Biodegradable and this stuff lasts a
>> while.
>>
>> Here's a testimonial from Utah:
>>
>> "Since switching to Ernesto Lube, we (my riding partner and myself)
>> lube our bike less. Instead of slicking my drivetrain up before every
>> ride, it gets done now every five or six rides. This stuff lasts!
>> We're on a quest to get everyone we know converted to Ernesto Lube."
>
>
> Wow, what an unsolicited, unbiased endorsement! LOL
>
> Bill "ernestolube yo ass" S.
>
Is a discussion of buggery appropriate for a family newsgroup?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"And never forget, life ultimately makes failures of all people."
- A. Derleth
 
On Jan 22, 7:00 pm, Colin Campbell <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm in the habit of spraying Simple Green on the chain, cassette, and
> chain rings, rinsing that off as part of washing the bike, then lubing
> the chain with Pedro's Ice Wax. Apparently, I do not do this often
> enough and/or I don't use enough lube when I do the bike cleaning.
>

I spray WD-40 on a shop rag and pull the chain through the rag as I
hold it in my hand.
It does a great job of cleaning the chain and applying a little
penetrating lubricant. It also
displaces any internal water. Then, I follow with a light application
of dry type chain lube.
Using cheap chains, I get about 3,000 miles before they stretch over
1/16" in a foot, which is
when I replace them. Comex stainless chains are pricier and last
longer. I use the el cheapos though
 
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