What is the best chain lube ?

[edd]

Simple questions.. lots of answers I'm sure... so if you post please state I'm a mountain biker or a road biker, I commute in the rain or I only ride when the sun shines !

seems every bike shop has its own favourite.... but really folks there has to be a king of chain lubes.... what do you think it is ?

 

[john7114]

I've used at least four or five chain lubes a lot. I've watched how well they hold up and how well they clean up. My favorite so far is Ritchey chain lube. Made by Rock 'N Roll, and I think it's the exact same lube as Rock 'N Roll Pro Gold except Ritchey has it dyed blue. The lube is a compromise. It cleans up really well. After a week, wipe the chain with a rag, and keep going.It lasts pretty well. Maybe not great in the mud, but I really like it as a road lube. Did I say it cleans up really well? A bit of trouble putting it on. You have to shake it up for a long time, and shake it some more while you're lubing your chain. Put lots on and don't wipe it off. Now mop your floor and clean your chain stay.

 

[dorkpants]

yep... rock n roll is the goods

 

[edd]

I'm a dry weather road cyclist.

When I upgraded my bike this year the store suggested "icewax" when asked what is the best chainlube, so I'm tying it.

However, I recently got an email from another bike assoc. who believed that "teflon-plus" was best and that wax lubes are the worst for numerous reasons.

So we started some investigation, found that "icewax" is sold under the heading "A favorite among pro mechanics like the Siemen's Cannondale team. Patented formula lifts dirt away from the chain surface, leaving a soft, icy-slick barrier to protect the chain"

.....seems to me though, one seems to use a lot of this expensive product quite often.... the word "sparingly".. which I liked about "triflow" not used anywhere on the bottle !

We began to ring some bike shops.. the first one we rang didn't like any of the products mentioned above !

the seach continues...

 

[edd]

Ha ha

.... Two of the bike shops we called actally agreed

.... and said " Rock n Roll" as their first choice.

Never heard of it before now. Any one got anything negative to say about it ?

 

[chrispopovic]

I got turned on to Psycho Lube last year. It comes in two parts. The first is a cleaning agent. The second is a bonding agent with lubricant. It works very well and really limits the dirt buildup. I've got over 6,000 miles on my drivetrain and it's been great. Incidentally, I am a road cyclist only.

 

[Tall_andy]

The oldest and still the best.........Good Old Chain Wax (the kind you melt and put the chain in) I ride both Mtn, Road, Cross, and Track each season I put each chain in the wax at the beginning and go for the season!! Of course I replace the chains as needed, but find the Chain wax lasts longer than any other lube out there

 

[xcspace]

Rock-N-Roll. I use the Absolute Dry on all my road bikes (a bit cheaper than the gold). The chains look better than new all the time and quiet too. Tried others that took a lot of time to maintain and never looked clean.

 

[el Ingles]

for road use the best thing is a thin machine oil ( 3in1 or similar ) that will work it´s self into the interior moving parts of the chain , easy to clean and easy to replace . offroad then a dry lub is your only choice .
but remember that what ever solvent you use to clean your chain it has to be allowed time to dry / evaporate from the INTERIOR of the chain before you relube .

 

[JohnO]

Offroad - white lightning, it seems to work okay.

Onroad - I use a graphite based locksmith's oil. Have to hit the chain at the start of every other ride, but it lubricates the best.

Periodically, I toss both road and mtb chains into an ultrasonic cleaner. Never fails to surprise me to see how much gunk and dirt comes out of a clean looking MTB chain.

 

[dhk]

Believe lots of lubes will work; not sure there is one "best". I don't care for Ice Wax and the other "waxes", since they don't seem to lube the chain well for me.

I like Finish Line Dry Lube best of what I've tried. Pro Link gets some good reviews around here as well.

 

[cosmic junkie]

I recently bought a spray made by Boeing (exact name escapes me rigth now) from the local bike shop. Only put a few weeks on it so far, but I'm very happy with the results. It seems to coat like a wax, without the cleanup problem. The spray itself can also be used in the cleaning process.

 

[skillit]

For my road bike - Rock 'N Roll Gold. No doubt about it.

 

[need11@46]

Road Only; Sunshine Only; ProLink Only. Apply and wipe away the excess. No build-up, no mess and a nice, quiet ride.

 

[Brunswick_kate]

I switched from a Profinish to White Lightening... commuter, all weather, roads and trails. So far, I like it.

 

[seriousturtle]

i've been using white lightning for ages now and never heard of Rock 'N Roll Gold before in my life. can someone please explain the differences btw the two. thx

~the turtle

 

[xcspace]

With Rock N Roll, you don't need to degrease your chain. You only need to reapply about every 500 miles. If you properly wipe the chain with a rag after every ride, your chain will look cleaner than new all the time. More info at http://www.rocklube.com/about.html

 

[zoridog]

Another Rock n Roll Gold fan here.

 

[sd5500]

Another Rock n Roll Gold fan here.

Pro Link all the way!

 

[need11@46]

Pro Link all the way!

I just came across a new chain lube I've never hear about - A.T.B. Don't laugh - it's an acronym (of sorts) for "Absolutely The Best." Supposedly it was formulated by an ex petroleum company chemist (Union 76). Anyone else using this lube?

The carrier evaporates quickly. A warning label on the container states it's combustible. Lovely.

-Wm.