WHATS THE BEST CLEANER AND LUBRICATION FOR A ROAD BIKE
- Thread starter Ag2rcycling
- Start date
I use ProLink for my chain and white lithium grease for any non-sealed bearings and on bare cables. I also use white lithium grease on my seatposts and quill type stems.I use a silicone spray lubricant on all pivot points and to flush out my cable housings at the end of the season. For cleaning, I use a citrus degreaser for bearings, cups, and cones; and dish washing liquid in water for my frame. These are for steel and aluminum bikes. The lubricants and cleaners that you might use for CF and Titanium bikes may be different, as are some of the items that would be lubricated.Ag2rcycling said:
I haven't settled on a chain lube, but it will likely be a very light oil. I think the choice of chain lube depends on your riding conditions- dusty, wet etc. I tend to ride in nice weather and not very dirty locations. For ordinary bearings I use Chevron SRI which is a commercial grease made specifically for ball and rolling bearings. It's what many bearing manufacturers use for the "lifetime" fill in small and medium sized sealed bearings. I do routine external cleaning with WD-40. For bearing rebuilds and such I tend towards mineral spirits, toothbrush and sometimes a big ultrasonic cleaner. Armor-All and leather creme are also part of the kit.
Resistorlead said:
I wouldn't put WD40 near the bearing seals of anything packed with NGLI2 (SRI). It's a great at displacing water and has a very mild, short term lubricating action - but it's also great at disolving the packed grease that's found in modern chains and doesn't provide enough protection to stop rain. Unless you give it time to dissapate, it could stop the lubricant you place on a chain, for example, from reaching the desired location.
SRI isn't idea for use in bicycles - it is great for high temp (150F+) and medium to high speed applications (10,000rpm). Sadly, no part of my bike rotates at 10,000rpm, even on long steep descents in the high Sierra Nevada mountains. It's also not great in applications where a significant load is placed on the bearings - EP grease would be better.
Don't forget your nitrile gloves when working with the above.
More training?
I'd never use WD-40 for any lubrication purpose, in fact I don't spray it at all. It's best as a dirt and grime remover on a rag, and super for spots of tar and stuff.
SRI can certainly handle low speeds as well, and clings to balls better than any of the white lithium greases I've seen. Open up a bunch of commercial bearings rated for any speed and the number packed with white lithiums will be about zero. That said, bicycle bearings have some significant differences in surface finish and rigidity compared to most machine bearings, so the "rules" may well be different. Normally a ball bearing grease will never contain moly or Teflon. It's main function is more to protect the parts from corrosion and keep them clean than to lubricate any serious sliding action- ball skidding is to be avoided like the plague. I don't know if EP additives buy much. It's properties will be different than common chassis greases- IMO, almost anything you can buy in an auto store is a bad choice. For years hubs were simply oiled- remember the center clip and hole? For 40 years I've adjusted bearings for zero to slight clearance. As a (very) heavy rider, I'm trying some new things- lighter clinging grease and a slight preload, so we'll see what results. If I'm suddenly replacing a bunch of cones and such, I'll report back!
I use shimano spit on the deraillers and brake pivot points. The applicator has a small needle point and allows you to apply just the right amount of lubricant in the right places. I also use this same oil for the cables just a small drop once and a while into the cable housings. Dont forget to oil the cable guide on the underside of the bottom bracket. I use Finish line Ceramic wet lube on the chain. The wheel hubs, Crank and Head should be greased anually with a quality synthetic grease.
I use car wash to clean my bikes. Just remember to rinse and dry thouroughly.
Cassette cleaning trick. Save old shoe laces you can use them like dental floss to clean between the cogs. Just remove the wheel take the lace in two hands and pull it in between the cogs. By working back and forth you will clean between them as good as taking them apart. These may not be the best ideas but they have worked for me for years.
I use car wash to clean my bikes. Just remember to rinse and dry thouroughly.
Cassette cleaning trick. Save old shoe laces you can use them like dental floss to clean between the cogs. Just remove the wheel take the lace in two hands and pull it in between the cogs. By working back and forth you will clean between them as good as taking them apart. These may not be the best ideas but they have worked for me for years.
The shoe lace idea was a good idea that I never heard of before, I may try it! Also as the Alien said, high pressure wash is bad for a bike. And I never use WD40 except once on my child's bike when a chain link was sort of stiff and the chain itself had rust on it, then I soaked the entire chain in WD40 overnight after cleaning it, then let it dry for 48 hours, then reapplied Finish Line Ceramic lube and let it dry for 24 hours. The chain worked fine after that and the rust never reappeared.
I don't really do anything real extreme, I just use the Finish Line chain cleaning machine and their solvent after every third ride then simply relube with Chain L lube. But since switching to Chain L I've noticed the chains have been staying cleaner so I may extend my cleaning intervals to once every 6 rides and see what happens. So far I'm very impressed with Chain L lube.
I don't think there is any one best lube or way to clean. The secret to long chain life is maintaining a clean chain, kind of like your cars engine; then use any good quality lube.
I don't really do anything real extreme, I just use the Finish Line chain cleaning machine and their solvent after every third ride then simply relube with Chain L lube. But since switching to Chain L I've noticed the chains have been staying cleaner so I may extend my cleaning intervals to once every 6 rides and see what happens. So far I'm very impressed with Chain L lube.
I don't think there is any one best lube or way to clean. The secret to long chain life is maintaining a clean chain, kind of like your cars engine; then use any good quality lube.
Resistorlead said:More training?
I'd never use WD-40 for any lubrication purpose, in fact I don't spray it at all. It's best as a dirt and grime remover on a rag, and super for spots of tar and stuff.
SRI can certainly handle low speeds as well, and clings to balls better than any of the white lithium greases I've seen. Open up a bunch of commercial bearings rated for any speed and the number packed with white lithiums will be about zero. That said, bicycle bearings have some significant differences in surface finish and rigidity compared to most machine bearings, so the "rules" may well be different. Normally a ball bearing grease will never contain moly or Teflon. It's main function is more to protect the parts from corrosion and keep them clean than to lubricate any serious sliding action- ball skidding is to be avoided like the plague. I don't know if EP additives buy much. It's properties will be different than common chassis greases- IMO, almost anything you can buy in an auto store is a bad choice. For years hubs were simply oiled- remember the center clip and hole? For 40 years I've adjusted bearings for zero to slight clearance. As a (very) heavy rider, I'm trying some new things- lighter clinging grease and a slight preload, so we'll see what results. If I'm suddenly replacing a bunch of cones and such, I'll report back!
If you have a good ol' cup and cones setup, don't judge the adjustment of the hub with the wheel out of the bike. Adjust, tighten and then put the wheel in, clamp up the quick release and then check for any play. Chances are, when adjusted correctly, you'll feel a very small amount of play when the wheel is out of the bike.
Mavic hubs (well, at least the old ones like the 571s) used to be great for that very reason - you adjusted the bearing "preload" with the wheel in the bike with just one cone spanner. Sweet.
SRI grease will work... But won't be as good on a bike, IMHO, as EP and not just for the additive package. Despite the fact that I work in the facility that manufactures these lubricants, I use neither of them on my bike... Maybe I should ask the guys at the Research Center which would work best. Hmmm.
Hey, if you're that close there's no such thing as a dumb question. I'd love to know what they say. Maybe you'll even find some riders there. IMO, most expensive bike lubes are repackaged standard items, or very slightly reformulated standard items, with not a lot of bike-specific R&D behind them. If bike bearings were better made and not subject to so much flexing, I'd have a lot better idea of what to use in them. OTOH, for the same reasons it might not be that critical. When I was younger I worried more.
davereo said:
High pressure washing is bad for a bike because the water gets forced into bearings, freehub, and the like, washing out grease. It's much better to use either a hose running at a really low pressure to rinse or a bucket of clean water to rinse. As for washing, there's no better way than a rag and slightly soapy water, or if you prefer, some bike wash as sold by several companies.
WD-40 is more of a degreaser than anything -- won't stick to the metal parts and will wash away the preexisting lube.
I use ProLink ProGold for my chain -- magical stuff. It works wonders in these conditions in San Diego, we're basically a desert community with lots of dirt and sand on the roads. PL PG after every ride makes it magically disappear.
I use white auto parts grease for screws, pedal/crank interfaces, etc.
For cleaning, car wash soap in a bucket of water, with a simple rag. No reason to go crazy with a pressure hose; just get the major grime off the frame and use a chain scrubber thingy (like the Park Tools one) once every 2 or 3 months. Of course you then have to relube it with ProLink ProGold!
I use ProLink ProGold for my chain -- magical stuff. It works wonders in these conditions in San Diego, we're basically a desert community with lots of dirt and sand on the roads. PL PG after every ride makes it magically disappear.
I use white auto parts grease for screws, pedal/crank interfaces, etc.
For cleaning, car wash soap in a bucket of water, with a simple rag. No reason to go crazy with a pressure hose; just get the major grime off the frame and use a chain scrubber thingy (like the Park Tools one) once every 2 or 3 months. Of course you then have to relube it with ProLink ProGold!
SDMichael said:WD-40 is more of a degreaser than anything -- won't stick to the metal parts and will wash away the preexisting lube.
I use ProLink ProGold for my chain -- magical stuff. It works wonders in these conditions in San Diego, we're basically a desert community with lots of dirt and sand on the roads. PL PG after every ride makes it magically disappear.
I use white auto parts grease for screws, pedal/crank interfaces, etc.
For cleaning, car wash soap in a bucket of water, with a simple rag. No reason to go crazy with a pressure hose; just get the major grime off the frame and use a chain scrubber thingy (like the Park Tools one) once every 2 or 3 months. Of course you then have to relube it with ProLink ProGold!
Most car washing soaps have a wax type agent in them... Donyou think that washing braking surfaces with waxy stuff is wise?
Neither did I.
Dawn or other good dishwashing soap
Best stuff for cleaning cassettes when they're off the bike - any brake cleaner/carb cleaner/throttle body cleaner that's on sale down the auto/car parts store. Cheap and dissolves the oil/dirt and effectively rinses itself all in one go - no need for scrubbing.
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