[weltyed]

Coming over from the mtb world, what type of lube works best for a chain? i usuallu use tri-flow teflon on my dirt and single speed rigs. I know some people use dry/wax (pedro's white litening?) on their chain for dry conditions.

What is the best lube for roadies? what do you guys use, wet or dry? What brands?

 

[Spinfinity]

I use air tool oil.

It's wet, attracts less dirt than most wet lubes, and costs $5.00 for a 16 oz bottle at any auto parts store. I'm trying Slick Willie which definitely stays cleaner but I haven't had it out in the rain yet to see how well it sticks. I may use it on my fair weather bikes.

My experience with dry lubes is that they pick up less dirt than wet lube, need frequent applications to stay quiet, and don't hold up in the rain. They may work better in dry dusty conditions but I can't say for sure.

 

[Mike Prince]

Somewhat of a pattern here

Your question will get quite a variety of answers (or possibly none at all), but a lot of the 'regulars' here seem to use ProLink or a homebrewed concoction of mineral spirits and motor oil. Basically you wipe off the chain with a rag, apply lube to the chain pins, spin the crank several times to work it in and wipe the excess.

Most folks here report getting to ride between 100 and 300 miles (depending on conditions) before a re-application is necessary.

This question has been asked a million times on this board and by and large the majority answer as I have. Not sure if you can search old threads (old format) from the new site format yet EIther people here don't use the wax-based lubes or they don't admit to it.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[torquecal]

The general rule of thumb is use a petroleum based lube if you live or ride in wet or very humid areas, use a dry lube (wax or teflon based) if you live in a very dry area. Beyond that just about everybody's got a favorite and you'll get a lot of opinions and personal experiences that may, or may not, apply to you and the kind of riding you do.

Personally I like Prolink and Finish Line Teflon-Plus. Been using the Finish line stuff almost exclusively for about a year now.

Coming over from the mtb world, what type of lube works best for a chain? i usuallu use tri-flow teflon on my dirt and single speed rigs. I know some people use dry/wax (pedro's white litening?) on their chain for dry conditions.

What is the best lube for roadies? what do you guys use, wet or dry? What brands?

 

[GravityChallenged]

I too use Slick Willy stuff.

It's wet, attracts less dirt than most wet lubes, and costs $5.00 for a 16 oz bottle at any auto parts store. I'm trying Slick Willie which definitely stays cleaner but I haven't had it out in the rain yet to see how well it sticks. I may use it on my fair weather bikes.

My experience with dry lubes is that they pick up less dirt than wet lube, need frequent applications to stay quiet, and don't hold up in the rain. They may work better in dry dusty conditions but I can't say for sure.

I like both their (Slick Willy) "dry" and "wet weather" flavors. The "dry" doesn't pick-up much junk and I can routinley get 300 miles out of one application. It holds up fairly well in th wet also, much better than PL. Their "wet condition" flavor is great. It stands up to almost any slop that you can throw at. Just make sure your wipe down your chain if it gets wet after a ride. I went on many salty/slush wet rides and the stuff held up great, no mess, no rust, just a nice clean chain. Even though my chain wasn't making any noise after many slop miles, I felt guilty and relubed.

I recommend to anyone.

GC

 

[Eric_H]

Wet for wet

I live in the pacific NW (or pacific SW since I'm in Canada) and I have the best luck using a wet lube. My favorite is Finish Line Cross Country. Pedros Road Rage is also good. I find these lubes will get me more mileage between cleanings in both wet or dry weather. However, we do not have particularly dusty conditions at any time of the year. If I rode in very dry and dusty conditions I would try a "dry" lube.

The biggest thing you can do to improve chain life and performance is to clean your chain before lubing it. Lubing a dirty chain will only flush dirt into the chain rollers and pins, and accelerate wear. I prefer using chains that I can take off and wash, like SRAM or Wipperman. Clean the chain thorougly, clean the rings, cassette and derailleur, lube and reassemble. Works for me.

However, I am currently experimenting with ProLink on my winter bike. I get tired of the big cleanups on it during the rainy months, so I am trying to see if the ProLink philosophy of lubing and working out the dirt actually works. It really goes against all of my beliefs, but hey, I'm up for anything to reduce my bike maintenance.

 

[smokey422]

This is what I use......

Coming over from the mtb world, what type of lube works best for a chain? i usuallu use tri-flow teflon on my dirt and single speed rigs. I know some people use dry/wax (pedro's white litening?) on their chain for dry conditions.

What is the best lube for roadies? what do you guys use, wet or dry? What brands?

I mix white gas (Coleman fuel) with Amsoil 75W90 synthetic gear lube. It gives me a very quiet drivetrain with great shifting and lasts for a good long while. It's very economical, too. Just be sure to lube after you ride and wipe off the excess so it doesn't attract dirt.

 

[Dave_Stohler]

I gave up on wax lubes

They need to be reapplied every 50 miles or so, they give more resistance, and they start to solidify in teps below 50. And for what? A bit less dirt? Forget it-I'm going back to Finish Line dry stuff. The wet formula works great on my touring and mountain bikes.

 

[jw25]

Well, "best" is in the eye of the beholder.
Personally, I've gien up on the wax lubes. Either the wax is too dry, and flakes off after a few hours, or it's too sticky, and leaves a nasty buildup on your cogs and pulleys. Some did both, paradoxically. They're also bad for winter weather, since waxes harden in cold weather.
I've used Prolink, which works well for me, as well as Pedros Synlube and Road Rage. The Syn is thicker, but great for wet weather and cold conditions, while the road rage is pretty clean for an oil, but likes drier conditions to avoid washoff.
Recently I got Rock n' Roll Extreme and Gold. Both are fairly dry, and applied like Prolink, rather than a traditional oil. I haven't gotten too much mileage on them, but the Gold is very clean, while the Extreme leaves a little more on the chain, but stays smooth and quiet better in the wet. Both leave my cogs and rings nice and shiny.
As was mentioned, it's essential to clean the drivetrain before applying a new lube, since there may be incompatibilities between old and new, and any dirt and grit may effect your impression of the new stuff. I've used a chain machine (Park Cyclone) and the Gatorade bottle shaker, and both do a nice job with hot water and Simple Green. Cogs and rings get a brush with Simple Green and a toothbrush.
The R n' R lubes are pretty economical, too, and both can be purchased as pints - I got my Extreme for $14 a pint from Bikeman.com.