Wet Lube, Dry Lube............

bagz3

Whats the difference guys.

Can you also recommend me a good reasonably priced one and also degreaser.

My chain looks clean, but feels a bit sticky............. i take it it needs cleaning. i did use some 3 in 1 oil on it last ime and not a lube..... :?

Chunkers1980

Cheapest chain degreaser is White Spirit. Shake in bottle, rinse lots, dry and properly lube. Any teflon bike chain oil/lube works for me - but I'm a clean freak - others may work better for less maintence.

Are you sure the stickiness is not the factory lube/grease - if so best to leave that for as long as possible.

cooldad

Squirt

Monkeypump

Use the search function, many threads on this subject.

Simple guidance - Wet for winter, dry for summer.

Also search for chain cleaning threads. That (and reading about lube) should keep you occupied for some time...

Anonymous

bagz3 wrote:

My chain looks clean, but feels a bit sticky............. i take it it needs cleaning.

chains are generally a bit sticky.
Unless it's covered in something like sand, don;t bother degreasing it.

Wet lube is for when it's wet, dry lube is for when it's dry.

cooldad

Sage advice except it rains all year round............?

Squirt. More often in winter, less in summer

cooldad

Fluffy kittens dunked in white spirit are great for general degreasing work.
Once you are finished just

No mess no fuss.

Anonymous

cooldad wrote:

Sage advice except it rains all year round............?

which is why I only ever use wet lube

Welsh_Tom

cooldad wrote:

Squirt

does this work in wet and dry? its says on the pack it does, but it also calls it selfs a dry lube

.blitz

It's an emulsion of wax and water and as such it washes off very easily.

The flipside is that it keeps the drivetrain spangly clean - no need for degreasers etc just wipe it off, polish the chain and apply some more. A clean dry chain is very, very efficient and Squirt keeps it that way. There is no need to turn the chain into a high-speed conveyor belt of black cack.

As cd says it can be used all year round - more in the winter, less in the summer

Freezing it and then letting it thaw gives it a thicker consistency.

bagz3

So with Squirt i dont need to degrease the chain.......?

cooldad

Before you use it yes, you need to get the old crud off.

Holyzeus

Used Squirt for the first time last weekend, after using Finish Line Dry all summer (not impressed) it was a revelation

JamesS156

I use Green Oil Degreaser and Finishline Dry Lube. I think they are both very good.

getonyourbike

I'm using Squirt at the moment and it seems great but I'll change back to Muc Off Wet Lube come winter. It's the best wet lube I've tried.

madmole

Decent good dry lube does not wash off in the rain (Doesnt use water as the solvent). The more you use it the more the wax builds up IN the chain

Need to get the chain spotless first and any old oil and grease off. But once clean it gebnerally stays that way

But with wax lubes you do neet to reapply often, at least every ride

If our too lazy to do that then use wet lube

Anonymous

"at least every ride"?

Are you suggesting that you may need to re-apply it during a ride?
bloody hell.

madmole

no, just lube it after (or before) each ride

I also do a lot of road cycling (on my mtb) and its not uncommon for the roadies to re-apply chain lube during rides but thats every 100 miles or so

With the wax' the more you apply the better they lube, the wax layer build up inside the chain which keeps even more muck out

cooldad

yeehaamcgee wrote:

"at least every ride"?

Are you suggesting that you may need to re-apply it during a ride?
bloody hell.

Nope, as long as there is lube inside the rollers the chain will be fine. Most people seem to think they need a layer of gunk all over the chain or it's not lubed. In extreme conditions - axle deep water - I would relube after a ride, butr otherwise every few rides in normal wet conditions and whenever I feel like it in dry weather.

madmole

Yep, the beauty of a good wax, is the chain looks clean and shiney, doesnt leave chain designs on your legs

Not having anything sticky on the outside means no dust or grit sticks to abrade your cogs either, so everything last longer

plugp7

Never found a dry lube that worked. Slightest bit of damp and they stopped working.
No, wet all the time for me