Mechanics Top Picks: Chain Lube

Mechanics Top Picks: Chain Lube

Mechanics Top Picks: Chain Lube

Chain lube is something that no two mechanics can ever agree upon.  It’s like the old wheel and tire size debate for mountain and gravel bikes. The weather and climate play a large role in what lube is favorable for a specific area.  In our shop, we finally have a couple of lubes that we can all agree on.

For dry climates and mid summer, usually a dry or wax based lube is used. Proper procedure with most dry lubes is to lube the chain in between rides, wipe off excess and leave it to dry before the next ride.  Wiping the excess lube from the chain will not only remove dirt and grime from the chain, it will also mitigate the amount of dirt that will stick to the chain on future rides. If you ride in the rain with a dry lube, you will likely have to re-apply. Our favorite dry lube in our Keene,NH store has been Rock-N-Roll Gold.  Rock-N-Roll Gold goes on very thin to loosen up the dirt, and runs very dry to not pick up any extra debris.

For the rainy days (which we have been having a lot of in New England lately) a wet lube is necessary.  The drawback to using a wet lube is that most remain wet and tend to be sticky allowing dirt and dust to stick to the chain.  Using a wet lube requires more frequent chain cleaning. Rock-N-Roll Holy Cow is a lube that stays on well in the wet weather, but picks up very little sand and dirt.  The lube goes on similarly to a dry lube but can be wiped in between applications to remove any dirt or grime that has made its way onto your chain.

For some tips and tricks www.RockLube.com has been very helpful with some tricks to help keep your drivetrain clean.

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