Quick lube question

[wurkit_gurl]

So at the LBS, I took a free bike maintenance class where they went over the basics. They suggested two different kinds of lube to use - white lightning, which is the wax-based kind that is not water-resistant and tri-flow, which is water-resistant. I remember the guy saying you could use one on top of the other, but not the way around. And I think he said you leave on the white lighting but wipe off the tri-flow. Similarly, is it fine to just use one of them? I'd assume it'd be better to use the tri-flow since it's the most protective. Thoughts?

[wurkit_gurl]

PS- I apologize if this is a really dumb question, but I honestly can't remember what the guy said I really don't want to mess up my bike.

[Kalidurga]

I used to use White Lightning and really did not like the results. It made my chain noisy and picked up all sorts of gunk. I've never heard of using one lube on top of another, but if I were choosing between the two you named I'd go with Tri-Flow.

Everyone you talk to will have a different opinion about lube, but Rock'N'Roll Gold is the best one I've tried yet. It cleans as it lubes, it's great in dusty conditions (any dust/grit the chain picks up wipes off easily), it didn't pick up any mud when I did my first mtb ride the other week (my pedals, on the other hand, were full of dirt & mud), and after 9 months or so I'm barely halfway through a 16oz bottle. Great stuff.

[KnottedYet]

I used to use White Lightning, too. With similar results.

Now I use Boeshield, and I'm very happy with it and how well it handles the Seattle rain and muddy puddles.

Between Boeshield and Phil's Green Grease I've got all my bike lube needs covered. (anything more involved I take to the LBS)

[Zen]

The Rock & Roll Gold sounds interesting. The instructions say

"Get the chain really wet, this stuff cleans and lubes all in one. Freewheel the chain backwards for about 5 seconds-no less".

What do they mean by "freewheel the chain backward"?

[Kalidurga]

What do they mean by "freewheel the chain backward"?

Rotate the cranks backwards so the chain moves backwards, but the wheel doesn't move. Doing so helps to distribute the lube into the links where it belongs, and pushes any gunk between them up to the surface where it can be wiped away. And when they say wipe all of the lube off, they mean wipe it ALL off.

[Jolt]

Everyone you talk to will have a different opinion about lube, but Rock'N'Roll Gold is the best one I've tried yet. It cleans as it lubes, it's great in dusty conditions (any dust/grit the chain picks up wipes off easily), it didn't pick up any mud when I did my first mtb ride the other week (my pedals, on the other hand, were full of dirt & mud), and after 9 months or so I'm barely halfway through a 16oz bottle. Great stuff.

That stuff sounds interesting--maybe I'll have to see if my favorite LBS carries it. I ride through my share of sand and gravel, so something that doesn't pick up all that garbage would be good. I think White Lightning may have been what they had at the bike co-op where I replaced my chain and so that's what I used; it does seem to have picked up quite a bit of sand.

[madscot13]

this is a bummer, I just claned and lubed my bike with White Lightening.

[equus123]

lol, i know. me too! i've heard good things about White Lightening. though i have to admit after trying it, it does make the chain louder and i find that it gets dry a lot and needs re-lubing. kinda weird. hmmph. i might check out the RNR Gold next time around.

[Xrayted]

I've used Tri Flow in the past but I like Pro Link better. It lasts longer and pushes the dirt out of the links and since you wipe it completely off, it doesn't pick up road dirt like the White Lightning does. I don't have to do nearly the amount of relubing/maintenance that I used to and the chain sounds and feels smoother. Our local LBS doesn't carry it but Performance Bike just down the street from them has it. One bottle lasts forever.

[Kalidurga]

I've used Tri Flow in the past but I like Pro Link better. It lasts longer and pushes the dirt out of the links and since you wipe it completely off, it doesn't pick up road dirt like the White Lightning does. I don't have to do nearly the amount of relubing/maintenance that I used to and the chain sounds and feels smoother. Our local LBS doesn't carry it but Performance Bike just down the street from them has it. One bottle lasts forever.

From what I've read/heard, Pro Link sounds very similar to Rock'N'Roll. I'd guess that either of them would be a good choice for an easy, self-cleaning, non-gunk-grabbing lube that keeps your chain happy and quiet. If you can't find them in a local shop, I think a good lube is certainly worth ordering by mail.

[KnottedYet]

Just lubed my new Surly's chain. Ok, I'm bad, I should've done it last week when I got her... cuz we all know the "lube" that comes on a new chain is useless and isn't really lube.

Boy, what a demonstration of how used to Boeshield I've become! I was appalled by the grit and sand and general ick stuck to the chain and jockey wheels and cogs and rings! Yowza! (after only a week of riding... yes, I'm bad, should've done this right off the bat... bad bike caretaker Knot) That stuff doesn't happen with good lube.

Glopped on the Boeshield, ran it, wiped off the very dirty excess, repeat, repeat, repeat. Used the damp-with-petroleum-distillates rag to wipe the gunk off the other parts of the drive train.

Much better now.

(I apologized to my Surly.)

[Zen]

Just lubed my new Surly's chain. Ok, I'm bad, I should've done it last week when I got her... cuz we all know the "lube" that comes on a new chain is useless and isn't really lube.

I didn't know that about the new chain lube. I thought I had read somewhere that it is good lube and shouldn't be messed with (?)

It just happens that I bought some Rock & roll Gold and Speedplay Frogsyesterday

[Kalidurga]

ZenC, you're gonna love Rock'N'Roll. When I had a new chain put on my bike earlier this year, I took a box of q-tips and a rag and wiped between and around every single link to get off the stuff that came on the chain. Since then, it hasn't been touched by anything but Rock'N'Roll. After the incredibly dusty ride I did a week or so ago, all the chain needed was a few runs through a clean rag. The rest of the bike, though, is still waiting to be cleaned, cause it's just not as simple!

[LBTC]

DH and I do almost all of our riding in dry dusty conditions. Pedros extra dry lube is the best for this. Okay, I'll admit it, DH does all the bike maintenance, so virtually all of this info is from him. Rock n Roll was good lube, but required more time and effort to lube the chain properly - you really need to follow the instructions completely.

His methodology: clean the chain thoroughly, wipe all excess water off. Apply lube, link by link, and run the chain through a few times. Let stand, preferably over night. Before riding, wipe all excess lube off of the chain.

The grease on new chains is EVIL. This is the stuff that sticks to your legs if you so much as brush against it, and picks up all sorts of debris when out riding. DH has been known to soak a new chain in simple green before putting it on his bike, to ensure that evil grease doesn't get on all the cogs and chain rings.

Your best lube will definitely be determined by the types of conditions you ride in - wet/muddy or dry/dusty.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~