Chain lube
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

[Closed] Chain lube

29 Posts
20 Users
0 Reactions
93 Views
Posts: 8612
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Is there any actual difference between them or am I fine just using Finish Line Green for everything?


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 7:17 pm
Posts: 44146
Full Member
 

Yes. All bike specific chain lubes are horrendously expensive and ineffective. Putoline chain wax ( jeezo I bang on about this) is a fraction of the price and far more effective.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 7:29 pm
Posts: 8612
Full Member
Topic starter
 

I had a go at using Putoline.

I was a bit... uneasy about warming up an enormous tin of wax on the hob of memory serves.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 7:41 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Finish Line green is rather thick, and used to turn my drivetrain into a black messy nightmare. Switched to Squirt a few years ago and haven't looked back.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 8:26 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Old sump oil seems to do the job also very handy for painting the fence.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 8:29 pm
Posts: 34376
Full Member
 

Yes. All bike specific chain lubes are horrendously expensive and ineffective

this is a 'bit' OTT.

I've tried Viking Juice from Juice lubes and that effective and clean, and currently using Pedro's Ice Wax which again is clean and effective. I think half the issue is not whacking it one 10 mins before you ride, but (certainly with waxes) putting it after you clean the bike, ready for the next ride.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 8:29 pm
Posts: 4313
Full Member
 

Putoline is the dogs danglies and safe to use provided you use the camping stove in the garage rather than the kitchen hob.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 8:30 pm
Posts: 8612
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Putoline is the dogs danglies and safe to use provided you use the camping stove [s]in[/s] outside the garage rather than the kitchen hob.

FTFY (surely)?

Not sure I like the fire risk.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 8:49 pm
Posts: 14711
Full Member
 

£27 for a 1kg tin of Putoline wax!

£2.99 for a bottle of MucOff lube that'll last me a year


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 8:55 pm
Posts: 44146
Full Member
 

Yes boarding bob - the putoline is a kilo of lube, and each application lasts many times longer that the few grammes of lube you get in the bottle


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:15 pm
Posts: 1879
Free Member
 

Finish line red. Apply to links spin the cranks wipe off. Job done. Wipe chain after ride reapply repeat.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:17 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

1. Oil lubes suck dirt into your chain and at least make it mucky and at worst grind the thing to pieces.

2. Wet lube is the worst thing to use just because it says wet on the bottle and it's raining. Thick horrible stuff that turns your drivetrain to crap. If you must use oil, use dry lube all weather, unless you're riding through rivers.

3. Wax lube will save you cleaning the chain regularly.

4. Buy Squirt.

(noting all the above is based on MTB experience. Wet lube on road when it's pissing down with rain may perhaps make sense, though I suspect it'll give you a drivetrain full of tarmac crud. Personally riding roads in the pissing rain doesn't seem like much fun anyway).


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:26 pm
Posts: 43345
Full Member
 

[quote=BoardinBob ]£27 for a 1kg tin of Putoline wax!
£2.99 for a bottle of MucOff lube that'll last me a year
I've been using the MucOff stuff too. I bought another bottle before the winter and haven't finished the old one yet 🙂 It's the wet lube but I use it all year, in sparing quantities.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:32 pm
Posts: 8527
Free Member
 

Putoline may be very cheap, but I'll be ****ed if I'm buying a deep fat fryer to lube my chain! 😆

Rock n roll blue is more expensive, but faff free and awesome.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:35 pm
Posts: 17187
Full Member
 

I used to think Squirt was the best for outwith proper winter, however I reckon rock n roll blue is better all round. Just about as clean in dry conditions and doesn't wash off when wet.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:42 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

GT85 best of the lot


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:50 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Definitely dont use finish line green year round, far too thick and sticky.

I'm using White Lightning Epic Ride doesn't last as long as i'd like (~100dry miles), but runs very clean and not found anything better so stick with it despite its faults.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:51 pm
Posts: 17187
Full Member
 

Progold Prolink and the extreme version also very good and often on sale at Halfords


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 9:52 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Yeah everyone's got a favoured lube.

I use Muc-off wet when it's winter, muc-off dry Spring, Summer and Autumn ish. I use Muc-off because they sell it in Tesco and I only seem to remember I need it when I'm there.

Every spring I have a full degrease to get the wet stuff off, it's impossible to keep it clean, I put in on sparingly, I wipe it off, it goes black and coats the whole drive train. I loath putting wet on after I clean it


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 10:01 pm
Posts: 44146
Full Member
 

Nobeerinthefridge - Member

Putoline may be very cheap, but I'll be **** if I'm buying a deep fat fryer to lube my chain!

Rock n roll blue is more expensive, but faff free and awesome.

You don't need to - I just put the tin on the hob. thats how its intended to be done. Putoline is awesomer still.


 
Posted : 21/05/2017 10:08 pm
Posts: 8612
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Wax lube will save you cleaning the chain regularly.

Two bottles of wax lube chucked as they'd gone solid (though age may've been a factor).


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 5:32 am
Posts: 17
Free Member
 

Depends what your doing and where... best all rounder I've found is Rock n Roll Blue but I live in a dryer area. I'm also not the most rigourus with cleaning etc but I get long chain life out of that and SRAM 11sp.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/rock-n-roll-extreme-lube/
16 quid for 500ml, apply liberally.

I also try and avoid riding through slop and I did when I was in the UK it's just not fun.


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 5:40 am
Posts: 8612
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Depends what your doing and where

Pennines and rain.

So, is the consensus that a dry lube used regularly and post-ride probably the best thing?


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 5:43 am
Posts: 17
Free Member
 

For me I wouldn't look past the RnR Blue


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 5:45 am
Posts: 8527
Free Member
 

You don't need to - I just put the tin on the hob. thats how its intended to be done. Putoline is awesomer still.

Aye, fire away, I'll take your word for it. 😆


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 7:26 am
Posts: 13330
Full Member
 

FinishLine Dry (red) for me, not found anything better.


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 7:28 am
 PJay
Posts: 4818
Free Member
 

I've always used Finish Line Dry which has been fine. However I also subscribe to the "buy 'em cheap, change 'em at the first sign of wear" approach to chains and tend not to be too obsessive about chain cleaning. Then I found KMC chains which seem indestructible with just minimal maintenance and tend to think that just about any lube will do.


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 7:33 am
Posts: 1975
Free Member
 

RnR blue here too. Not tried Putoline but really not felt the need to change after happening upon RnR blue.


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 7:51 am
Posts: 3344
Full Member
 

My Rock & Roll blue is turning green.


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 8:03 am
Posts: 17187
Full Member
 

Whilst RnR Blue works great on the MTB, I actually prefer Progold Prolink on the cx/gravel bike - seems to last longer and pretty clean.


 
Posted : 22/05/2017 8:52 am

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!