Lubing a chain is always easy. But lubing doesn’t actually clean the chain, which is what contributes to worn components and an inefficient ride. That’s the absolute worst part if you’re using an oil based lube, because you pretty much have to use solvents or an ultrasonic cleaner to actually get the important parts of the chain clean.
I use Rock N Roll 135816 Gold Chain Lubricant, it claims to clean and lube. My bike is cheap and I don’t ride a massive amount but in 4 years of using it I’ve only used this lube and never cleaned it otherwise, still works great.
Obviously cleaning it occasionally would be a good idea though
I don’t want to send you down a rabbit hole, but look up “zero friction cycling”. They test chain lube and offer a huge amount of data and insight into claims made by lube companies.
Waxing sounds interesting to me, but I doubt I can actually make it work where I live, since I routinely have to bike in below freezing during winter and get lots of rain outside of winter. I tried using drip on wax, but it washed away basically immediately and ruined my chain in a hurry.
It’s a bit of a myth that waxed chains don’t do well during winter or in wet conditions. In fact, they perform significantly better in those conditions vs a wet lube.
The trick in those conditions is to simply wax multiple chains in rotation.
And go with immersion wax instead of drip. Drip can work as a too up, but not as good as true immersion.
Most people think it’s more work, especially in bad winter conditions, but that’s because they usually ignore actually cleaning inside their chains when using a wet line 😂
I’ve been using KMC rust buster chains + immersive wax all winter, and it’s been a dream! Cleaner than wet lube during dry summer months!
Lubing a chain is always easy. But lubing doesn’t actually clean the chain, which is what contributes to worn components and an inefficient ride. That’s the absolute worst part if you’re using an oil based lube, because you pretty much have to use solvents or an ultrasonic cleaner to actually get the important parts of the chain clean.
Waxing is so much better in every way. 🤭
I use Rock N Roll 135816 Gold Chain Lubricant, it claims to clean and lube. My bike is cheap and I don’t ride a massive amount but in 4 years of using it I’ve only used this lube and never cleaned it otherwise, still works great.
Obviously cleaning it occasionally would be a good idea though
I don’t want to send you down a rabbit hole, but look up “zero friction cycling”. They test chain lube and offer a huge amount of data and insight into claims made by lube companies.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you 😬🤣
I will check it out, thanks for the tip!
Waxing sounds interesting to me, but I doubt I can actually make it work where I live, since I routinely have to bike in below freezing during winter and get lots of rain outside of winter. I tried using drip on wax, but it washed away basically immediately and ruined my chain in a hurry.
It’s a bit of a myth that waxed chains don’t do well during winter or in wet conditions. In fact, they perform significantly better in those conditions vs a wet lube.
The trick in those conditions is to simply wax multiple chains in rotation.
And go with immersion wax instead of drip. Drip can work as a too up, but not as good as true immersion.
Most people think it’s more work, especially in bad winter conditions, but that’s because they usually ignore actually cleaning inside their chains when using a wet line 😂
I’ve been using KMC rust buster chains + immersive wax all winter, and it’s been a dream! Cleaner than wet lube during dry summer months!
washing chains is the worst shit ever. I really want a belt bike.
Seriously, waxing my chains changed my life. They are always clean, and rewaxing is dead simple.
Obviously, there’s a small investment upfront for the wax, and something to melt it in, but it’s way cheaper in the long rung.