Commuting Bike Chain Lubrication

flappy

After being bike mad as a teenager and mooching around gently on a mounting bike for a while I have taken the plunge and started commuting to work (26 miles a day) on a Sirrus Pro which is fantastic.

A week in, after all the rain, the chain is as dry as can be - how often should I lube the chain and what with??? (the chainset looks expensive!!!!)

gary_fisher3

Finish line cross country wet lube.

It will turn the chain black; but it last for ages and works very well.

DomA

I've been using finish line on my bike for a year now, 1500miles and the chain is still good.

S_J_P

I use Finish-Line Wet during the winter, but find Rock'n'Roll Gold fantastic in the summer. It keeps the chain clean (Wet lube attracts dust and grime) as well as well lubricated.

J.o.n

Finish line - wet(green) has got to be the best!

minimole

gary_fisher3 wrote:

Finish line cross country wet lube.

It will turn the chain black; but it last for ages and works very well.

Do you mean black from the dust and stuff that sticks to the lube, or is the lube black?

'Cos my XC Wet Lube is green... :?

S_J_P

Wet lube does seem to send the chain black and sticky, when it picks up road grime and dust :? That's why I switch to dry lube in the summer.

It's quite surprising how much black-gunk comes out of the chain when I apply the Rock'n'Roll (whose carrier solvent also cleans the chain) even after a degrease using a White Lightnin chain-cleaner. The gunk is probably more akin to grinding paste than lube :shock:

DomA

I'd agree, wet lube does pick up the road grime. I would love to switch to dry lube, however it rains so often I can't really see the point.

gary_fisher3

Do you mean black from the dust and stuff that sticks to the lube, or is the lube black?

The actual "oil" is green. However, it will very quickly absorb dirt / muck and turms black. Although your chain will look filthy it is still well lubricated and protected.

With dry lube instead of lube absorbing dirt, the lube falls off taking the dirt with it. This means the chain stays clean but you'll need to re-apply the lube regularly (very regularly in this weather!) to keep the chain protected.

Drfabulous0

It generally rains more in summer than winter, so wet lube all the time for me, just have to clean the chain once a week and apply fresh lube.

dave_s

I use Finish Line XC wet lube all year round too.
Best chain lube I've ever used without a doubt, give it a try

Gingersaurus

My purple extreme seems to be doing very well, no complaints.

S_J_P

I've never got along with Purple Extreme, my chain started to rust after one wet road ride, something it's never done with Finish Line, Rock'n'Roll, or Finesse products.