Cleanest Wet Lube?

iLukeKendall

Bit of a weird question, but what lube do you guys use?

Since buying my bike in January last year, I've been using Muc-Off's Ceramic Wet and Dry Lube (Wet Winter, Dry Summer), but it really annoys me how much of a mess it's made of my drivetrain. Everything is coated in a thick black sticky substance which never fully disappears no matter how much degreaser is used, nor how much it's scrubbed/run through a drivetrain cleaner.

Can anyone recommend a wet lube that doesn't leave this black mess?!

cooldad

Squirt. Not a wet lube, but all wet lube is horrible stuff.

Just apply a bit more often in nasty weather.

WindyG

+1 for Squirt

ride_whenever

Juice lubes ceramic. Wonderful stuff but be aware that it will flush a load of black crud out of your chain and onto the floor every time you use it

majormantra

Morgan Blue seems to run pretty clean, at least on a nickel plated chain that will actually clean up properly. Probably have to apply it more often than a 'wet' lube.

iLukeKendall

Thanks for the suggestions all. That Squirt stuff looks ideal, wet and dry conditions, no degreasing needed and looks dead easy to apply. Might have to order some and give my old chain a thorough degreasing. Only problem is trying to get my chainrings and cassette properly cleaned...

ride_whenever

take them off and run them through the dishwasher...

miceden

Give air tool oil a try... Found a few recommendations for it online and I'm impressed so far, drivetrain is quiet and even after muddy rides very clean. I used muc-off and rock'n'roll before and won't go back, plus its only £3 a litre.

mcnultycop

Squirt again. Great stuff.

stubs

I am using Fenwicks Stealth MTB lube needs to be applied at least the night before though.

AlShack

Ding for Squirt - put it on right and jobs-a-carrot for many-a-ride; quick hose down afterwards and the muck falls off.

Excellent stuff.

iLukeKendall

Squirt sounds ideal for what I'm after!

Does it leave ANY residue, or does the chain always appear as new after a hose down?

Also how soon before a ride do you apply it?

mcnultycop

It's like a Mogwai.

You have to follow the rules, strictly.

cooldad

iLukeKendall wrote:

Squirt sounds ideal for what I'm after!

Does it leave ANY residue, or does the chain always appear as new after a hose down?

Also how soon before a ride do you apply it?

Pretty much, and the day before ideally. The carrier is water based so it needs to penetrate and evaporate.

But in dry weather it lasts ages, and even in wet weather it lasts a good few rides.

It's not oily, so doesn't turn into gunky grinding paste.

kevinharley

Right ... just about to order some squirt.

I've been using just a general oil up till now (car engine oil I think!) ... will I need to completely degrease the chain and cqssette before applying squirt? I tend to use white spirit to degrease ... will this leave a residue that will affect how squirt applies? The other alternative might be the dishwasher!

cooldad

Yes, and yes, and rinse well.

Angus Young

kevinharley wrote:

I've been using just a general oil up till now (car engine oil I think!) ...

On occasion I've used the oil from my chainsaw. Lubes O.K. but the chain does go black pretty quickly.

iLukeKendall

Okay, thanks for all the advice guys. I ordered some Squirt just over a month ago, and have been using it since.

My drivetrain wasn't exactly clean when I began to use it, as the Muc-Off wet ceramic lube I'd been using previously had practically fused to the chain, however it was as good as I could get it. I've found it to be very clean, leaving no visible marks after use and certainly no black gunk (apart from the Muc-Off residue!).

My only disappointment with it is that it doesn't seem to last long at all. I'll apply it about 20 minutes before a ride, and whilst everything is wonderfully smooth for the first 12-14 miles, after this it begins to get squeaky on the cassette indicating that it's started to wear off. I'm therefore having to reapply before every ride.

Now, I'm hoping this is either because the chain isn't perfectly clean and therefore the Squirt lube isn't able to properly penetrate the chain links, or because I'm not leaving it quite long enough to dry in (although the bottle only states to leave it 5 minutes before riding).

My bike's currently in the shop having a complete drivetrain upgrade to a Shimano SLX groupset, so hopefully I'll be able to further test the Squirt on a brand new and black-free chain soon. Really pleased at how clean it is though!

cooldad

I've been using it for years and am sure it recommends applying the day before?

And I can't see how the cassette squeaking is due to lube - you don't need lube on the cassette at all. I run everything totally dry (except for inside the chain) and it's dead silent.

But leave the new chain until the factory lube needs replacing, then degrease properly and apply.

iLukeKendall

Oh? I'm convinced I read on the back of the bottle it says to apply and leave at least 5 mins before riding, or on a first application apply twice.

As for the squeaking, I think it's the sound of the bare un-lubed chain running against the cassette. It's dead silent soon after application, but after 12-14 miles things get a bit noisy down there!

Looking forward to a new drivetrain. I certainly won't be ruining this one with Muc-Off!

Angus Young

cooldad wrote:

I've been using it for years and am sure it recommends applying the day before?

iLukeKendall wrote:

Oh? I'm convinced I read on the back of the bottle it says to apply and leave at least 5 mins before riding, or on a first application apply twice.

Yes, it says five minutes and twice on first application.

cooldad

Yep, it does. I'm sure it originally said leave overnight to dry properly, but haven't read the instructions for years. I always do it the night before anyway.

BigAl

I've started using Squirt on 'dads recommendation. It's good stuff

I used to use Finish Line Wet - which is a good lube but it does gunk up very quickly.

So far, with squirt, chain just looks shiny new. I'm yet to try it in very wet conditions but I expect all it will need is more regular applications.

I'm a fan; so much so that I fully de-greased my two lads' bikes and applied, as overall it'll be much less maintenance. Can't see any reason to go back to wet lube

cooldad

I should have bought shares.

BigAl

cooldad wrote:

I should have bought shares.

If I listed all my 'should haves', .... well it'd be a long list

That French lass I knew in my twenties would be somewhere near the top.....

She was more of a 'wet lube' girl though :shock:

jimothy78

iLukeKendall wrote:

Oh? I'm convinced I read on the back of the bottle it says to apply and leave at least 5 mins before riding, or on a first application apply twice.

It does (although right at the bottom it says leave at least 24hrs before a wet ride).

I've just had my first ride with squirt, too - applied to a completely clean, grease-free and dry chain as per instructions 36hrs before riding.

Admittedly, it was a filthy wet ride, but after rinsing the bike off when I got home, and allowing it to dry, it's lovely and clean but there's not much trace of Squirt left on it (rollers spin quite freely and sound dry - not as you'd expect if there was still a layer of wax between them and the pins).

Hopefully this might improve as sucessive applications penetrate a bit further in between them?

Chunkers1980

Can't see why it wouldn't. The time is just so it sets

stubs

My bottle of Squirt has joined the collection of part used chain lubes in the shed I have a blue one 2 white 3 yellow a purple one a green one 2 aerosols and some more covered in cobwebs they have been there so long. None of them stand up to the Pennines and Peak District gritty mud.

I keep going back to Stihl bioplus chainsaw lube and a regular clean up with a parafin soaked rag.