Chain lubricant

[Iliya]

Does anyone know what chain lube chain manufacturers use and can this be used for riding?

[Paul on the Pearson]

Howdy,
Lard!!....Do you mean the stuff thatyou get on a new chain?

[Iliya]

Hi Paul

Yes, the stuff that comes on a new chain.

I replaced my chain yesterday and it is so evenly lubricated yet its not dripping. If this can be used on rides then I want to get some more of this lube.

[Andrew G]

You don't want that on your chain, it's what they are packed and shipped in to protect them in storage but not designed for a riding lubricant. If you ride it with it on you'll probably find your chain goes black after a few rides, it's also quite sticky. With a new chain I degrease with white spirit, dry, then lube. I use finish line dry lube, one drop on the inside of each link on the roller.

[Iliya]

Thanks Andrew!

The new chain is getting white spirit shower tonight.

[Phil H]

Sheldon disagrees: [url]http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html#lube[/url]

[quote]New chains come pre-lubricated with a grease-type lubricant which has been installed at the factory. This is an excellent lubricant, and has been made to permeate all of the internal interstices in the chain.

This factory lube is superior to any lube that you can apply after the fact.

Some people make the bad mistake of deliberately removing this superior lubricant. Don't do this!

The factory lubricant all by itself is usually good for several hundred miles of service if the bike is not ridden in wet or dusty conditions. It is best not to apply any sort of lube to a new chain until it is clearly needed, because any wet lube you can apply will dilute the factory lube.

[Andrew G]

I don't normally disagree with Sheldon but...
With chain lube less is more, too little better than too much, you also only need it on the inside of the chain. The grease that's on it when you open the packet is very claggy to won't let the drivetrain run as smoothly and it also coats the whole chain so that any grit and dust from the road will adhere to the chain and then be ground in to it, and the sprockets, shortening the life.

White spirit costs pennies and a small tube of dry lube (I don't use wet lubes) only costs a few quid and lasts for ages. A little effort and the chain and the rest of the drivetrain will last a lot longer.

[Iliya]

Good points raised by boht Andrew and Sheldon (Phil thanks for posting the link). I think I'll do another ride before I rinse it in white spirit. Spent too much time in garage this weekend.

[Dombo]

I use the dry waxy white lightening stuff. There is something called Pro Gold that looks like baby milk but turns black after 100 yards, and gives a good noob tatoo.
Otherwise 3-in-1 works quite well. Of course, the laws of physics have changed in the last 35 years when this was all you could get and bicycle chains work differently now.

[Andrew G]

Bike chains and drivetrains have changed a lot though. A modern 10 speed chain is quite a different animal from an old 5 speed one, as is a modern 10 speed cassette. With a chunkier more solid drivetrain it required a lot less care than a modern one, and using a wet oil will increase wear making the drivetrain filthy and pulling in the dust and grit from the road to grind around in it.
3-in-1 worked fine on my old 3 speed purple chopper but I wouldn't use it on my current bikes.

[Mike I]

[quote="Andrew G"]3-in-1 worked fine on my old 3 speed purple chopper but I wouldn't use it on my current bikes.

[Ian A4size]

Mike - you beat me to it

fnaaaaaarrrrr

[jon avery]

Talking about chains and cassettes, how many miles on average should you get? Mine has just started to slip after 3000 miles, I didn't think that was bad, or is it?

[Iliya]

I changed mine having used it for about 3.5K miles. I heard that's good milage to get out of a cassette but then I read on the net that cassettes can last for up to 10,000Km. It all depends on maintenance and conditions you are riding in (i.e. Winter / Summer / wet / dry).

[Dombo]

[quote="Ian MunneryA1size"]Mike - you beat me to it

fnaaaaaarrrrr