Best lube for obsessive owner / summer bike

londoncommuter

I appreciate this or similar questions have been asked in the past but I'd love to know the current thinking. I've got a brand new lovely summer only bike that absolutely will never see rain/moisture/dirt/cobbles. Brand new SRAM Red groupset fitted and ready to go but I haven't lubed the chain yet.

Light summer oil or wax (and if wax which one)?

I don't mind obsessively cleaning and relubing the chain/cassette after every ride so am not that fussed about it "looking dirty" if oil is the best solution.

I suppose my question is, other than aesthetics is there any benefit from switching to wax? I'd like to keep the lovely matte frame free of oily marks but also want to make sure pedalling is a gentle as it can be on the moving parts!

Sorry for the ramble....

drlodge

Progold Prolink

Now lock the thread

on-yer-bike

if its a new chain why lube it?

drlodge

on-yer-bike wrote:

if its a new chain why lube it?

Good question!

I wouldn't lube a new chain since the factory grease that's applied is very good. I would however wipe of excess grease. After a little use the chain will need cleaning and that's when I wipe down and lube...prolink being quite thin oil will mix with the grease and over time, get "washed out".

The grease on Campag chains is dark, thick and very sticky. Its a pain to clean off which is why I let the Prolink wash it out naturally over time.

keef66

I have always assumed that the sticky stuff on a new chain is there primarily to keep it looking shiny during distribution / storage. To me it doesn't feel like a chain lube, despite what Sheldon had to say on the subject. I usually oil a new chain and give the side plates a good wipe to remove the sticky stuff before it acquires any dirt.

I've played about with lots of different lubes, but have ended up using simple 3-in-1 oil year round. Once a week, or after a wet ride: wipe down the chain, lubricate by applying a drop to each pin / roller, spin the cranks to work it in, then wipe down again to remove any excess / dirt that's been displaced.

DiscoBoy

drlodge wrote:

Progold Prolink

Now lock the thread

+1

eddiefiola

i tried some Finish Line Wax after a clean the other day, after 20km.... squeek squeek from the jockeys.

Will stick to wet lube from now on.

mroli

I wouldn't use any wax or that ceramic stuff in the UK - I've tried and squeaky chain syndrome has resulted. Rock n Roll Gold has been good for me, but it needs a shake before use as it seems to "separate" a little bit. Will probably try prolink progold next.

thegreatdivide

drlodge wrote:

Progold Prolink

Now lock the thread

Tried many but there's nothing better than Progold IMO. I won't let anything else near my bike :-)

ic.

Fenwicks Stealth

drlodge

IC. wrote:

Fenwicks Stealth

I'm using this on my Winter/wet bike, Progold prolink on the Rourke.

Diamant49

thegreatdivide wrote:

drlodge wrote:

Progold Prolink

Now lock the thread

Tried many but there's nothing better than Progold IMO. I won't let anything else near my bike :-)

+1

The trick is to clean with cloth after ride, lube, wipe of excess.

If you want to get really obesive about it there is a prolink luber that allows you to apply a precise drop to every link, + shifters, cables etc - High on Bikes sell it.

on-yer-bike

Rockn roll Gold is what I use. The bike never runs quieter though than with a new chain. To get rid of the stickiness wipe the chain with a cloth with Rock and Roll gold or WD40 on it. Do not spray wd40 on the chain.

patrickf

on-yer-bike wrote:

if its a new chain why lube it?

Because it's mega sticky, attracts all sorts of cr*p and the chain seizes fairly quickly.

Oh and trying to clean it off then is a nightmare.

As others have said, ProGold. It's much thinner and probably needs applying more regularly, but it's far easier to keep the chain clean with it. I use nothing else now.

Before that I was quite happy with Purple Extreme, which is a bit thicker and lasts longer.

Nick_M

I've had good results with Finish Line Dry on my dry-weather bike. Wipe down with WD40 on a rag after a ride and everything stays very clean.

thegreatdivide

My ProGold method is:

Apply a single drop to each link (hold a cloth under the chain to catch any excess)
Spin the crankset for a minute.
Wipe off any excess plus dirt that’s forced out (it cleans at the same time so it’s always pushing cr4p out).
Ride bike.
Before the next ride run the chain through a cloth.
Ride bike.
On the third ride repeat the application.

If it’s been a wet ride then you’ll need to apply sooner.

It might sound like a lot of it gets used but I’m still on a bottle from summer 2012!

amycollins

PROGOLD or simply Muc-Off.. Progold is more for racing/long mileage as doesnt need to be used as frequently which is brilliant. I also use Muc-Off, wet for winter, Dry for summer. easy and smells really good!

drlodge

thegreatdivide wrote:

My ProGold method is:

Apply a single drop to each link (hold a cloth under the chain to catch any excess)
Spin the crankset for a minute.
Wipe off any excess plus dirt that’s forced out (it cleans at the same time so it’s always pushing cr4p out).
Ride bike.
Before the next ride run the chain through a cloth.
Ride bike.
On the third ride repeat the application.

If it’s been a wet ride then you’ll need to apply sooner.

It might sound like a lot of it gets used but I’m still on a bottle from summer 2012!

As above and others have said, wiping down and reapplying is what is needed. The chain is kept clean, oiled and well maintained that way and it really takes no time at all. I spray some GT85 on a rag before wiping. I got some dropper bottles off Ebay, were a £1 each or so I think.

It does tend to get washed off in the wet (as do most other lubes), so if I know its going to be wet I don't wipe the chain after applying, just leave it quite "wet".

The 16oz bottle of Prolink I bought will probably last me a lifetime! I have noticed there is a waxy white substance that falls out of solution if the stuff is left for a while, so you have to shake the oil before use.