# Best chain lube?



## Otruba_843 (Feb 17, 2013)

So right now, I have pro link lube and it does not seem to be what I am looking for. It does not last long at all. Down here in South Carolina the trails are dry sand or dry dirt with some mud puddles here and there. What's the best lube? I was looking at Phil Wood's tenacious oil and I like the fact that it is a really thick viscosity so it will stick better, but is the dirt attraction that bad? Whats the best lube that will stay on for trail riding? It seems most of the lubes are geared towards road bikes that do not ride through dirt, AKA thin, watery oil/lubes. Also how often do you clean your drive train? It seems like mine needs to be cleaned after a 20 mile ride. I can feel the sand and dirt in it after 1 ride. Then how often should I apply the lube? Anyone else use tenacious oil?​
​


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## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

Extra virgin olive oil of course. Just think when you have a chain issue out in the woods and get the chain goo all over your hands.... Just rub your hands all over your ciabbata bread and you have instant flavor.
Point is, even in the same region, same trail even, you'll get 89 kazillion 
answers.


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## ntm1973 (Jan 7, 2013)

I use phil's in the wet seasons and parrafin in the summer.  I clean and lube after every ride in the wet seasons unless it is very frozen with no mud. I can usually go a 4 or 5 rides in the summertime if it is dry using parrafin. Phil's attacts EVERYTHING when it is dry and is counter productive. I may not clean the frame or wheels after every ride but my drivetrain gets attention. It only takes about 10 minutes from nasty to nice.


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## heyyall (Nov 10, 2011)

Sorry 843, you have exceeded the number of questions for a day. But since I used to live in SC and I still have a soft spot for sweet tea, I'll share my secret. Use White Lightening Dry Lube. It sheds the grit and yes, you have to add it frequently...in most cases, before each ride. But, it helps protect your cassette and chain from wearing out.


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## koudja (Feb 25, 2007)

i've really been pleased with finish line teflon dry. i have tried several brands and styles of each brand (t9, white lightening, tri flow, dumonde). it has worked well for me in the midwest (Wisconsin) and out now out west (Idaho, Utah, and Colorado). most places late in the summer the trails get really dry and the dirt gets really fine and will stick to almost everything. it picks up the least amount of dirt. i get the best results after the chain is cleaned well. apply thin coat, let it dry for a couple of hours. apply a second thin coat, let it dry and then wipe the excess. i'll keep an eye on my chain and apply some if it's starting to look dry. it's best when there's a little bit of time after you apply it and when you ride. it dries quickly here in the west, and i have lubed it in the parking lot before a ride without much dirt sticking to it. 

making sure the entire drivetrain is clean really makes a difference. occasionally i'll clean the pulleys, cassette, chainrings and chain if they're getting gummy. all i use is a dry rag. to some it may some time consuming, tedious, and anal, but i've had the least drivetrain problems of my friends and my gear lasts a lot longer.


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## Otruba_843 (Feb 17, 2013)

heyyall said:


> Sorry 843, you have exceeded the number of questions for a day. But since I used to live in SC and I still have a soft spot for sweet tea, I'll share my secret. Use White Lightening Dry Lube. It sheds the grit and yes, you have to add it frequently...in most cases, before each ride. But, it helps protect your cassette and chain from wearing out.


Sorry about that, Im just bored tonight and new to the whole trail riding thing. The prolink lube I have right now is not lasting very well. What is this parrafin they are talking about? I also read people like rock n roll extreme for its dry capabilities.

Looks like dry lubes are the way to go!


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

I ride the desert and I rarely ever encounter water. I do get lots on lots of sand and dust. I use White Lighting "Clean Ride". I really like it as it works well to keep things moving well and does not attract to much dust. I toss a little on every 50 to 75 miles to keep things moving nicely. A few squirts in the chain an tend crank it around and ready to ride.


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## heyyall (Nov 10, 2011)

Otruba_843 said:


> Sorry about that, Im just bored tonight and new to the whole trail riding thing. The prolink lube I have right now is not lasting very well. What is this parrafin they are talking about? I also read people like rock n roll extreme for its dry capabilities.
> 
> Looks like dry lubes are the way to go!


It's a wax lube.

Here's some info: 
White Lightning


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## snark7 (Sep 7, 2010)

you want waxed based, so...Rock and Roll is hands down by far the best. 

also Dumond tech. 

but if you don't want waxed based, then A.T.B. (which stands for "absolutely the best", incidentally) is the best. 

or maybe some others. 

ask your local bike shop. then ask another local bike shop. ask a third for a tie breaker.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

squirt lube 









If you want the very best then.


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## eclipse24 (Jan 14, 2012)

I'll second squirt lube!!


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## aBicycle (Jun 13, 2012)

Chain L, man.


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## PretendGentleman (May 24, 2011)

I use biodegradeable chainsaw bar and chain oil mixed about 20:1(i.e., up to a tablespoon in a 4oz bottle) with fresh motor oil for relubing my chain after I've cleaned it and straight bio chainsaw oil when I'm just adding oil on top of a chain that is wet and dirty (e.g., during a wet ride). The bio chainsaw oil is super cheap and if anything is a bit on the thick side and easily washes off. The motor oil seems to really increase the ability of the oil to penetrate into the nooks and crannies of the chain. My chain stays quite clean with this mix, and for about $10 I got enough to last for years.

This stuff seems to work comparably to finish line wet. To me finish line dry lube was a joke. I'd put it on my chain liberally and 20 minutes later in dry conditions my chain would be squeaking like crazy. I've had this happen over and over again with dry lubes. One theory is that I'm too heavy and the teflon/ptfe breaks down and stops lubricating. 

finishline ceramic worked well too, but I didn't want to spend the money on bottle after bottle...

I ride in all sorts of non-freezing weather. dry in the summer and wet in the winter. I ride my mtb about 60 miles in the average week.


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## bulerias (Oct 16, 2012)

Another bar oil user here. I rinse the chain clean in a jar of solvent and then immerse it in a bath of 4:1 mix solvent to bar oil. At that ratio it completely displaces the air in the chain so worries about having flushed the lube off the pins are gone. Then I rub the outside as dry as possible with an old towel when it's back on the bike.

You have to use a master link, but I've never had a chain break at the master so what's the problem. All oils 'attract' dirt - it's magnetic! - but at least the tacky bar oil stays in the chain. Even if the chain didn't last as long, at least it's smooth and quiet while it's wearing out. And you can neglect oiling or go for long rides without maintenance and still not have a grumpy chain. I don't care if it's wearing out; I just don't want to hear about it.

Teflon has one major problem as a lube; it doesn't stick to anything. That was the point. So it's a nice squeak preventer for about 20 minutes. I'd add some molybdenum disulphide powder to my mix if I didn't have to buy a huge industrial tub of it to get some. But you can get Molyslip G gear additive or moly grease for auto CV joints and a bit of that would help. Moly actually grinds into the metal surface at high pressures [ a chain has up to about about four times your body weight load on it, on every tiny pin] and stays there for a while at least. I did some industrial bearing tests in a former life, and at extreme load situations, steel on steel, it's astounding. But it's black and looks ugly.

I've never tried biodegradable bar oil, just 30w Husqvarna brand. Diluting with motor oil seems to defeat the bio deal, but would thin it down for less tack, but why not use a winter bar oil if you want thinner.

Motorcycle chain lubes use tackifiers and often moly additives, so why not for a bicycle? The usual Bel Ray spray is way too tacky for the job as it is designed to stay on a chain going multiples faster, but bar oil seems to be about right, and you don't have to be thrifty with it or ever run out for that matter. I just used it one day because it was a Sunday and I was out of designer lube.....

It's a lost cause trying to provide sanitary lube conditions for an exposed chain. Nothing really works; just some things work less poorly than others.


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## customfab (Jun 8, 2008)

Dumonde tech


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## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

customfab said:


> Dumonde tech


Oh, I'll add to the fun... 
Boeshield t9.
http://boeshield.com/


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## PretendGentleman (May 24, 2011)

bulerias said:


> I've never tried biodegradable bar oil, just 30w Husqvarna brand. Diluting with motor oil seems to defeat the bio deal, but would thin it down for less tack, but why not use a winter bar oil if you want thinner.


I have a jug of it, so I've been experimenting with how to make it work best for me. It may just be due to thinning, but with a bit of motor oil, it seems to really penetrate into the chain better. I use old finish line lube bottles as they're a good size and have a good enough nozzle and allow me to experiment in small batches with different mixes.

Perhaps I'll try adding a solvent next time instead of motor oil. I have acetone, white gas, paint thinner, and rubbing alcohol convenient, which would you recommend(and why)? would the solvent work well in conjunction with some of this moly stuff you speak of? I might see if there's a small inexpensive quantity available next time I'm in autozone.

Totally agree about not being able to keep it all clean/sanitary. Sheldon Brown's site recommended that you not apply lube to the outside/topside of the chain b/c it catches more grit thrown off the front tire. In my experience nothing prevents a chain from getting dirty in every direction! I ain't rich, but my time is worth enough that cleaning every molecule of contaminant off my chain before every ride is totally out of the question, and perhaps to really have a clean chain you need to clean it every mile or so. who knows, but re-oiling and wiping down with an occasional more thorough clean is all the chain maintenance that makes sense for me.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

If done correctly by thoroughly saturating the chain and then wiping it clean and dry, the worst of the (petroleum based) lubes will out perform the best ones that are left on the outside of the chain and sprockets to collect grit and form a nice grinding paste.


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## Rock dude (May 24, 2007)

I use squirt lube.


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## TwoHeadsBrewing (Aug 28, 2009)

I've used Prolink progold with the same results. It's still my favorite "light lube" for clean conditions and short rides, but as you say it just disappears too fast under dirty and dusty conditions.

My new go-to lube is both flavors of Dumonde Tech. The blue stuff is super thick and will last for 30+ miles, with the only downside being it mucks up the drive train if you apply too much. They also have a thinner lube which is yellow, and I use that for most of my rides these days. It's somewhere in between the blue thick lube and Progold. Lasts plenty long for my typical 15-20 mile rides.


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## goodmojo (Sep 12, 2011)

snark7 said:


> you want waxed based, so...Rock and Roll is hands down by far the best.
> 
> also Dumond tech.
> 
> ...


I use rock and roll gold. I wipe my chain and relube after every ride. I use a brush on the cassette and rings and wipe down the pulleys. Even so the chain starts to get noisy at around 20 miles. Not squeaks, just noisy instead of silent. I dont mind cleaning the drivetrain after every ride, but I do want the lube to keep the chain silent for up to an 80 mile ride. Conditions are dry and dusty with a few creeks in between.


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## bulerias (Oct 16, 2012)

PretendGentleman said:


> I have a jug of it, so I've been experimenting with how to make it work best for me. It may just be due to thinning, but with a bit of motor oil, it seems to really penetrate into the chain better. I use old finish line lube bottles as they're a good size and have a good enough nozzle and allow me to experiment in small batches with different mixes.
> 
> Perhaps I'll try adding a solvent next time instead of motor oil. I have acetone, white gas, paint thinner, and rubbing alcohol convenient, which would you recommend(and why)? would the solvent work well in conjunction with some of this moly stuff you speak of? I might see if there's a small inexpensive quantity available next time I'm in autozone.
> 
> Totally agree about not being able to keep it all clean/sanitary. Sheldon Brown's site recommended that you not apply lube to the outside/topside of the chain b/c it catches more grit thrown off the front tire. In my experience nothing prevents a chain from getting dirty in every direction! I ain't rich, but my time is worth enough that cleaning every molecule of contaminant off my chain before every ride is totally out of the question, and perhaps to really have a clean chain you need to clean it every mile or so. who knows, but re-oiling and wiping down with an occasional more thorough clean is all the chain maintenance that makes sense for me.


Deodorized paint thinner is readily available and works fine. I use three jars; clean, rinse and dunk. Just become a human paint mixer on the rinse cycle and let it soak a while in your recipe.

Usually you can buy small sachets of CV joint grease at the autoparts store. It's ugly black stuff, tho..


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## Bacchus32 (Jul 24, 2011)

aBicycle said:


> Chain L, man.


+1 for Chain L. :thumbsup:


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## eclipse24 (Jan 14, 2012)

Flucod said:


> Here is a link on how to apply Parrafin - Lubricating a Bicycle Chain using Paraffin


Paraffin wax sounds interesting, so I think I'll give it a go this weekend.


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## doco (Aug 31, 2008)

Bacchus32 said:


> +1 for Chain L. :thumbsup:


another one for ChainL...I used squirt for about 4 years before I took a chance and ordered a bottle of chainl...best oil I've ever used, and I will never go back to squirt


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## firebike7 (Aug 21, 2008)

So have been wanting to try the paraffin thing for a long while, never getting around to it. This thread kinda gave me the push start, did three chains today. First impressions are really good, not nearly as messy or goopy as I figured. Ran my single speed a few miles after to see how it was. Nice, clean, and silent. I'll keep the white lightning in the bag just in case, but if it lasts as long as I have read I'll never go back.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Been a White Lightning user for years but just switched to Dumonde Lite...will see...sure smells good!


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## KLF (Apr 29, 2007)

Otruba_843 said:


> So right now, I have pro link lube and it does not seem to be what I am looking for. It does not last long at all. Down here in South Carolina the trails are dry sand or dry dirt with some mud puddles here and there. What's the best lube? I was looking at Phil Wood's tenacious oil and I like the fact that it is a really thick viscosity so it will stick better, but is the dirt attraction that bad? Whats the best lube that will stay on for trail riding? It seems most of the lubes are geared towards road bikes that do not ride through dirt, AKA thin, watery oil/lubes. Also how often do you clean your drive train? It seems like mine needs to be cleaned after a 20 mile ride. I can feel the sand and dirt in it after 1 ride. Then how often should I apply the lube? Anyone else use tenacious oil?​
> ​


UltraFast - Overview Friction Facts

Another vote for wax based systems - fast and clean.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

The Dumonde Tech works great BTW....don't think I will go back to WL for a while...


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

TiGeo said:


> The Dumonde Tech works great BTW....don't think I will go back to WL for a while...


That is some good stuff, one of my favorites.


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## richardmhowell (Mar 9, 2013)

Handy info especially for a beginner.


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## gdlals (Mar 3, 2008)

I have used air tool oil for a few years now with great results.


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## -Todd- (Jun 13, 2011)

Pretty much everyone has a different idea here... :/


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## eclipse24 (Jan 14, 2012)

I tried the paraffin wax and after a few rides, I'm hooked!! Very quiet and clean. I'll be converting the Niner in a day or two.


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## vinnyl26 (Apr 3, 2007)

Rock and Roll Gold


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## natrat (Mar 20, 2008)

white lightning clean ride. I tried finish line ceramic wax and it was ok but stickier so needed cleaning sooner


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## PretendGentleman (May 24, 2011)

I just gave the pure melted paraffin wax approach a try. It's working very well, but I'm still trying to figure out how this works in the long run.

I started with a block of fresh wax and 3 new mostly degreased chains (1 bath in white gas). After letting the chains sit in the molten wax for 10 minutes or so I pulled them out and tried a semi-clean nearly new chain and then increasingly dirty chains from various bikes.

I've ridden one of the new chains on a 35 mile mostly dry ride and it was smooth the whole way. Yesterday I did a 20 mile, very wet ride (second ride with same chain) with lots of sand by the river and mucky clay here and there in the uplands. I could hear the sand grinding between chain and ring, but after a few puddles, things were a lot quieter in my drivetrain than ever before.

So now I figure the chain only has a couple if no rides left before the wax deteriorates (just a guess). To rewax the chain, I'm risking introducing dirt with the wax, which makes for a sub-ideal situation. Other than thoroughly cleaning the chain, which makes no gaurantee that no dirt particles are sticking around, is it just inevitable that eventually I'll have a dirt-wax mix inside the chain when I just want wax?

I'm also wondering what to do with the batch of contaminated wax. I figure the newish chains will get rewaxed with fresh wax, but if I do that every time, I'm going through quite a bit of wax. It makes me wonder if I can filter out the dirt particles, or just let them settle to the bottom and when the wax has hardened, I can just cut off the bottom, dirty stuff and discard it, keeping the top mostly clean wax for semi-clean chains. 

My plan is to use the 3 new chains with the new cassette, r. Der, and chainring I just installed, rotating the chains every couple of weeks and rewaxing them after a rotation. I want to figure out a process that is easy and cheap to get this done. Any experiences y'all have, please share 'em.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

> ...snip..dirt particles... just let them settle to the bottom and when the wax has hardened, I can just cut off the bottom, dirty stuff and discard it,...snip..


This seems to be what most "waxers" do. They just use the same wax for ever. One poster on here said he has used the same wax for 20+ years.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

After almost 30 years and trying everything, I'm using straight bar oil. I clean and lube before every ride anyhow, so no extra hassle, I might go through one extra yellow microfiber rag a year. I tried mixing bar oil with canola oil but it still left a gummy residue that was hard to get off, as do all the veggie oils I've tried. I'm sure there are better chain lubes but bar oil works well for me, I get good life out of my drive trains, and they are easy to wipe clean.


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## colnago 69 (Mar 7, 2013)

Progold chain lube b


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

J.B. Weld said:


> If done correctly by thoroughly saturating the chain and then wiping it clean and dry, the worst of the (petroleum based) lubes will out perform the best ones that are left on the outside of the chain and sprockets to collect grit and form a nice grinding paste.


I think that this hits a most important nail on the head:application. Frequency and removing excess will make most any of the suggested lubes work very well.


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## Ricko (Jan 14, 2004)

I had used White Lightning for years but it seems that they changed the formula or something because it didn't seem to last even a full 3-4 hour ride and I started to hear noises indicating the chain was dry. I've since switched to Boeshield T9 and it's working out a lot better for me.


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## bulerias (Oct 16, 2012)

bsieb said:


> After almost 30 years and trying everything, I'm using straight bar oil. I clean and lube before every ride anyhow, so no extra hassle, I might go through one extra yellow microfiber rag a year. I tried mixing bar oil with canola oil but it still left a gummy residue that was hard to get off, as do all the veggie oils I've tried. I'm sure there are better chain lubes but bar oil works well for me, I get good life out of my drive trains, and they are easy to wipe clean.


I think thinning it down with solvent gives better penetration. Pretty much all vegetable oils will polymerize to a solid; just check the runs on the side of an olive oil bottle. Oil based paints work on this principle. What I find is that a polymerized oil gum can be hell to get off of anything - probably why it works for paint - and can be a chore for a chain. OTOH one of the easiest ways to get it off is to dissolve it in more vegetable oil, but then....

Veggie oils have some really high film strength and really high numbers in what's referred to as boundary layer lubrication but just aren't all that practical. Canola is just a non toxic version of rapeseed oil, otherwise known as castor bean oil, which was used in aircraft and race car motors back when. Castrol R. In a crankcase they stay liquid but will 'dry' as a thin film over time.


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## Smudge13 (Mar 14, 2013)

Rapeseed oil is canola oil, just a different name. And castor bean oil is not the same thing at all. Two totally different plants... Castor oil itself is not toxic, but ricin is a byproduct of castor oil production. (Someone has been watching too much Breaking Bad)  Sorry for the derail... 

Oh, and I use Dumonde Tech...


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

I like White Lightning Clean but I haven't used anything else for years.


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## jjaguar (Oct 6, 2011)

I'm tempted to give paraffin wax a try, how does it hold up to sandy conditions? Florida rider, so that's all I ride in.


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

I haven't even tried it yet but I'm thinking Gnar Lube may be the best...................................................................marketing


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## SB Trails (Sep 14, 2012)

+1--squirt lube.. Only stuff i use.. I put it on at the end of a ride-- goes on wet-- next ride its all dry and stays on mile after mile..


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## bapski (Jul 27, 2012)

SB Trails said:


> +1--squirt lube.. Only stuff i use.. I put it on at the end of a ride-- goes on wet-- next ride its all dry and stays on mile after mile..


where did you buy it? can't seem to find it any of the online bike shops except EBAY. .


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

bapski said:


> where did you buy it? can't seem to find it any of the online bike shops except EBAY. .


Squirt Lube USA/

or FB facebook SquirtLubeUsa (there are a few other FB pages)

also see THE PERFECT LONG LASTING WAX BASED DRY LUBE.


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## bapski (Jul 27, 2012)

mitzikatzi said:


> Squirt Lube USA/
> 
> or FB facebook SquirtLubeUsa (there are a few other FB pages)
> 
> also see THE PERFECT LONG LASTING WAX BASED DRY LUBE.


thanks. decided on the one at ebay since they only had one left and seems like ebayer had good feedback.


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## JerB (Jul 10, 2012)

Sorry to dig up a old thread here guys but I have a question about Progold Prolink extreme. I was just wondering if the extreme is safe in and around plastics? I cant seem to find that out on there site. I emailed a couple weeks ago but didnt here back from them. 

Thanks


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## Venturewest (Jul 13, 2007)

*Wax Based Dry Lube and Derailleurs*



mitzikatzi said:


> Squirt Lube USA/
> 
> or FB facebook SquirtLubeUsa (there are a few other FB pages)
> 
> also see THE PERFECT LONG LASTING WAX BASED DRY LUBE.


This thread prompted me to order a bottle of Squirt. When you use a wax based lube, and part of the goal is to keep a completely grease free drivetrain, what do you use to lube your derailleurs? Anything? Should I drop some Squirt in the pivot points?

I have been meticulous about cleaning my chain, chain rings, derailleurs, etc. but then using Tri-flo or Finish Line. I am careful to wipe everything down after saturation, and at the end of a 20 mile ride the drive train is filthy again. I am hoping to eliminate this with the Squirt. Thanks


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## ricky916 (Jun 7, 2011)

Using DuPont Teflon chain saver. Works good and haven't had any issues. Lubes just fine 

Sent from my HTC EVO LTE


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

-Todd- said:


> Pretty much everyone has a different idea here... :/


I think you find something that works and tend to stick with it. I use Rock n Roll Extreme works well and keeps the chain mostly clean. Plus I love that I don't have to be careful when applying it.


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## mcrn12 (Feb 1, 2013)

Squirt is awesome!


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## Venturewest (Jul 13, 2007)

mcrn12 said:


> Squirt is awesome!


So what about the derailleurs? Do you lube those with Squirt? Or anything?


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## anthonybkny (Aug 16, 2011)

So far, I've used triflow, rnr gold and prolink progold. Prolink seems to be the winner for my application. (NYC)


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## Mr.Frog (Mar 31, 2010)

I love the Rohloff chain lube and Finnish Line Wet lube.

The Finish Line 120 ml bottle i have , has this nifty straw at end - that helps applying lube to the front and rear deraillors.

The Rohloff runs a bit thicker than the Finnish Line - so i heat it with a hair drier first.

It lasts a long time and is very quiet in operation. No need to take any along on all day rides - 
this stuff does not wear off in rain and water crossings.

Though it does attract various foreighn matter - but thats' true for all oil based lubes.

I have some small bottles i refill from a 1 liter metal jug i bought in 1993 - won't need more in quite a while. 

OIL-OF-ROHLOFF: www.rohloff.de

Rohloff The Oil of Rohloff at a low price in the online bike shop www.rosebikes.com


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## mcrn12 (Feb 1, 2013)

Venturewest said:


> So what about the derailleurs? Do you lube those with Squirt? Or anything?


I just put it on the chain very heavy...then shift through all the gears and let it dry over night. I do not wipe it dry. I used to have to clean and relube after every ride. Now I can go 3 to 5 rides without doing anything.


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## borabora (Feb 16, 2011)

I like T-9 but besides being a good lube it comes in a large spray bottle which I think makes it easier to lube the chain and other components (using the red tube nozzle). But I agree with whoever stated that cleaning off the lube as much as possible after application is more important than the quality of the oil. Takes me 20 seconds to spray the chain and about 5 minutes to clean it afterwards. I relube after two rides.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

ricky916 said:


> Using DuPont Teflon chain saver. Works good and haven't had any issues. Lubes just fine


Same here. It appears very similar to Rock-N-Roll. Cheap, available at Wal-Mart. I have 1500 miles on my chain and at 0.5% wear. I also use it for cleaning and lubing derailleurs.

DuPont Teflon Chain Saver, 11 oz: Automotive : Walmart.com


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## Oldfatbaldguy (Nov 4, 2010)

Been doing some research about chain lube after I discovered some data relating to an industrial wax release demolding product.

Paraffin wax is a generally straight-chain hydrocarbon...just 35-40 carbons in a line. Gasoline is often 7 or 8, motor oil is as many as 26. But straight chain hydrocarbons don't make the best fuels, or lubes. As a lube, they don't have a very great affinity for metal surfaces. Paraffins (straight chain hydrocarbons) are cheap, and soluble in a number of solvents.

They work poorly as a release agent as well; they tend to dissolve into some resins (like polyester, polyols, and urethanes), as well as shrinking a great deal when the solvent carrier dries, leaving a surface that resembles a microscopic dry lake bed.

Modern lubes often contain "synthetics", which often means various industrial processes to sort out "isomers"...some of these are molecules with branched chains, but the same molecular weight and formulae. They have properties that allow them to perform better in many circumstances; better film strength, better shear, better surface adherence, etc., even when introduced as part of a formula containing cheaper base stocks

There are isomeric waxes as well...they are less-soluble and in fewer solvents, but "stick better". The "dry lake bed" thing is less common, as the molecules may have a greater affinity to each other and to the substrate. As a group, they are known as "microcrystalline waxes",. 

White lightning is a parriffin wax lube. It doesnt hold onto the chain or lube particularly well, but since it "sheds" rapidly and its solvents clean well, your chain remains clean. Since the stuff is cheap enough to use often, its effective. Microcrystalline waxes like Rock and Roll Gold clean well, don't really attract dust, and lubricate a little better. Other even more expensive marques may contain Teflon and molybdenum sulfide, which probably only slightly affect chain life and running properties.

As an experiment, I obtained a 1lb cake of brown micro wax (used as a property-modifying agent by candle hobbyists), dissolved it in a gallon of Coleman fuel, and added about 40 grams of a moly-based antisieze lube. Its percieved characteristics are identical to a common micro wax lube, and for my inconvenience I saved about 80% of the cost.

Further, as thought experiment, I looked a little at what it would take to market and sell this stuff. Just getting an MSDS registered was enough to put me off. 

It will take me a long time to use up my gallon of lube; after that I will buy whatever is on the display at the bike shop.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Dumonde Tech is a polymer based lube, not an oil or a wax, although it uses a carrier that has some lubrication properties as well. The MSDS confirms this, but it was what their rep put out back in the day when they were pitching to us in the shop.


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## guamjim (Jun 3, 2013)

*Paraffin Wax Chain Lube*

Muddy bike:









Clean chain:









I really like this method. Thanks, everyone.


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## michihir0 (Apr 20, 2010)

+1. This is my favorite as well.


mitzikatzi said:


> squirt lube
> 
> View attachment 775456
> 
> ...


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## BrentP (Jul 6, 2007)

I used to use Prolink ProGold (great and clean as long as you apply it every ride and wipe off the excess), but this season I discovered the Holy Grail of chain lubes... Squirt Lube.

It's pricy, but it lasts a long time before you need to re-lube (and a really long time on a road chain). It stays clean, dry, and doesn't wash off as easily as other lubes. It also completely eliminated a nagging, intermittent chain suck problem I had (it's a miracle I tell ya!). On particularly mucky days when my gears have started balking, I have even hosed the chain and gears down with my water bottle on the fly and it immediately came clean and started working crisply again. I have nothing bad to say about it.

Here's a Long Term Test report on MTBR

Squirt Lube Website

*EDIT:* LOLOL... I hadn't bothered to read any other posts before I made mine, and I just looked back and am amazed at the number of other people who have discovered Squirt Lube. It's so 'under the radar' in North America I felt like I was the only one lucky enough to have stumbled onto it.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

I have been using chainsaw bar oil for couple years now, started because I ran out of chain lube, and I have never bothered going back. I will say that I clean the chain with a shop rag, apply lube, and wipe dry before every ride, or at most every other ride, regardless of what lube I'm using. The bar oil leaves no gummy residue so it wipes clean easily and doesn't require periodic chain cleaning with solvent. It also functions well, and is ubiquitous and cheap. Not saying it's better than specialty bike chain lubes, just that it works well for me.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

You guys must have been living under a rock or something. You can read up on the best chain lube here.

"the chain lube bible"

http://forums.mtbr.com/off-camber-off-topic/chain-lube-secrets-869497.html


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## BrentP (Jul 6, 2007)

Venturewest said:


> This thread prompted me to order a bottle of Squirt. When you use a wax based lube, and part of the goal is to keep a completely grease free drivetrain, what do you use to lube your derailleurs? Anything? Should I drop some Squirt in the pivot points?


I use a drop of ProGold ProLink on derailleur pivots, etc.


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## PdlPwr (Nov 16, 2010)

What type of lube is on the chain from the factory? Whenever I get a new bike it always seemed like the factory stuff really lasted a long time.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

PdlPwr said:


> What type of lube is on the chain from the factory? Whenever I get a new bike it always seemed like the factory stuff really lasted a long time.


Not sure what the factory lube is. I have seen Cosmoline suggested except that it is brown in color.

others say it is 
gleitmo 582


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## digitalayon (Jul 31, 2007)

I clean mine once a month and grease it with red lithium grease and never have problems.


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## BrentP (Jul 6, 2007)

PdlPwr said:


> What type of lube is on the chain from the factory? Whenever I get a new bike it always seemed like the factory stuff really lasted a long time.


Not sure exactly what it is, but it's some kind of heavy storage grease to protect the chain from corrosion until it's sold. It's not meant to me ridden with it on. The first thing I do is strip it off with white gas and put proper lube on.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

BrentP said:


> Not sure exactly what it is, but it's some kind of heavy storage grease to protect the chain from corrosion until it's sold. It's not meant to me ridden with it on. The first thing I do is strip it off with white gas and put proper lube on.


Both the late Sheldon Brown and the KMC chain website disagree.


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## PretendGentleman (May 24, 2011)

mitzikatzi said:


> Both the late Sheldon Brown and the KMC chain website disagree.


not all manufacturers use the same lube, so they're not all going after the exact same objective. I haven't run a kmc chain in a long time, but the stuff on sram chains is like flypaper. It's great if you're riding in a clean room with no dust, but otherwise you've got a black chain in a week. Shimano chains have a thin lube that smells like solvent and it doesn't pick up as much dirt.

Regardless of what the manufacturer or a demi-god says, keeping the chain rust free until it makes it to the customers hands is paramount, lubrication efficiency and staying clean is secondary to rust prevention.


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## Joe_Re (Jan 10, 2011)

Soul Glo or Astroglide depending on conditions of course.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

Joe_Re said:


> Soul Glo or Astroglide depending on conditions of course.


Too bad bike chains aren't self-lubricating, the amount varying based on need, of course!


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## k_z (Jul 23, 2012)

PretendGentleman said:


> not all manufacturers use the same lube, so they're not all going after the exact same objective. I haven't run a kmc chain in a long time, but the stuff on sram chains is like flypaper. It's great if you're riding in a clean room with no dust, but otherwise you've got a black chain in a week. Shimano chains have a thin lube that smells like solvent and it doesn't pick up as much dirt.
> 
> Regardless of what the manufacturer or a demi-god says, keeping the chain rust free until it makes it to the customers hands is paramount, lubrication efficiency and staying clean is secondary to rust prevention.


SRAM chains that I used to use had some kind of magical things on the at new make that kept chain quiet, lubricated and dust-free longer than anything available on the market - Finish Line, original White Lightning, anything...
KMC chain I recently installed looks like last thing it needs (after about 10 ride so far) is cleaning or lubrication.


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## Rumblefish29er (Oct 6, 2012)

Clean frequently with WD-40, apply whatever lube I've got around. Was triFlo, then some PJ-1 moto stuff I had around, now some dedicated bicycle stuff in a little bottle. I don't think there's much science to it.....if you ride in gritty, muddy, or sandy conditions a lot it's going to wear out pretty quickly no matter what.


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## JerB (Jul 10, 2012)

Hi Guys,

Can anybody tell me if progold pro link chain lube is safe for plastic? I ask as my jockey wheels are plastic. I use it today and it was great but thought I read somewhere it can attack plastic? don't know if that's true? Thinking about stripping it off and going back to my older chain lube.

Thanks again

Jeremy


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## Scimitar (Jul 14, 2006)

I'll go ahead and put my 2 cents in. I thought there was a lot of talk about this topic on the forums and with my riding buddies, so I wrote an article about the top chain lubes for wet and dry conditions.

Best Mountain Bike Chain Lube For Wet Or Dry Conditions


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## RacerScott (Jul 7, 2013)

I tried using motor oil and it attracted way to much dirt and made my rings and cassette greasy and grimy. To messy for me. I am now using white lighting wax lube. I like it just doesn't last as long. I seem to reapply about every 50 miles. It keeps everything much cleaner.


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## febikes (Jan 28, 2011)

heyyall said:


> It sheds the grit and yes, you have to add it frequently...in most cases, before each ride. But, it helps protect your cassette and chain from wearing out.


I like wax lube but apply it AFTER a ride. You want to give the wax plenty of time to dry and setup inside the links.


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## SandSpur (Mar 19, 2013)

BrentP said:


> Not sure exactly what it is, but it's some kind of heavy storage grease to protect the chain from corrosion until it's sold.  It's not meant to me ridden with it on. The first thing I do is strip it off with white gas and put proper lube on.


from the KMC chain website:

_Are the chains ready to be used right out of the box?

Yes, all chains have been pre-greased at the factory and are ready to ride right out of the box (some chains must be fitted to length according to your bike's exact specifications). If you feel that there is too much grease, use a towel and wipe off excess grease from the plates only, avoiding the rollers. For more information on chain maintenance please look at our chain maintenance guide located on the home page._

KMC USA

That being said, there is other stuff on the KMC website about how to (and not to) clean a chain which I dont personally agree with.


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## rodmccrady (May 31, 2010)

Oldfatbaldguy said:


> As an experiment, I obtained a 1lb cake of brown micro wax (used as a property-modifying agent by candle hobbyists), dissolved it in a gallon of Coleman fuel, and added about 40 grams of a moly-based antisieze lube. Its percieved characteristics are identical to a common micro wax lube, and for my inconvenience I saved about 80% of the cost.


I've been experimenting with graphite, paraffin and various solvents including MEK and paint thinner. Where did you get the wax you mentioned?


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## Oldfatbaldguy (Nov 4, 2010)

I don't remember the specific web seller for the product. It came as bag of cubes intended to be melted into paraffin wax for candle makers. 

Among other things, 100% paraffin candles are brittle; the material properties of Paraffin that make it less than ideal for candles also make it less desirable as a lube. But it IS cheap and easy-to-find. I have since learned that paraffin's properties can be easily modified by judicious additions of various other easily obtained products. Adding tiny amounts of motor oil will create a product that resembles a thick grease that melts almost immediately between the fingers, but doesn't seem to attract dirt in the way that oils do. Can be disssolved in a solvent and squirted on a chain, or the chain can be removed and soaked in molten wax mixture: the latter seems preferable.

But then I admit that I'm spending too much time on alchemy and not enough on the bikes.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

If you bonk on a long ride you can lick your chain for a few emergency calories. Try that with your petroleum based crap!

Just make sure its "extra" virgin.


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## jsteach (Feb 17, 2014)

*Reviving old thread.*

Here is an interesting article on lubes"
velolab chain lube test
Hunting for speed
Searching for the fastest lubes on the planet.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...UN25FwRguQ9HYSvNlfGHLbw&bvm=bv.67720277,d.b2k


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## MSLKauai (Dec 17, 2009)

About a year ago, I needed some lube and was at a friends house and the only thing he had was a spray can of motorcycle chain lube called Honda Pro HP Chain lube. Well, by sheer accident it's the best I've found in many years of riding and all I use now for the chain and quick suspension lube. The main thing is that dust and dirt just don't stick to it and when you squirt down your chain/drivetrain after a ride, the dirt just comes right off. Rarely need to go through a thorough soak, scrub process with the chain. Never get that black grimy build up either on the chain, deraiiers or chainrings. Takes about 2 minutes to hose off the drive train, wipe it dry and spray on fresh lube that will keep everything quiet and smooth for my next ride. Constantly get people asking me if I just got a new chain and chainring because it always looks like new. Absolutely love the stuff.

Dirt Bike Pro Honda HP Chain Lube with White Graphite | MotoSport


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## PretendGentleman (May 24, 2011)

k_z said:


> SRAM chains that I used to use had some kind of magical things on the at new make that kept chain quiet, lubricated and dust-free longer than anything available on the market - Finish Line, original White Lightning, anything...
> KMC chain I recently installed looks like last thing it needs (after about 10 ride so far) is cleaning or lubrication.


You must have been using a substantially older sram chain. For the last 5 years, minimum, the vast majority if not all of their chains are very sticky. I always put on gloves to install them because the orange pumice soap can't get the stuff off my hands. After a test ride, you can see small pebbles stuck to the chain.

Why would a manufacturer ever say their chain didn't have the perfect lube? They're profit maximizers and a few percentage points difference in efficiency is not noticeable, but rust is. I would have to see much stronger evidence (than Sheldon or the mfg statements) to convince me otherwise.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

PretendGentleman said:


> not all manufacturers use the same lube, so they're not all going after the exact same objective. I haven't run a kmc chain in a long time, but the stuff on sram chains is like flypaper. It's great if you're riding in a clean room with no dust, but otherwise you've got a black chain in a week. Shimano chains have a thin lube that smells like solvent and it doesn't pick up as much dirt.
> 
> Regardless of what the manufacturer or a demi-god says, keeping the chain rust free until it makes it to the customers hands is paramount, lubrication efficiency and staying clean is secondary to rust prevention.


Yes, it depends on the chain. Some, usually Shimano, are meant to be lubricants and the pins are already well-lubed (removing it is much worse for your chain) and some are protectants/preservatives like the grease our army guns used to come in (typically was SRAM).


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## Dirtydogg (Aug 11, 2012)

old thread but..... 

I use WhiteLightning which is parrafin based.


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## Attacking Mid (Dec 10, 2004)

After selling my last dirtbike, this old enduro rider kept lubing his mtb chains with the best mc chainlube for years. Eventually, I used the last of my mc chainlube and began trying various mtb chainlubes. Over several years, I managed to saturate a lot of blue garage towels with various lubes, and I'm confident a little bit of the squirt bottle lubes even ended up on the bike chains somewhere. I've finally come back around to my senses and ordered a new spray can of Maxima Chain Wax from a mc shop. $10, and I'm about to enjoy a couple years of well-lubed chains with relatively painless application. This stuff is easy to apply and it dries to a relatively non-sticky consistency that minimizes dirt attraction, while staying in place for a relatively long time. It's all I ask for in a chain lube.

AM.


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## time229er (Oct 30, 2013)

Once more...and no it is not good on pasta or salad!


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## richde (Jun 8, 2004)

BrentP said:


> I used to use Prolink ProGold (great and clean as long as you apply it every ride and wipe off the excess), but this season I discovered the Holy Grail of chain lubes... Squirt Lube.
> 
> It's pricy, but it lasts a long time before you need to re-lube (and a really long time on a road chain). It stays clean, dry, and doesn't wash off as easily as other lubes. It also completely eliminated a nagging, intermittent chain suck problem I had (it's a miracle I tell ya!). On particularly mucky days when my gears have started balking, I have even hosed the chain and gears down with my water bottle on the fly and it immediately came clean and started working crisply again. I have nothing bad to say about it.
> 
> ...


I go 100+ squeak and drag free miles between cleaning and application of Squirt, could go longer but my bike is usually really dirty by that point.


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## rsilvers (Aug 23, 2015)

Olive Oil is sixth best tested:

https://www.lillylube.com/uploads/Link_to_Velo_Article.pdf

My chain already looked shiny clean, but I filled this chain-cleaner with olive oil to add some lube. Turns out, the chain was dirtier than I expected. Olive oil - cleans and lubes at once and is super cheap so you can just dump it out and fill it again - something I would never do with expensive oil.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

rsilvers said:


> Olive Oil is sixth best tested:
> 
> https://www.lillylube.com/uploads/Link_to_Velo_Article.pdf
> 
> My chain already looked shiny clean, but I filled this chain-cleaner with olive oil to add some lube. Turns out, the chain was dirtier than I expected. Olive oil - cleans and lubes at once and is super cheap so you can just dump it out and fill it again - something I would never do with expensive oil.


And it doubles as a great addition to any pasta dish. :thumbsup:


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## OldGringo (Oct 2, 2015)

rsilvers said:


> My chain already looked shiny clean, but I filled this chain-cleaner with olive oil to add some lube. Turns out, the chain was dirtier than I expected. Olive oil - cleans and lubes at once and is super cheap so you can just dump it out and fill it again - something I would never do with expensive oil.


I love the idea of using the chain cleaner. What's your process after application? Do you dry it, install wet, etc.??? Also, about how many miles between applications would you say?


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

OldGringo said:


> I love the idea of using the chain cleaner.


^ not a good plan. Cleaners are for cleaning and olive oil is for cooking & salads, don't mix and match.


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## Spec44 (Aug 17, 2013)

I used Boeshield T-9 all summer, and have been really happy with it. I give the bike a quick rinse when I get home. Re-apply every month or so. Whole drivetrain is clean and oil and grit free.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

All lubes no matter which one should be applied prior to every ride. This "once a month or so" is just asking for money shelled out to the drivetrain vendors more often.


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## rsilvers (Aug 23, 2015)

T9 uses about 1.5 watts more than the best lubes, which is no big deal on a mountain bike. On a road bike at 18 mph, that would be like removing one of your aero wheels.

Velo / Friction Facts Chain Lube Efficiency Tests


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## rsilvers (Aug 23, 2015)

OldGringo said:


> I love the idea of using the chain cleaner. What's your process after application? Do you dry it, install wet, etc.??? Also, about how many miles between applications would you say?


That is the first time I did it. I am not sure how long it will last. I am not sure how long any lube will last, as there is no good test data out there. My guess is re-do it every 100 miles or so on a road bike. On a MTB off-road, I would do it often. Maybe every 25 miles.

I move the chain over paper towels to dry it as much as possible, and then let it drip off overnight onto some more paper-towels.


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## rsilvers (Aug 23, 2015)

I just went for a 5 mile ride and the chain was covered in black gunk, so at most the olive oil was a complete failure, or at least I should have wiped much more of the oil off.

I am going back to paraffin for a while.


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