Best lube (for bike chain...)

cmhill79

Hi folks
Can you recommend the best lube for a bike chain? I'm currently using what I think is a "dry lube" but it seems to turn the whole chain and cassette black really quickly. Maybe I am using too much?
Not sure if it matters but I am using a dura ace chain.
Cheers

sloppyschleckonds

GT85

rodgers73

WD40

kwi

I used good old household 3in1 for years and didn't suffer.
It's not the oil turns the chain black, it's the dirt sticking to the oil.

keef66

If your chain's gone black, take it off and give it a good wipe with a cloth soaked in white spirit or paraffin till it's clean again. Refit it and then apply lube sparingly. Just a small drop on each roller. Spin the cranks a few times to distribute the lube, then wipe the chain with a dry cloth to remove any excess lube (that's the bit that attracts the dirt and makes it go black)

As to which lube, after trying all sorts of frequently expensive bike specific lubes I now use a big bottle of 3-in-1 oil I bought in Wikinsons for a pound.

I wipe down the chain once a week and relube sparingly. After a wet ride I wipe it down straight away and relube it.

junglist_matty

If you religiously clean your bike after every ride, GT85 is a fine lube, if you don't then it's a waste of time, you're best off with some wet lube

alihisgreat

Summer - GT85 or TF2 or similar but you need to lube relatively frequently

Winter - you can get away with the above if you do it every ride - the bonus is that the solvents in the spray will help to flush the muck out of your chain. I tend to use Fenwicks Stealth though just because I don't always want to be lubing after every ride.

Bobbinogs

rodgers73 wrote:

WD40

Ignore this. The WD is an acronym for Water Displacement, which gives a clue to its intended use rather than lubrication (which comes after the drying process).

I also rate the 3-in-1 multioil for most moving parts on a bike where oil is more appropriate than grease but I do like the smell of Muc-Off wet lube!