Been using Squirt lube but…

washes of quite easily. Been using it for the last year and very happy with it, but seems that recently, every ride I go on starts with the bike equivalenmt of going through a sheep dip.

I don’t want to go back to finish line wet lube as I like that my transmission is always clean – looking for something like Squirt that has a bit more staying power – does such a thing exist or should I just continue with Squirt?

Squirt is fine as a dry weather (California?) lube…not UK autumn, winter and spring.

Find a wet lube you like and wipe off the surplus before the ride.

PaulD

There’s so much variation in experience with chain lubes 🙂 Personally, I don’t get the Squirt thing either. Seems like it just washes off too easily. I’m reverting to whatever Halfords are selling as Wet Lube for the rest of the winter as that seems as good as any.

My 20 mile ride in the Dales yesterday required an extra application of Finish Line Wet Lube just after halfway, so even that option isn’t a cure-all.

+1 for Finish Line Wet Lube. A small bottle lasts ages and can be used to lube fork seals as well.

Squirt works for me all year round. The trick is to apply it at least 24hrs before you’ll be next using the bike. I do this after the post-ride bike wash, then it’s ready for the next ride.

If you apply it just before the ride it quickly washes off.

I use squirt in the summer (if it’s dryer). even prepping the chain days before, I find it washes off too easily. for wetter times, I use putolene chain wax in a chip pan. seems to work will if I bit of a faff to apply. chip pan with wire basket helps though. I can get a fewrides out of it even in the wet.

Rock n’ Roll extreme all year round here.

I’ve gone from Rnr Extreme to White Lightning Wet Ride. The WL doesn’t turn your drivetrain into black gunk like Finish Line Wet does and seems to be doing the job so far. I really rated RnR but changed because it was getting harder to find, it’s expensive & you use a lot of it, and it’s a PITA in the colder weather.

I use squirt in the summer (if it’s dryer). even prepping the chain days before, I find it washes off too easily. for wetter times, I use putolene chain wax in a chip pan. seems to work will if I bit of a faff to apply. chip pan with wire basket helps though. I can get a fewrides out of it even in the wet.

Does that work better than a camping stove? My chain always comes out covered in stuff the consistency of slightly thinner than runny honey but thicker than chain lube. Which then turns everything black. Does wacking it upto 200deg in a chip pan work better?

It’s still the best winter lube by a country mile though. It survived a lap of ‘that’ gorrick 100 a few years ago (so roughly 100 times longer than any set of brake pads).

http://www.scottoiler.com/uk/products/active-fluid-system.html

http://www.patrickjames.co.uk/bic_scot.php

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/lube/scottoiler/active-fluid-system/prd_414117_131crx.aspx

The White Lightning Wet stuff is good, but I think the Muc off Ceramic Wet Lube is a bit better for manky wet rides. I find them both better than Finish Line green

I like the idea of a scotoiler, but when they say 3-4 times in a 10miles, and presubably that’s in good conditions? In crap conditions you’d have to be pouring it on!

Most night rides we cover 18-20 miles, with a cake/biscuit/hip flask stop half way.

It’d take some relllllllllyyyy shitty conditions to wash off the wet lube in half a ride.

I’ve been finding Squirt fine in all conditions. Whack a load on the day before, leave 5 mins. Whack some more on and leave over night to set. Most of the crap stuck on it appears to brush off when you clean the chain. For the Thetford Winter series 4 hour the other day I used some Hein Gericke motorbike chain lube. Spays on like WD40 but then drys out like syrup. Everything sticks to it but it stays put, even when jet washing.

Chip pan just means I can shake the excess off and catch it back in the pan and retrieve the chains without diving into the tin. I don’t boil the wax, in fact, I’m careful not to overheat it.

Bit messy I agree but I really weatherproof lube.

White Lightning wet works for me- though most of the time I use Epic instead, doesn’t last as well but it’s also less sticky.

Squirt is a great summer lube, and I loved it for the alps and pyrenees where everything was dry, but here in autumn it was a disaster- terrible chainsuck as soon as I hit the mud (went home, cleaned it off, relubed with Epic Ride, went straight back out- no problem at all riding the same section)

I’ve got a tin of putoline to try but still never got round to it just because of the faff factor.

Here we go again, chain lube, the biggest con since the emporer’s new clothes…… 🙄

You’re right. I’ll run mine dry from now on. that’ll learn um.

No mention of Purple Extreme – I use it because of the name 🙂

I’ve been using Juice Lubes Viking Juice – much cleaner than Finish Line – I cannot say whether it last longer than Squirt (possibly not), I do re-apply every ride (as drive-train is washed down after every ride)

chain lube, the biggest con since the emporer’s new clothes…

And your credentials, failedengineer?

Oh. Right.

+1 for the Muc-off C3 doesn’t seem to need a lot,and you can just wipe the chain clean.

So –

Muc-off C3
White Lightening Wet
Rock & Roll Extreme

I’ll nip to Merlin on the way home and se what they’ve got in

Thanks
Guys

You forgot the putolene but I doubt they’ll have that in Merlin.

Chain-l No.5 The only lube you’ll ever need.

I didn’t say no lube at all, now, did I? I strongly suspect that some of the top-brand chain lubes are synthetic engine oil and paraffin. I’ve been using it for years and get excellent chain life. Just clean the chain, squirt of GT85, wipe off, apply ‘Failedlube’ very sparingly, rub into chain with fingers, stand back and feel smug.
On motorbike o-ring and x-ring chains I do the same and again, seem to get excellent chain/sprocket life/minimal chain adjustment required. Obviously, on a motorbike, too much lube results in a filthy back wheel and a front sprocket caked in cr*p.
But, as pointed out above, what do i know?

I do almost the same as failedengineer, I just don’t thin down the oil, and apply with a rag.

Fact is, on mountainbikes, wear from contaminants is hugely larger than wear of metal on metal such as a road bike would suffer.

It doesn’t really matter what lube you use, it you don’t clean the gyke out of it often, its not going to last, even with regular applications of lube – all you’re doing is making a slurry of oil and grit.

For stuff that I know will have to put up with constant soaking (SS, commuter) I run finish line green, proper sticky lasts ages. but the rest of the time I use squirt, occasionally on a long ride I’ll need to re-apply but runs fine for rest of ride and isn’t a PITA to clean the chain post ride like it is with the finish line stuff.

failed engineer/irelanst what lube you guys talking about? engine oil?

I didn’t say no lube at all, now, did I? I strongly suspect that some of the top-brand chain lubes are synthetic engine oil and paraffin. I’ve been using it for years and get excellent chain life. Just clean the chain, squirt of GT85, wipe off, apply ‘Failedlube’ very sparingly, rub into chain with fingers, stand back and feel smug.

I suspect there’s a bit more to it than that. Mainly lot’s more detergent to inhibit the accumulation of gunk, phosphorous or sulphur based EP additives (mmmmmmm EP-90) very unlikley to be synthetic (it doesn’t need to last 12,000 miles at 100degC being squeezed through the big end bearings) unless they use the synthetic base oil BP use to make magnatec (which IIRC is an ester to improve it’s affinity to metals?).

I use motorbike chain lube in the winter on my commuter to work all the rain never touches it sound.

I use engine oil on the commuter (and motorbike) and it works fine but I’ve had no success with it vs mud

I’ve been using the Viking Juice too, seems pretty good (and clean) to me.

Anyone using Tri-Flow? How’s it do in wet conditions? Drip-on or spray-on?

I’m putting my vote in for purple extreme. As good as anything I’ve used.

In all my 20 years of riding, I still don’t get why people feel the need to re-lube during a ride? I’ve either never ridden far enough or I’m so deaf I can’t hear my drivetrain whining at the lack of lube? Or are there other tell tale signs?

Or perhaps the lube is slathered on so thick, I have no issue?

I just apply wax stuff (Squirt or White Lightning Clean ride) over and over again and it gradually builds up. It does need applying well in advance of a ride though so that it solidifys.

Only time I re-lube is after a wet ride or on the first tell tale signs of a few spots of rust.

So far as Purple Extreme or similar – if its all meant to be wiped clean after you apply it, how do you tell when you need to re-apply?

I can’t belieeeeve people still use Finish Line Wet Lube? That stuff from the early 90s that coats your drivetrain in thick, black gunk. That stuff you have to scrape off the chainrings with a screwdriver if you don’t thoroughly clean it off after every ride? Madness! Lubes have come a long way since that stuff was the only thing available.

My drivetrain is pretty sparkling clean when it isn’t covered in mud and I use various thick wet lubes including Finish Line. Put plenty on, wipe the excess off before the next ride with kitchen towel. Clean the chain with kitchen towel when need be, sometimes with some paraffin if it’s particularly dirty. Use GT85 or similar to dry out the chain after hosing it down post mud ride. I had bad chainsuck with Squirt in the wet though it is very clean.