[Closed] chain lube - what's flavour of the day

I quite like the Muc-Off stuff - as long as you're not too liberal it's fine.

And the garage acquires a lovely pineapplely smell too.

Fenwicks Stealth

Rock and roll blue

Got some very cheap 5wt semi-synthetic motor oil and I submerge the chain and let it drip off

Wipe off the residue and the chain is perfectly lubed and dry

I also use it in my fork lowers - it's just oil. No fancy colour or smell but cheap and works pretty well

Rock n Roll Extreme, I love it and use it all year round.
Cleans and lubes the chain at the very same time!

Sawchain oil.

White lightning clean ride usually, seems to work ok.

squirt on MTB

Fenwikhs Stealth on Road

Started washing my chain in two stroke fuel, works well and the petrol evaporates leaving oil behind in the chain. A quick wipe and good to go during these dry'ish times.

[i]works well and the petrol evaporates leaving oil behind in the chain.[/i]

do you have a 'no naked flames' rule in your shed?

Does any one else dislike these new fangled runny lubes (rock n roll etc). In spite of what the shop says they dont look like they should work and after a few years using them Im convinced they dont. My chains end up with small amounts of rust - something Iv never had with the sticky ones, that - would you believe- actually stick to the chain.

Bring back sticky lubes!

White Lightning Epic Ride does what you requested.

I've settled on that after a few years of experimentation, good for MTB and road.

I've experimented with Wax and cant say that i enjoyed using it, audible graunching and a lack of rust protection,

I've used Rock 'n' Roll blue extensively and its good for a bit but fades out very quickly, on a long haul it needs re applying so it means carrying it with you which is often the case with most lubes.

I've swapped across to Purple Extreme and have been running this over the past 4 weeks in the dryest conditions i've experienced in the UK for some time, So i cant comment on wet wetaher usage but dry is exceptionally good,

I dont want to teach you to suck eggs so please forgive me if you follow this method already but i've found especially since i stopped using the Finish Line stuff about 3 years ago that if you apply the lube after a ride so its got time to go off before the next ride, ideally a day ? a lot of these solvent based remedies need to evapourate before riding.

ndthornton

I found that Rock 'n' Roll provides little protection against rust but better than Wax

I'll see what this new miracle Bike Medicine is like,

i do love the rock n roll extreme stuff, but i seem to be applying it alot just lately, even though its dry out im finding if i dont apply after every 2 rides its starting squeaking the chain etc, never noticed this in the winter i guess maybe i should use the rock n roll dry in the summer perhaps that would fair better than the extreme

extreme in the winter is brilliant mind! never had an issue and doesnt clog up with crap and stays clean

Finish Line Wet Conditions, all year round - been using it since 1994!

I use just a smidgen when it's dry and a good dollop when it's wet. The smell takes me back to my youth. No problems with it, apart from the chain and cassette requires cleaning briefly with a cloth and white spirit after every ride.

wwaswas - Member
works well and the petrol evaporates leaving oil behind in the chain.

do you have a 'no naked flames' rule in your shed?
POSTED 14 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Outside in the back garden, or if I'm feeling daring, in the kitchen with the gas hob on whilst smoking a fag.

Purple extreme here. If you buy from UkBikestore it will be with you tomorrow. Shocked how quick they were when I ordered via eBay.

Using muc off dry for the first time as has beeb said, the driest spell for yonks and just fitted a new chain so I thought why not?
Only had one ride at a very dry and dusty Cannock but was pleased with how clean the chain was afterwards. So far so good.

Rock n Roll Blue here. I found Purple Extreme OK for the road bike but no good for muddy MTB rides and I won't bother buying again.

I give my chain a good blast with GT85 then a good rub with a rag, then another good blast with GT85 and away I go. I have been doing that for over 15 years with all my bikes, never had any chain problems at all.

White Lightning Clean Ride, have used this all year round and cannot fault the results. Chain is always quiet and clean....what more could I want

OK, as folk seem to swear by what they are used to, I'm sticking with Purple Extreme & have ordered a new bottle from Wiggle. Just managed to eeek out the last few dregs from a bottle for tonights Trailquest 🙂

Finish Line XC. Normally carry a small bottle too for relubing on big, wet rides such as the Dyfi Enduro.

Although saying that, I got bought some Muc Off wet lube which seems pretty good, and smells of grapefruit - added bonus.

Finish line wet lube in the winter.

Squirt in the summer. I've been very impressed with this stuff. Quite resistant to wet weather for a wax lube and the transmission stays nice and clean.

White lightning epic ride for all conditions. Best I've ever used.

Purple Extreme for all year.
Works really well

Finish Line wet lube in the winter...it's great but is hateful to clean, even with the bare minimum used.

Started usingFinish Line ceramic lube last summer and thought it was great, but this year it's been rubbish; even at the slightest hint if water it's failed whereas I was able to use it mist of the year previously.

Just tried Juice Lubes Viking lube and it seems to work pretty well. It's coped with wet rides and doesn't pick up too much crap in the dry but it's horrible to apply because it's so runny.

Found that the wet lube works best in the road bike and keeps the chain quite quiet. The others can't cope with longer rides and get noisey very quickly.

Surely with these "what lube" questions you need to set certain qualifications from the off? Road or proper bike? Canal tow path or actual off-road in mud and rain for several hours? Otherwise somebody will say "X lube works great for me!" and it turns out to be nothing more than a pootle to the shops and back on an ancient Dawes. Furthermore I know poeple who swear by a certain lubricant but have the mechanical sympathy of a gnat; they wouldn't know a 'graunchy' chain from a new one out of the wrapper.

Personally I find all these "what lube" posts a bit pointless as you've no idea what style or length of ride people do, let alone their personal levels of mechanical ineptitude. Without a reference point there's nothing to judge by.

Sorry but I'm out.

Pedros Chainj.

/End

Gnar Lube, I bought a load in the US and can honestly say it is the best I've ever used - plus it smells amazing.

Finish Line: citrus and asparagus notes on the nose, a hint of spice on the palate, coupled with an intense minerality.

I at least qualified my choice by saying where it was ridden and in what conditions.

So there.

signed,

A. Gnat.

This:

wwaswas - Member
I quite like the Muc-Off stuff - as long as you're not too liberal it's fine.

And the garage acquires a lovely pineapplely smell too.

Or this:

chakaping - Member
White Lightning Epic Ride does what you requested.

I've settled on that after a few years of experimentation, good for MTB and road.

ransos - Member

Finish Line: citrus and asparagus notes on the nose, a hint of spice on the palate, coupled with an intense minerality.

You are Jilly Goolden and I claim my £5!

Squirt

Just make sure it goes on the night before.

Using up a tin of 3 in 1 here,

Plus 'Gnar Lub' adopt better marketing than I've seen with other brands:

http://gnarlube.tumblr.com/image/48142263697

White Lightning, used it for years on all our bikes. Not found anything better

[img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/public/wRFNOGgI8lhGOAyf3p_QIQudwj0KrBB7TVnmXVvoF1WeEMbHsYlcE9Nj-ao7MD97zepiUWCh7tI1z_aiVIlt0cp0nFiltnOtTUY23F7l3CTFAtLF6DmHdfmOK5A7w6z8aP-bt5N1Ipgim2pnJT6NuSdsO08Az6t7d-bieeE9p2W-j2M=s220-c [/img]

Tried loads, nothing I've used works as well as Purple Extreme

[img] [/img]

Another White Lighning user here but I find the Wet Ride gives a silent drivetrain and lovely shifting.

White Lightning Epic Ride, or Putoline Epic Faff. The former if I'm feeling lazy, the latter if I want the best results.

(the Putoline involves completely cleaning hte chain, then putting the can of wax on the stove til it melts, soaking the chain in it, taking it out, letting it cool, etc. it could not possibly be more faffy. But it works better than anything else I've used, and not by a small amount)

really love the weldtite tf2 Teflon - cheap works great and leaves no residue after a good clean

Chainsaw oil for commuting and MTB. Thinned it back with white spirit to make it easier to apply and enable less to be put on. I Normally end up cleaning the bike each ride and it needs relubing so not had issues with build up.

White lightning on the road bike. Less water from riding or washing so buildup an issue.

Finish line wet for me. I was getting annoyed at the price for such a small bottle, till I noticed my collection of empty bottle (hey I hoard)... 6 over 10 years. The idea of buying the gallon bottle and decanting it was throw out the window.

Squirt on the mtbs for me. Crisp changing and long drivetrain life 🙂

3 in 1 for me too. Clean bike when it gets dirty, & re-lube. Cheap and never had a problem. Is bike specific lube really that much better?

Has Muc-Off Wet Lube changed recently?

I never rated it at all and recall similar unimpressedness from others, but of late I've seen a few recommendations here and there...

Finish line dry lube here. It's ok but mate of mine uses spray on white lithium grease simply cos he's got some and its waaaay cheap. Applies through the straw and it sort of sets on the chain. It's kind of thick and seems to be ideal for wet weather but not knowing much about lubes I'm frit of using it myself just in case it damages the chain - is there such a thing as a lube which causes damage ?

(the Putoline involves completely cleaning hte chain, then putting the can of wax on the stove til it melts, soaking the chain in it, taking it out, letting it cool, etc. it could not possibly be more faffy. But it works better than anything else I've used, and not by a small amount)

You can apparently do it in a deep fat fryer to reduce faffage. And you don't need to meticulously clean the chain either. But yea, it's a faff.

Read on a roadie forum that loads are using a 1:3 mix of engine oil and odourless spirits (which I think is Ammerican for white spirit?), the latter lets it seep into the chain, then evaporates. Guess it probably works better on californian roads away from mud and water.

IME some of the expensive lubes are pretty good, muck-off C3 wet is quite long lasting compared to generic wet lube, not tried the dry or the £16/bottle dry though! Anyone tried Fenwicks stealth?

I'm frit of using it myself just in case it damages the chain - is there such a thing as a lube which causes damage ?

They make good cleaners, but rubbish lubes.

Northwind, the old Moto-X chain prep, ive done that before, used to put it in a parrafin wax prep in a pan on a stove and warm it up, the ammount of crud that vame out of the links on a seemingly clean chain was unbeleivable,

Ive had a can of Putoline Moto-X Chain lube thats about a foot long for about 10 Years, i oil up my sons BMX and his MTB once a year and it Never ever shows signs of rust !
Ive thought about applying this to my SC Butchers chain as its a bit noisy,

Has Muc-Off Wet Lube changed recently?

They must have changed it, the bottle I had was ridiculously sticky. Way worse than Finish Line Green.

Two chains in rotation...
Remove from bike and drop in jar of petrol, shake for a minute and leave to stand whilst I set up camp stove and get my pan of EP2 grease and GL320 gearbox oil warmed up.
Remove chain from petrol and hang over bucket whilst wiping down
Using a hook through both ends of the chain, drop in pan of now bubbling castrol broth.
Decant now dirty petrol into second jar through filter.
Back to the pan - lift one end of chain out of broth, then 'roll' the chain through the mixture several times. Allow thickest to run off then hang again over bucket whilst you tidy away pan, stove and petrol.
Wipe excess off chain with oily rag and store in plastic bag until next chain requires lube (usually 5-15hrs depending on conditions and washing regime*)

*I once heard someone mention that their bike got wet occasionally when no river crossings or puddles were ridden through... Although mine never have!

Squirt rain or shine

Read on a roadie forum that loads are using a 1:3 mix of engine oil and odourless spirits (which I think is Ammerican for white spirit?), the latter lets it seep into the chain, then evaporates.

Actually I bet that is a mistake. I would guess that odourless spirits is a bastardisation of de-aromitised white spirit. Basically white spirit is a fraction of oil (off the top of my head C6-C10). Anyway part of that is going to be benzene, toluene and other derivatives. These are "aromatics" as they were named historically and typically smell (nice IMO?). They are also not particularly nice and generally thought to cause cancer. So you can remove them, or "de-aromatise" the white spirit.

I have no idea where the average consumer would buy that from but I have used Exxsol D40 professionally in the past.

The de-aromatised stuff would be safer but I wouldn't worry about it if you are only lubing your chain.

Nice one OP, popular thread!!

Normally I'd use something like GT85 in summer and finish line wet lube in the wet.
But as an experiment I've been using white lighting epic ride on one bike and clean ride on another. The clean ride works pretty well, but the epic ride's been absolutely hopeless. Maybe I've a bad batch of it missing something important, like lubricant. If I pissed on the chain it would last longer than this stuff.