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I was a proper roadie up until July this year, just road, so I’m all new to MTB. Over that past few glorious months, I’ve not had to worry too much about drivetrain cleaning/lubing. I have been using Squirt wax lube. Not really cleaning the bike for weeks at a time. Just rubbing down and reapplying squirt. In the dry conditions, it has been a great lube.
Now that I’m getting home very muddy, I can’t bring myself to do that on top of a very muddy/gritty drivetrain. So I’m giving her a quick shampoo, rinse and wipe some off the water before putting in the shed. Only takes 5 mins, so in my mind worth it, but is a PITA at 10pm.
The problem with Squirt though, you aren’t supposed to apply Squirt to a wet chain. So this means wait until morning, then apply. But then you’re supposed to wait until the wax dries before riding it. And it is considerably more expensive than a bottle of wet lube.
I ride at least 3 long(ish) off road rides per week, and often do a hour loop over the heath on commute home in addition. So this Squirt seems a faff for me now it’s turning mucky.
There’s another product similar, Smoovem which claims to hold up well to mucky rides. I’ve not tried it yet, but it’s more expensive than Squirt, and needs the chain fully degreased between applications, which sounds annoying tbh.
On my road bike, I was using muc-off wet lube all year, as if it’s mucky the bike got cleaned straight after the ride anyway.
OK a long-winded way to say…what do you guys do?? Shall I just use wet lube if I’m cleaning the drivetrain down after each long ride anyway? Cons to using wet lube in mud? Am I’m being an anal roadie, and should just let the bike be??
you'll need to develop a bit of tolerance to drivetrain filth unless you want to spend forever cleaning the bike 🙂
My regime, as such, is to hose or sponge off the worst of the crud with soap and water, dry the chain off with a rag as best as possible then lube. I've started using Progold instead of wet lube (finish line) and it seems better so far. the problem with wetlube is it ends up creating a greasy clag than eventually has to be scraped out of every crevice of the transmission.
A chain cleaner device can be worth a try and the fenwicks chain sponges are quite effective too.
the problem with wetlube is it ends up creating a greasy clag than eventually has to be scraped out of every crevice of the transmission.
That's just one of the joys of FInish Line. Most decent wet lubes don't do that - i've run While Lughtning Wet Ride in the past and it stays clean. RnR Extreme was the dogs but I gave up on that when it became easier to find solutions to the Irish border problem than a bottle of the blue stuff.
It's all about your local mud/conditions. Find out what other local riders use. It's sandy soil near me so wet lubes only result in an abrasive paste. Squirt most of the time or RnR Extreme or Purple Extreme for consistently wet rides.
"you’ll need to develop a bit of tolerance to drivetrain filth unless you want to spend forever cleaning the bike "
I feared that! I'm someone who used to shake his head at a dirty chain on a road bike. Obsessive! 😀
I use this stuff at the mo. topping up smaller bottles...
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/weldtite-tf2-performance-oil/rp-prod5960
Not too thick, not too thin, not the fanciest but the price is right.
Wipe chain and reapply after each ride.
Have a look at the Morgan Blue range on CRC, everything I've tried seems great.
I feared that! I’m someone who used to shake his head at a dirty chain on a road bike. Obsessive!
I hear you but its just a fact of MTB life... no harm in keeping things in good order but you learn to tune out the sound of crunching evenutally.
I have tried a few wet lubes - Finish Line, Muc-Off, Green Oil.. and they always end up in a mess. The Progold is much thinner and needs a regular application and wipe down but doesn't seem to create the same thick deposits.
Personally I find my road bikes are much more likely to build up deposits of black greasy crud, even using the same lube as on MTBs.
I think the much greater frequency of washing my MTBs and the splashy nature of my riding for nine months of the year helps keep the drivetrain cleaner.
@cha****ng - the drivetrains on my road and commute bikes get black greasy crud very quickly even on brand new chains. I think it's all the crap like diesel and engine oil that gets picked up and sticks to things. Off-road it's just mud that washes off relatively easily.
I did used to use Squirt on my time trial bike (it has lower friction, so saves watts, so faster!). And that used to get very black and grimy. Yes it must be the stuff from cars, I guess a lot of tiny particles from brake pads, tyres and diesel. Gross
Yeah didn't think about road crap, that's gotta be a factor too - all that grease.
Most people will throw up their hands in horror, but I don't use any lube at all. I wash the bike and drivetrain if necessary, then wipe the chain and rings, spray them with GT85 and wipe clean. That's it. My chain and cassette always look clean and seem to last for ages (I've had nearly 3 years out of one set). I think that lubes for bicycle chains are the Emperor's new clothes. Having said that, I use lube on my motorcycle chain - but only the absolute minimum.
Edit - I should add that I used to use synthetic engine oil diluted with a bit of paraffin, which seemed as good as any shop-bought product, but stopping using lube made no difference to drivetrain lfe,
Rock n Roll blue extreme, it just works. lube every couple of rides, takes less than 15 secs including the wipe down.
spray them with GT85 and wipe clean. That’s it. My chain and cassette always look clean and seem to last for ages (I’ve had nearly 3 years out of one set). I think that lubes for bicycle chains are the Emperor’s new clothes.
There's a good chance the lube I linked above works out cheaper than your GT85.
But I'm not arguing that it works for you, I used to do the same BITD.
Brace yourself for multiple opinions!
My own take on this is little and often with wet lube, but it depends on your soil type and winter mileage and also the lube itself.
I used to run three chains in rotation with finish line green, with full degrease and relube.
These days I just use Wickens and soderstrom (now Peaty's link lube), blast off the chain with a hose and reapply a single drop to each link. This is much better and is hardly gungy.
Putoline for the win! Never used anything else since I started using. Most folk agree, scienceofficer above is one who didn't like it. Solid wax you melt on the stove and get lovely clean well and long lasting lubed chains - doesn't build up dirt either.
Never used anything else since I started using.
That's cos you can't! you have to either have a dedicated poot pot, or even worse, buy a bloody deep fat fryer, so you keep justifying it to yourself!. 🙂
i`m gonna do the gt85 thing this winter as it seems the most in line with my inherant maintenance lazyness.
You had the right answer in the original post! Smoove.
I used to use Squirt in the summer and Putoline in the winter.
I now use Smoove all year around. I used to be fastidious about chain cleaning, I think I'm still am, but I spend a lot less time cleaning chains now.
If the bike does need soaping, I'll often take the chain off, wipe it down with a baby wipe and rest it on the radiator while I was the rest if the bike.
Often, it doesn't need another lube. Smoove seems to be the longest lasting lube I've ever used.
Use minimal quantities of cheap thin wet lube applied to a clean chain same as all summer.
After each ride:
wipe on wipe off daniel son!
in summer/dry conditions the reality is often just 10 seconds running the chain through a rag and requiring no lube. In winter/wet/soft conditions the bike is cleaned after every ride with the full drivetrain brushed with lathery hot water, rinsed dry chain quickly dried with a rag, then a small amount of lube applied to the top and bottom of the chain while backpedalling, allowed to seap in for a minute while I dry/wipe off the frame/forks rims etc then all excess wiped off with a rag in hand grapping the chain while turning the cranks. it sounds laborious but in reality when done regularly it's a 90second job from a drivetrain caked in mud to a clean dry re-lubed chain as part of a 5 minute thorough bike cleaning routine.
top top: if you have finishline wet lube, spray the chain liberally with GT85 before applying it, The GT85 then thins the FL so it wipes off and doesn't leave the chain sticky.
**** removing, rotating, swapping and cleaning chains in jars of deisel or whatever and cooking them in wax all the time!
Putoline FTR*
*for the retired
I mix chainsaw oil with white spirit until i get a suitable consistency and wipe and apply.
Yes it gets grimy, but no more than Finish Line and is a fraction of the cost so i tend to reapply more regularly and generously.
😂 @ geex!
I'm an outlier I think, but in our heavy clay round here my all year round routine is...
Scottoiler 365 on the chain before every ride.
After each ride the bike gets a 5 minute hose down (with some Rhino Goo if there's a lot of grime). Drivetrain gets a dry with paper towel and another coating of 365. Suspension parts get a dry off and a squirt of silicon spray.
Job done.
Got a big bottle a few weeks back....few other places have it as well.......has done the business for me for the last few years.
I was a convert to RnR extreme and reckoned it was the best I had tried. I still use it on the FS. I however discovered Wickens and Soderstorm No 3, which for the winter mank round here lasts longer and runs cleaner. When I finish the RnR blue I’ll be using W&S on both the main MTBs.
Also have some Smoove which I use on other HT that gets light and cleanish use at present for Sat morning rides with the kids.
geex - the thing is the putoline is done so infrequently that it saves loads of time and you always have a nicely lubed chain. Seriously hundreds of wet muddy miles and chain life many times longer
Your regeime seems like one eck off a faff for a badly lubed chain
TJ do you use putoline on 10 (or more) speed? Wondering if it's friendly to the finer tolerances (I know FA about it but the idea of a all winter proof , non sticky solution is quite attractive).
To the OP I'm using muc-off ceramic.
So far it seems to be tolerating local sand, clay, chalky horror reasonably well.
I found muc-off wet and the Pure eco oil I had before it were both awful in Meon Valley / South Downs clag.
I've used putoline on 11 speed in the Peak. Worked fine, but Smoove shifts better.
Your regeime seems like one eck off a faff for a badly lubed chain
Na... Teej. you're just a slow reader.
Try again.
A wee spray with wd40 when it turns that rusty red colour, sorted!
Use more or less any wet lube on the market. I prefer Shimano or Green Oil.
Apply it for two to three revolutions of the chain.
THEN THE IMPORTANT BIT. Take a cloth and get as much of it off as possible. This stops it glooping up, and spreads the joy.
ST , in an interview with a bike mechanic a few issues ago , asked what was the most common mistake mtbers make when fettling. She said it was putting too much lube on chains. So, whatever you use, make sure you don't use too much!
I use a generic wet lube applied sparingly to the rollers on the inside of the chain. A couple of complete turns of the chain to spread things around then a wipe down to remove any excess. If conditions are dry then I'll use dry lube.
Just looked up Putoline as I've never heard of it!
Q1, is it the Chain Wax you're all talking about?
Q2, it says its for motorbikes, but I suppose that makes no difference?
I currently use MucOff wet lube all year round, just more often in the winter. Seems to do the trick for me
Putoline is a brand, the stuff you want is the tin of chain wax, looks like a giant tin of shoe polish.
Melt it in a cheap deep fat fryer for convenience, dunk dry chain into it, give it a swish to let the molten wax wash any crap out of the links, leave for 5 minutes, give it another swish, take it out and wipe with workshop cloth to remove excess.
It lasts upto 500miles of shitty winter conditions, the only times it doesn't are those really wet rides where your normal lube doesn't even last upt he first fireroad, and even then it's still often a little waxy afterwards, just a bit noisy.
I currently use MucOff wet lube all year round, just more often in the winter. Seems to do the trick for me
What you want, is the outside of the chain almost spotless, otherwise it picks up water and dirt which dilutes the oil and gets mixed with the oil inside the rollers. If your drive chain is spotless to start with, and you aply it sparingly and wipe off the excess then water and dirt should just fall off the outside of the chain and not get drawn into the links in the first place.
Thats why putoline is so good, its a wax so nothing sticks to it, and it's not a liquid so dirt on the outside isn't getting flushed int the rollers.
It's not a cheap investment, but it works all year round and only needs re applying once in a blue moon.
I use Putoline Chain Wax on Eagle 12 Speed, heated in an old slow cooker from my mum. If I'm lazy and don't let it drain properly after I've hung it up it makes shifting worse and makes a mess of the cassette.
I now leave it longer in the slow cooker so the wax gets hotter and runs off better and wipe of the drips. It's now fine.
For the kids 8 speed bikes I just buy rust resistant chains.
i do night rides (95% of them are at night anyway) and were into that time of year when its really shitty.
i find that squirt is good for most stuff but you need to give it a proper clean now and again. wet lube shifts better but doesnt last as long in the wet.
I do the same as @failedengineer. Hose it down, spray with GT85 to stop it rusting. Seems to work fine. I've done this since reading some research that suggested very little benefit from lubing a chain.
[Edit: more recent research suggests otherwise. Damn. Will have to re-think my approach]
I have started using Smoove over the summer and been pleased with how clean it runs.
As a lot of my rides can be quite sandy, I am hoping that there will be minimal pickup and turning into a sandy-grinding paste over the winter
Thought that tin was the one. That's pretty much my approach Spoon!
I used to use far too much, but now after cleaning (park tool chain cleaner) one drop per roller. Had no issues since doing it this way, Might give the wax a try once my supply is out.
Another recent Smoove user here who, rather gloriously, hasn't had to break out the winter lube yet. Yey for dry trails 🙂
FWIW, I just slap a bit more lube on after each ride, or after it's been washed and dried off, until the whole thing starts to look a bit grim at which point it gets degreased, rinsed, dried and lubed. Only takes a few minutes either way.
For me, Smoove or Squirt in the summer, White Lightning Wet stuff in the winter, try to keep it clean and don't worry too much.
Thanks for sharing your tips, tricks and opinions guys. Much appreciated.
Squirt all year round, just make sure the chain is totally degreased beforehand and no problem, it the only one I have found that has stayed on in wet weather and kept a quiet drivetrain.
How do you tell if a fellow mountain biker uses Putoline on their chain?
They will tell you... at length.
I've used squirt all year round on both bikes and its bang on. I ride mostly in sandy conditions (Woburn) and its only when its muddy puddled mess that it all becomes a bit noisy - but then nothing I've ever used has been that good it didnt do the same.
Half way round W2 last year it was Biblical and the chain was a squeaking like a squeaky thing so I just applied some wet lube to get me round, and it was fine.
If the bike needs a clean, the chain gets washed, obvs, then I GT85, dry it off and re-apply Squirt - never bother degreasing it fully again. If after a night ride I just try and remove as much water as poss, add more GT85 and re-apply squirt another time but well before the next ride.
It’s definitely a local soil type thing - Finishline wet lube (and other similar lubes) work well here round here but we have soft clay/chalk dirt. Ride somewhere sandy and it gets grindy pretty fast.
I put plenty of lube on but wipe it off thoroughly by running the chain through a rag for plenty of crank turns. My bikes look filthy through the winter apart from the stanchions and chain which are usually gleaming.
I stick with Squirt summer and winter. When you hose down the bike after your ride, the chain comes up so clean. Your issue of a wet chain ...to dry the chain just run a rag over it to get most the water off then apply more Squirt. Then its dry and ready to go again the next time you ride. Less faff. I tried smoove, it seems to last longer but Squirt is cleaner and seems to hold less crud, so I am sticking with it.