Which chain lubricant?

Wacky Racer

A simple question, I've tried looking at history on this site, but can't find anything. Which is the best chain lubricant to use on my Kona Blast? I have only recently started riding again, and come from an era of black oily chains which gets on everything. Technology has no doubt moved on, and I was hoping for some guidance as to which stays on longer, which is the cleanest and how frequently the chain should be oiled.

Andy B

Finish line dry or finish line wet, depending on weather conditions.

Mancunianfightingcat

Give the chain a thorough degreasing and dry it then apply a decent dry lube to it. Leave it overnight so the solvent can evaporate and then wipe of the excess before using the bike! If you do this between every mucky ride, the chain will last for ages and run super smooth.

strodey

Another vote for Finish line wet for the wet and dry for the dry!
I clean the chain with a chain cleaner after each ride then put a small drop of lube on each link, this keeps any build up of that black muck well away

Wacky Racer

Cheers guys, that was straightforward. I have just ordered a bottle of wet and a bottle of dry from Chain Reaction Cycles online. Judging by the recent weather I'll be making alot more use of the wet for the forseeable future!

Thanks for the help.

Dazzza

Finish line wet isn't bad but i can kill off their dry in 20 miles.

Best so far for me is purple extreme but you have to remove all traces of other lubes on the drivetrain.

Progold prolink is also a good one.

.blitz

Pedros Dry Lube. It needs re-applying regularly but it works. Plenty of magazine tests have come to the same conclusion that the lube is only there to stop dirt getting into the links and rollers. A (clean) totally dry chain is very efficient.

beski

.blitz wrote:

Pedros Dry Lube. It needs re-applying regularly but it works. Plenty of magazine tests have come to the same conclusion that the lube is only there to stop dirt getting into the links and rollers. A (clean) totally dry chain is very efficient.

I'd second the Pedros Dry, I prefer it to Finish Line, it's thinner & as said the chain does need a wipe down & re-applying regularly

Daz555

I miss the days when 3-in-1 was all you needed! 8)

Wacky Racer

Daz555 wrote:

I miss the days when 3-in-1 was all you needed! 8)

I certainly don't, this was my initial point, having been away from bikes for quite some time, I remember all to well getting 3 in 1 all over the place, in fact every flipping where except on the chain. All over my legs, shoes, trousers!! I dreaded walking past a bike for fear of the black oil.

guilliano

Finish line pro road now.... it just works and doesn't gunk up as badly as the wet stuff

Th3 Firestarter

I'm still a white lightning man (no, not the cheap cider favoured by winos )

Gothmeister

Andy_B wrote:

Finish line dry or finish line wet, depending on weather conditions.

Is Finish Line Cross Country what you call Finish Line Wet????

5Thumbs

Can't understand why someone hasn't invented denim coloured lube for us casual riders.....

jayson

Has anyone tried the new Muc Off wet and dry lubes yet?? i saw an advert in WMB for it and i've never seen it before.

avid89

jayson wrote:

Has anyone tried the new Muc Off wet and dry lubes yet?? i saw an advert in WMB for it and i've never seen it before.

Yeah it's like 7 quid for 120ml i think thats a rip off personally especially when they sell a 440ml can of lube for £6.99.

BlackSpur

especially when they sell a 440ml can of lube for £6.99.

Who, Muc Off? If you mean the "Bike Spray", that's all purpose teflon spray, not chain lube - completely different.

cjw

Muc-off do a chain lube spray can (for about £8.00 I seem to recall). Tried a can of it, but prefer the dropper type where you place one drop per link rather than spray the stuff everywhere :shock:

cjw

Here it is (and I seem to remeber the spray can kept getting blocked as well with set lube... not impressed) ...

BlackSpur

Agreed, dropper style lube is far more practical to use - a drop on each roller and you're set!

avid89

BlackSpur wrote:

especially when they sell a 440ml can of lube for £6.99.

Who, Muc Off? If you mean the "Bike Spray", that's all purpose teflon spray, not chain lube - completely different.

No i meant the chain lube. The bike spray aint bad though i use that to shine my frame up, repels dirt quite nicely too.

canada16

I seen the acutal lube, but have not used or seen reviews yet.

I use white lightning wet, and clean chain before and leave overnight its really good

ratty2k

Was mentioned earlier, but having tried the Finish line stuff (Wet and the dry versions) I eventually plumped on White lightning's Purple Extreme. Great stuff!

teacherman

Oil is oil. You need to clean your drivetrain regularly anyway so I use a very cheap one. It doesn't seem to wash off as easily as many wet lubes.

Northwind

Yeah, in the past I've just brushed on used motorbike engine oil, worked a charm but a bit messy...

nicklouse

engine oil loves dirt. and the narrower chains do not.

also engine oil does not work properly until it reaches a temperature of, Sorry i forget the number but, i think 73 degrees centigrade.

Northwind

It does gather dirt, that's certainly true. I wouldn't want to use it in a dusty environment at all as that's basically a recipe for grinding compound but then in wet conditions your chain is going to get muddy regardless of what oil you use. FWIW I use a bike specific line now, because all the engine oil gets used on the motorbike chain in a scottoiler

As for cold temperature operation, it's basically not an issue, modern oils have good penetration and sheer strength from cold. They do change characteristics as they heat up (multigrade actually acts thicker as it heats) but that's not really relevant in the low stress, low rev environment of a bike chain.