Re: Purple Extreme chain lube - evaluation

BCDrums said:

Quoted message said:

BTW, does anyone else believe that they can sense an underlubed chain
through the pedals? IMO, this would be a great subject for a "blind"
test, to seperate pre-conceived notions and placebo effects from
reality.

I haven't noticed an underlubed chain through the pedals, but I recently
switched from Phil's Tenacious on the chain to ProLink Gold, a thin
solvent style lube like Purple Extreme, and my chain doesn't sound lubed
to me. The Phil's was so thick that it really damped the chain. the
Prolink is thin and does not, which makes me nervous, because I think an
audible chain is not a lubed chain.

The Phil's was a mess, however, both in application and in use, and
collected sludge like crazy. The Prolink is easier to apply and doesn't
attract [censored].

Maybe because there's no lube in it?!?

There is lube in Prolink, and Prolink works well.

If you tire of paying out the a** for it, make your own: 2 parts
odorless mineral spirits to 1 part Mobil One 5W30 synthetic lube.

For wet conditions, try 1 part odorless mineral spirits to 1 part
chainsaw oil (chainsaw oil = Phil's overpriced "Tenacious Oil", the
mineral spirits carry it into the chain and then evaporate, making it
less messy).

On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 14:35:16 -0400, BCDrums <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

The Phil's was a mess, however, both in application and in use, and
collected sludge like crazy. The Prolink is easier to apply and doesn't
attract [censored].

Maybe because there's no lube in it?!?

I find it's a matter of choice between cleaning, or oiling and
replacing, your chain, more often.

I don't think you can have both cleaning/lubing less often, and
replacing your chain less often too.

What's worth more to you. your chain, or your time (and patience)?

jbr

"BCDrums" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

BTW, does anyone else believe that they can sense an underlubed chain
through the pedals? IMO, this would be a great subject for a "blind"
test, to seperate pre-conceived notions and placebo effects from
reality.

I can definitely feel "crunchiness" on a chain that's been through a lot of
water on a mtn bike ride or after a storm has stopped. Most recently during
an all day mtn bike ride in the southern Sierras through a lot of snow
drifts and small stream crossings my chain was wrapping around the
chainrings towards the end of the ride. It was very noticeably crunchy.

Quoted message said:

I haven't noticed an underlubed chain through the pedals, but I recently
switched from Phil's Tenacious on the chain to ProLink Gold, a thin
solvent style lube like Purple Extreme, and my chain doesn't sound lubed
to me. The Phil's was so thick that it really damped the chain. the
Prolink is thin and does not, which makes me nervous, because I think an
audible chain is not a lubed chain.

The Phil's was a mess, however, both in application and in use, and
collected sludge like crazy. The Prolink is easier to apply and doesn't
attract [censored].

Hmmm, I still use Phil's after all these years and I don't see any sludge on
my drivetrain. It only fails me on very wet rides like the above.
Otherwise, with a lube and a wipe of the excess my chain stays clean and
lubed.

Greg

G.T. said:

"BCDrums" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The Phil's was a mess, however, both in application and in use, and
collected sludge like crazy. The Prolink is easier to apply and doesn't
attract [censored].

Hmmm, I still use Phil's after all these years and I don't see any sludge on
my drivetrain. It only fails me on very wet rides like the above.
Otherwise, with a lube and a wipe of the excess my chain stays clean and
lubed.

Greg

I applied the Phil's as sparingly as I could, and wiped off as much as I
could, but it was still like flypaper.

After putting it on and running the chain through a rag, I would see
strings of it between both derailer pulleys and the lower pulley and the
chain, and it would spatter onto the floor.

BC

BigBen wrote:
<cut>

Quoted message said:

I don't think you can have both cleaning/lubing less often, and
replacing your chain less often too.

What's worth more to you. your chain, or your time (and patience)?

jbr

Entirely agree.

Over a test period of over 10,000 I laboriously removed the chain every
2-3 weeks (300 - 450 miles), solvent cleaned and re-fitted it ( I
really couldn't bear to do it any more often).

Result on chain longevity over the procedure I have now returned to
(put on chain, ride until it starts to squeak -about 300 miles - oil,
repeat - every 500 miles or so, replace after 2000 -2500 miles)
virtually nil, averaging to less than 200 miles extra per chain, in
other words, not worth the effort.

Oil used: car gear oil.

You can oil less and replace less often if you don't mind replacing
sprockets more often. I do this on my 6-speed freewheel bike as cheap
shimano freewheels work fine and cost less than a chain. I use one
chain for 2000 miles, swap to another, then swap again for another 1000
miles each. Gives 6000 miles on 2 chains and one freewheel, total cost
less than GBP 15. Maybe I get away with this on this bike as it
doesn't have indexed shifting. Certainly on my 9s bike I change the
chain at a lower wear point as shifting deteriorates as the chain wears
(and I want to get as much wear as I can out of the cassette).

IMHO expensive chains, chain lubes etc. are a waste of money.

Andrew