When do you lube a new chain?

dmch2

Grease with grit in it is pretty much exactly what metal grinding paste is made from. I'd rather spend a minute or two removing it and replacing with clean lube. So what if i err on the side of caution, it's more effort and money replacing the chain than a dozen extra wipe downs and re-lubes

Motorcyclists clean their chains regularly.

Most mechanical things work very hard to keep the lubricant on the moving parts and separate from any dirt. So chains aren't used in the open very often unless it can't be avoided.

Hence oil filters, oil sumps and air filters on cars and they do 10,000 miles with no maintenance. Try that on a bike and the chain will be slipping long before.

If you disagree then fine, up to you. But i'm happy doing what I'm doing and explaining why if anyone asks.

slowondefy2

To clarify: I used the degreaser only once - to remove the packing grease. I only add a bit of light oil regularly now!

father_jack

Of course look after your bike. But doing a full de-grease EVERY single ride even when it's dry, and not blowing up dust? And it looks perfectly clean with no sand or anything? OCD...

What next strip-down, full clean, degrease, regrease all bearings and new anti-seize compound and wax & polish every 10 miles? lol I doubt motorcyclists degrease and relube every day lol.

Of course do not let it go the other way, so it's squeeking, and bright red rusted solid, with cassette all rusted up, brake inners rusty etc. My bike was filthy for about a month, but chain looked fine..only when it rained hard over a couple of days did I clean it that weekend.

softlad

Father Jack wrote:

Of course look after your bike. But doing a full de-grease EVERY single ride even when it's dry, and not blowing up dust? And it looks perfectly clean with no sand or anything? OCD...

where has anyone said that they do this every single ride...?

dmch2

It wasn't me. If it's wet after a ride I 'rinse' with light oil, wipe, lube. Then wipe off any excess before the next ride. Less than a minute. And I do it less often if it's been a dry ride.

Someone's just on a wind-up because there's nothing on telly

dennisn

Father Jack wrote:

It's a vehicle not a bit of fashion lol.

I noticed the lol, but would have to say that to whole bunches of people a bicycle is
not a vehicle but a fashion stratement. i.e. all the ones that must have frames and wheels
that shout to the world some "cool" brand name in 3 inch letters.
To me it's pretty weird to see that not too long ago some company was selling chains with colored links, presumably to match your frame or wheels.

IronHorse100

anyone that uses 'lol' and is under 13 is a blert

father_jack

roflcopter

rodgers73

Has anyone actually seen what happens if you NEVER lube your chain? I bet your bike would still be ok for quite a while, but would it actually impair performance significantly? If the answer here is "no" or "not sure" then this debate is pretty pointless.

Velonutter

@ Father Jack, in the summer when you applied sun tan cream to your legs to stop them burning did you not find at the end of a 60 or 70 mile ride that your legs were caked in dust from the road? That very dust would have similarly be attracted to your chain and become abrasive.

Have you not found that when you fit a new chain to your bike that the bike rides smoother and quieter?

Keeping a chain clean after each ride and spraying with a cheap tin of GT85 (Halfords have been doing it for £2.49 all summer and still have it on offer) will save you expense on a new set of sprockets and chain ring and if you are running a Chorus or Record Cassette and Record rings then you are talking about several hundred pounds for a minute of your time and a £2.49 tin of spray.

Not only this but cleaning your chain is similar to doing a general inspection of your tyres, brakes and headset etc.

I used to race motorbikes and have flown aeroplanes and none of them would I ride/fly without a general observation/lube etc.

When you are flying down a hill at 50 mph + the last thing you want is a failure or when you are in a sprint to cross over the line first, the last thing you want is a chain to break, worse still your 50 miles from home, it's peeing down with rain and your chain just snapped and it's 10 miles to the nearest town!

To me it brings it all into perspective for just a 2 minute check, clean and lube. :roll:

Horse for courses Mate, I prefer to do it after every ride, but there again I really am keen on maintaining my bikes in top condition.

dmch2

My hybrid never got lubed. Then the chain started slipping, sticky links, knackered cassette, wouldn't shift, front derailleur seized, rear wouldn't shift (even with new cables).

So i'm taking a bit more care with the road bike!

dennisn

rodgers73 wrote:

Has anyone actually seen what happens if you NEVER lube your chain? I bet your bike would still be ok for quite a while, but would it actually impair performance significantly? If the answer here is "no" or "not sure" then this debate is pretty pointless.

I seem to recall, as a young kid, that I never oiled a bike chain. They got really shiny on the inside and kind of dirty on the outside. Don't remember ever having problems though.

balthazar

rodgers73 wrote:

Has anyone actually seen what happens if you NEVER lube your chain? I bet your bike would still be ok for quite a while, but would it actually impair performance significantly? If the answer here is "no" or "not sure" then this debate is pretty pointless.

Assuming the bike is ridden in the wet – rain washes oil out of a chain effectively, after which point the chain will squeak, indicating that it is internally clean. Rainwater is a tolerable lubricant in the immediate short-term, but if the chain isn't dried out carefully then it will rust internally, causing it eventually to seize. If it isn't allowed to seize then it will wear out at an accelerated rate, without oil.

The debate is always pointless as it lives on, rehashed each week with new participants, who missed the conclusions of the previous argument. The same magic cures and quasi-religious rites are advocated here at least 52 times a year. I suppose it keeps everybody happy, especially those who have little bottles of oil to sell.

father_jack

Horse for courses Mate, I prefer to do it after every ride, but there again I really am keen on maintaining my bikes in top condition.

yeah because mine is a rusted old piece of junk...



oh noes my chain isn't mirror like finish, the calamity!

OCD mate.

dennisn

Father Jack wrote:

Horse for courses Mate, I prefer to do it after every ride, but there again I really am keen on maintaining my bikes in top condition.

yeah because mine is a rusted old piece of junk...



oh noes my chain isn't mirror like finish, the calamity!

OCD mate.

Shameful display of bike maintainence.

father_jack

another one of mine, oh no it's black!



Maybe I should commit seppuku?

dennisn

Father Jack wrote:

another one of mine, oh no it's black!



Maybe I should commit seppuku?

Or worse. You are to be condemmed to wear, for eternity, a front chainring tattoo on your calf.

softlad

what are these pictures supposed to be proving...??

father_jack

That I'm not anally retentive about my chain being clean enough to be used in a operation theatre.

softlad

so you are proving that your drivetrains are covered in sh1t - congratulations. You'll be growing your hair next....

father_jack

No that's lube, and still fine for a little bit more riding. I know some here would have a nervous breakdown, and start to pespire heavily if their bike was like that lol.

softlad

so the black sludge covering your chain is lube..?

'lol' indeed....

father_jack

I can hear you scrabbling for lube bottle...

Chain was still ok at that point, not that much grit, and feel of it was greasy not sandpaste like. And not dry rusting away. Certainly not bad enough to drop everything and do an emergency chain clean.

Have to wonder just how many cyclists actually use their bike or just leave it in the box, just in case it gets 1 grain of sand on the chain.

dennisn

softlad wrote:

so the black sludge covering your chain is lube..?

'lol' indeed....

Why wouldn't it be lube? Oh, wait, it can't be because it's black? And you know for a fact
that this sludge is bad? Couldn't possibly be any form of lube? No chance? It's black.
No such thing as a lube that turns black? Anything that doesn't look like you could eat off it is BAD? Just by the looks? Not possible to be anything but bad?

Eddy_Tupper

Never mind the filthy chain, you appear to have 3 rings on the front.
I've heard it's possible but i've never actually seen it.

Velonutter

@ Father Jack

Bloody hell, the sprockets are worn, chain black, cables frayed, mech dirty and scratched....but at least you ride it it 8)

So do I, did 6000 miles last year and will probably do 8000 this year and my gear looks like it has just come out of the showroom apart from a scratch on the rear stay when I came off in Paris :shock:

As I said Horses for Courses, at least you ride it, but I prefer a clean well maintained bike to ride. 8)

father_jack

erm that cassette isn't worn it's virtually new, about 3 months old. Oh has scratches on the rd because came off twice during november/december ice

etapechamp

best time to lube that new chain, when you first fit it, wipe off the protective grease, and smooth some light oil over the entire area of the new chain, a new chain is like a woman, fail to maintain or look after it & it,ll drop u in the shite.....

Scrumple

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

richardGsLNNMay

Fascinating discussions going on here but most seem to miss the focus of the OP’s question which was when to first lube a NEW chain.
I’m in the Sheldon Brown camp on this. I wipe off as much as I can of the factory grease from the outside of the chain to minimise it collecting crap from the road but otherwise leave it for a few hundred miles (depending on weather). Nothing quite like the hum of a brand new, pre-greased chain on a sunny day!