I used to use a wet lube, but it gums everything up pretty hard. I'm now using a teflon dry lube and it seems to be working out.
I also saw a ceramic lube in the store...what do you guys use and whats the advantages of each?
Chain lube is basically just grease mixed with a volatile carrier that allows the lubricant to penetrate the chainlinks - wet formulations have more grease, making them thicker and more resistant to water, but they tend to trap more dirt, while dry lubes generally do a better job reducing friction at the expense of being quicker to wash away when you ride in the rain or through a puddle. Ceramic, teflon, and liquid wax* lubes contain tiny particles that improve a formula's lubricity, moisture resistance, and service life, without making the chain sticky and vulnerable to picking up dirt.
Ultimately, which chain lube you should use is really just a matter of opinion and preference as long as you're using something that isn't pure grease (does a good job lubricating chains but will trap lots of dirt) or wd40 (which is mostly kerosene, which evaporates off very quickly). Personally I have used Finish Line teflon lubes for the past decade and been very happy: wet for my commuting bikes, dry for recreational bikes. But I know other people who swear by Boeshield T9, others who love Rock n' Roll, one guy who only uses Phil Wood. Which lube you use is less important than making sure your chain stays lubed and that you wipe any dirt or excess lubricant off your chain on a regular basis.
*The most effective lube on the chart, paraffin wax, is not a liquid product - to treat your chain with paraffin you have to get your chain perfectly clean and dry, then submerge it in melted wax. The practical difficulty of doing this is why waxing chains isn't very popular despite its effectiveness.
>>971690
>Finish Line teflon
That's exactly what I use.
What about the ceramic stuff?
>>971691
I use the Finish Line Wet (Teflon) and it works very well, just needs more regular cleaning because it does tend to get built up if you're not careful. The reviews of the Ceramic version say it works well, only drawback is that it blackens your chain and the rest of the drivetrain.
>>971690
That's not true though. The wax in that chart is mixed with dry lubricants, not grease.
>>971691
The ceramic they are using is probably something called "cubic boron nitride".A "dry" lubricant just like teflon,molybdenum/tungsten disulfide,graphite etc
Its added as a dope to lubricants as friction modifiers or a EP(extreme pressure)additive where if the oil lubricant is displaced its act as a "last resort"lubricant,reducing metal on metal contact.
The choice of (in this case)dry lubricant doesn't make or break the characteristics of lube,its viscosity,temperature behavior(becoming less or more viscous at different temperatures)and choice of other so called dopes or additives are much more important overal.
Lookup "lubricant additives" to see what they put in lubes(not necessarily chain lubes only)
Some anecdotal "evidence"
Ive tried and have more than 13 (chain specific) lubricants,11 of the wet type and 2 of the dry type
At the absolute shit eating bottom is WD-40 Bike specific "DRY" lube with PTFE(teflon)
It stays "wet" is messy,cannt possibly lube well as it stay soooo thin and it makes my chain juuuust a smidge noisier.
Smells strongly like a lemon scented cleaning agent..yuck
The best one is the one I purchased most recently
Kroon oil teftec DS(dry season)
It also has ptfe as additive,but this one keeps my chain clean by not making the surface of the chain stay wet to the touch,makes my chain much more quiet and last many,many more miles the the WD40 bike product.
I hope this helps
>>971699
>The choice of (in this case)dry lubricant doesn't make or break the characteristics of lube
To clarify I meant that the choice of adding a dry lubricant such as teflon doesnt necessarily make a lube good or bad,theres many other factors at play too.
The same lube will somehow work for one d00de,and suck shit for another d00de
Also the kroon oil stuff smells like vanilla I forgot to add lol
>>971681
Same here, used wet lube until the chain clogged. Now i am trying ptfe lube or dry lube for the first time, only a week in yet but the next months will tell.
I use Muc-off Dry Lube (with PTFE) and can recommend it wholeheartedly.
>>971934
+1
>>971699
Man, that's getting into audiophile levels of autism. Bike lubes are re-branded and re-bottled automotive lubricants, nothing more. "cubic boron nitride".... lol.. Give me a break.
Straight up engine oil works the best.
I like wax.
>>972033
Well at least they aren't selling snake oil for bike chains yet.
>>972045
Just wait for muc-off to release their "CeramicSnakefluidFortifiedTeamSkyEndorsed ultra lube" for $30 a pop
>>971934
I'm using Muck Off Dry Lube also. The drive train isn't so messy but even without rain or getting it wet I'm finding I have to reapply every 100 km or so.
>>972037
dis shit is guuud
The teflon shit doesn't seem to stick to my chain. Comes out like water; I wasted like 1/2 the bottle.
What am I doing wrong?
Just use this.
>>972263
which "teflon shit"
>>972275
Finish Line Dry Teflon Lube
>>972269
>Clean Ride
Sounds like a water based lube for anal sex.
Wet lube master race.
>whats the advantages of each?
Dry lube is good for incompetent faggots that don't know how to keep their drive train clean because it doesn't collect dirt and such so easily. But since you're supposed to wipe off your chain after lubing it (let it sit 10 minutes first for the lube to sink in, then dry it off; no lube should be left on the outside of the chain, it's only meant to lube the internals of the links) wet lube won't get your chain dirty if you do it right. And you should be re-lubing every 100-200 miles anyway, so you'll clean your chain pretty frequently if you're doing it right. Wet lube holds up better in general, especially in wet conditions (i.e. when it's raining).
Dumonde makes great lube (wet and dry), and Pedalite makes great wet lube (called Green Oil). Those are my favorites.
Molten speed wax on all race bikes with speed wax race powder.
Training bikes get what ever lube is around. When I do use wet lube I apply it at night and in the morning I wipe it clean.
>>972033
Bike greases are. Good chain lubes aren't. Industrial chains don't have to deal with contamination, motorcycle chains have o-rings, bicycle chains need dedicated chain lube of some kind. Some of the formulations might be similar or the same, but not all.
>engine oil
Your opinion is literal shit, even if the other guy is an autist.
>>972279
Did you even read the instructions?
>>972385
But isn't lube also corrosion protection?
>>972417
instruct...ions?
>>972602
But wouldn't that mean you want the whole chain covered?
>>972602
>"corrosion inhibitor" additives
Or it could just be that an oil film blocks out water and oxygen, protecting the metal. But hey, responding to the latest of the SI autists incarnations.
>>972801
by that logic you should just use sunflower oil.
and yes lube do have corrosion inhibitors
>>972853
Sunflower oil will keep your chain perfectly rust free, yes. Just like it does your cast iron cookware that is a heel of a lot more prone to rust than a bike chain.
There are other properties than rustproofing that excludes sunflower/motor/sowing machine oil or KY jelly. Mainly, bike chains can't retain lubrication for shit. They put very high and specific requirements on lubes, and no matter what you prefer it's a tradeoff between ease of application, lubrication, longevity under your specific conditions and how much grime you'll accept on your drivetrain.
The only thing dumber than these threads is the hurr-durr-vegetable-oil-and-motor-oil faggots that can't contain their stupidity.
>>972915
Just use boy butter. Remember silicone lubes don't mix with condoms.
Finish Line is pretty bad - it gets gunky and sludgy faster than other lubes. ProGold and Dumonde stuff is great.
>>971690
I've been using a mix of paraffin wax and bee's wax (20% bees, 80% paraffin) and not only it works beautifully, but it lasts for thousands of miles without having to reapply. I don't get why more people don't use this shit.
>>973070
You're supposed to mix in ptfe powder. The friction facts test wax is not straight wax. Wax also degrades shifting performance because it makes the chain a little stiffer.
>>973070
I must add that I've been using this shit for years, on all 4 seasons (including heavy rain) without any rust or any noticeable increased wear on my transmission.
>>973073
And where the fuck will I find that?
>Wax also degrades shifting performance
because it makes the chain a little stiffer
Not, it doesn't.
>>973070
More details please. Where to cop, how to mix and apply.
i use the blood of virgins as a lubricant, works perfectly
>>971699
Thank mr schwalb
>>973148
This is how you apply it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mvtMJOVlH4
I use a 80-20 mix of paraffin wax and beeswax. I get both from the local hardware stuff. Make sure you clean all the old lube from your chain first. Be careful with that shit, it's flammable and very nasty if you get any on your skin/clothes/kitchen floor. Use a crockpot or some kind of double boiler recipient.
I've been using the same wax for 6 months now and it keeps running like a dream. Your chain might seem a little stiff at first, but it gets better after a quarter mile or so. No rust or any nasty shit has appeared on my chain or cassette, but it happened once before I added beeswax to the mix, I guess it makes it stickier and prevents rust.
>>973254
High tech cleaning.
>>973260
Yeah, that's an ultrasonic cleaner but you don't really need that shit.
Shimano lube any good, or overpriced brand name?
>>973517
how much was it?
>>973526
'bout 8-9 €
>>973517
I use the PTFE and Wet lube and i can't complain, its pretty much one of the best Lubes i've used so far
