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CoffsGal
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby CoffsGal » Fri Apr 24, 2015 7:02 pm

Typhoon Ken wrote:Showing my age here but I still use Triflow.
I must agree that Triflow is very good. It's very slippery and a little goes a long way. I especially like the ultra thin application tube to ensure it gets over the link plates while using a minimum. You can just see the tube taped to the bottle in the picture. I would say I used to relube about every 200 to 250 km with Triflow, but I am OCD about my chain (I wipe it clean after every ride).

Image


These days though I use Lanotec, an industrial lubricant/protectant based on lanolin (from sheeps' wool). It possibly needs to be applied more frequently than some other cycle lubes, (I reapply app every 150Km, but remember I am chain OCD), but also doesn't cause the chain to go as black as other lubes. The drive train lubed with Lanotec provides (buttery) smooth and quiet operation. I refill an old TriFlow bottle with Lanotec to apply. It is a reasonably sticky/waxy lube.

I have travelled 9,100km on the current chain (Ultegra 6800) only ever using Lanotec, and it is still within the wear limits. Although it will need replacing in the next few hundred km, it should make the 10,000km mark.

Lanotec is an environmentally friendlier non petro chemical based product. It is very economical with a 750ml bottle costing about $20. At that price, I can use it often to ensure long chain and sprocket life.

I use the heavy duty variety.

http://www.lanotec.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Available from SupaCheap Autos, Blackwoods, Home Hardware, EBay and many others...

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Storm Boy
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby Storm Boy » Sat Apr 25, 2015 11:18 am

Thanks for that CoffsGal.

I have a can of Lanotec at home that I've been eyeing off, I'll have to give it a go sometime. Right now though I'm giving R&R Gold a try, maybe after that :)

Regards,

SB

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foo on patrol
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby foo on patrol » Sat Apr 25, 2015 12:45 pm

Sewing machine oil here. :)

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kb
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby kb » Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:58 pm

foo on patrol wrote:Sewing machine oil here. :)

Foo
You must keep your bike a lot cleaner than mine :-). I did use it in a freehub once though. Good if you like them noisy, means more frequent maintenance.
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CoffsGal
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby CoffsGal » Sun Apr 26, 2015 10:59 am

Storm Boy wrote:Thanks for that CoffsGal.

I have a can of Lanotec at home that I've been eyeing off, I'll have to give it a go sometime. Right now though I'm giving R&R Gold a try, maybe after that :)

Regards,

SB
In the early days, I too used R&R Gold. But I found that it is 80% thin liquid, designed to clean the chain and carry the lube to the bearing surfaces, but only about 20% actual lube. And even the lube component isn't particularly good in my opinion.

With Tri flow, at least 100% of it appears to be lubricant, and of a good quality. This is why a little goes a long way.

Lanotec does contain some percentage of cleaner/carrier, which does allow it to get in the places that matter, but in this case the lube component is very effective and seems more heavy duty than others I have tried, and the cost is low so that one can apply regularly. (My experience is with the Heavy Duty version only)
I don't ride in the rain if I can help it, so I don't have much experience with Lanotec in the rain, but on the occasion when it is wet the Lanotec does seem to persist quite well.

My chain lubing process...
While spinning the crank slowly backwards, I apply the lube over each edge of the chain so that it penetrates between the link plates and also inside the rollers.
I then spin the crank backwards (15 to twenty times) more quickly to allow the lube to penetrate.
I then wipe off any excess with a chux wipe while spinning the crank backwards (hold the chux close to the RD around the bottom run of chain). (Chux purchased in a long roll from SupaCheap Autos for about $20 which lasts me a couple of years)
Any excess lube left on the chain only attracts grit and other abrasive materials, and causes chain, sprockets and pulley wheels to become sticky and dirty, and accelerate the wear of sprockets and chain.

The above process is best done at the end of your ride, or at least some time before your next ride, to allow any thinners in the liquid to evaporate and the lube to set on the bearing surfaces.

Between lubes, after every ride, I give the chain a quick wipe with the chux while spinning the crank backwards. This takes all of 1 minute or less, and keeps the chain and sprockets looking silvery and grit free, ready for the next ride.
Last edited by CoffsGal on Sun Apr 26, 2015 6:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby AndrewCowley » Sun Apr 26, 2015 11:07 am

CoffsGal wrote:In the early days, I too used R&R Gold. But I found that it is 80% thin liquid, designed to clean the chain and carry the lube to the bearing surfaces, but only about 20% actual lube. And even the lube component isn't particularly good in my opinion.
This is pretty much my experience with R&R Gold. Will be trying triflow or prolink gold next.

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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby rodneycc » Sun Apr 26, 2015 12:32 pm

Using Morgan Blue Race at the moment and seems to be doing its job and keeping the squeeks at bay. Im more of a apply and wipe down man rather than degrease and clean so my chains aren't exactly the cleanest...

Sometimes I mistakenly call it Capt Morgan but thats the Rum isnt it :-)
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Rex
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby Rex » Sun Apr 26, 2015 6:04 pm

rodneycc wrote:Using Morgan Blue Race at the moment...
A very good lube but I find it vanishes very quickly when things get wet.
MB Synth is better in the wet, but gee it's messy.

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tomee
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby tomee » Thu Apr 30, 2015 1:18 pm

i was using Squirt until it ran out, so now trying Muc-off c3 ceramic dry lube.

its not entirely dry like squirt but i have noticed it has quietened the chain down even more and shifts nicer

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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby redheeler » Fri May 01, 2015 11:45 am

I'm currently giving Muc-off dry lube. Find this great but because I do around 400 kms a week, I find I need to apply it every 2/3 days.

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Thoglette
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby Thoglette » Tue May 05, 2015 11:06 am

Thoglette wrote:
Thoglette wrote:With the tray-in-the-oven method it is so unbelievably easy (and safe) that I'll probably re-wax more often.
Update - some three thousand kilometers later (and a re-wax every 500 to 750km) still travelling fine.
at 4,200 km I finally had the quick link un-link (standing start, not-quite in gear). Replaced with spare. Chain still fine.

I have filtered the wax through kitchen paper which removed a lot of crap.
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby casual_cyclist » Tue May 05, 2015 3:07 pm

gclark8 wrote:Inox is not a wax, it is lanolin from wool processing.
This is what I use. I thought it was silicone but it is a high grade machine oil.

http://www.inoxmx.com/inox/mx-3-lubricant/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby duncan16v » Wed May 06, 2015 8:57 am

I've been using Rock and Roll Gold for yonks and ran out, so I thought I'd try a couple of alternatives on the family bikes and my faithful commuter. I've used Shimano wet lube (from Chain Reaction) on the commuter (all 105) and the chain runs absolutely silent but goes black in a day. And if you don't wipe it all of thoroughly, you get a lovely spray pattern on everything. Despite the grubiness, I like the effectiveness of the Shimano product.

Muc Off goes on like honey. Seems OK so far.

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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby Calvin27 » Wed May 06, 2015 10:25 am

Not sure what everyone is riding but I generally cycle through a few different lubes.

- Road bike gets rock and roll. This seems to do a decent job of getting crap out and not needing a proper clean. Not very long lasting though. Alternate application with another dry lube - whatever I have at the time.
- Track bike gets a higher concentration lubricant with prctically no cleaner - I just use a leftover finish line ceramic bottle. Don;t look much into this as track bike is indoor only.
- MTB alternates between rock and roll gold and another crappy wet lube (i think weldite).
- Cross bike barely gets a relube and usually I have no choice but to properly clean.

So yeah pretty much I use the rock and roll as an intermediate clean.

It would be great if people could specify what type of riding and what conditions they do when sharing their experiences. It's a world of difference the stuff my bikes go through from the track bike that gets carried to the velodrome to the cross bike that is my 'go to' bike for wet weather.
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Storm Boy
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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby Storm Boy » Fri May 15, 2015 10:56 pm

Thoglette wrote:
Thoglette wrote:
Thoglette wrote:With the tray-in-the-oven method it is so unbelievably easy (and safe) that I'll probably re-wax more often.
Update - some three thousand kilometers later (and a re-wax every 500 to 750km) still travelling fine.
at 4,200 km I finally had the quick link un-link (standing start, not-quite in gear). Replaced with spare. Chain still fine.

I have filtered the wax through kitchen paper which removed a lot of crap.
The best thing I've found for heating wax is a $13 rice cooker from Big W, it lives out in the shed and does not overheat the wax.

Regards,

SB

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Re: Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby il padrone » Fri May 15, 2015 11:39 pm

Hate Triflow now. Used to be my 'go to' lube back in the day, but a while back I used it on a chain. It was a horrible mess - now compared with the Purple Extreme it was untenable to continue using it.
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Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)

Postby Comedian » Sat May 16, 2015 6:25 am

Comedian wrote:I'm trying a new polymer based lube from the states called Dumonde Tech. Looks promising. Maybe better than Motorex. :)
So far this stuff is shaping up well. 750k off an application in very dry and dusty conditions (never seen it so cad) and a couple of light rain rides. At the end it was still pretty clean, but the noise was starting to be audible.

They say the lube builds in effectiveness if you don't clean the chain. Will see what the second application does. There is still the heavy duty version to try...

firstknight
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lube lube lube

Postby firstknight » Sun Aug 09, 2015 5:31 pm

Hey fellow cyclist.. what recommend lube you guys using? mind sharing?

Also, I saw using wd40 before and after bike use...

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KGB
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Re: lube lube lube

Postby KGB » Sun Aug 09, 2015 5:36 pm

May as well ask people what their favourite colour is...

My 2c: Hard to go past rock'n' roll gold for road and general use. I'm currently using good old tri-flow because it was cheap and I needed some in a pinch.
I try to avoid dry/wax lubes (eg white lightning) as I don't like the dry sound of the chain. A wet lube keeps it a bit more quiet.
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Re: lube lube lube

Postby HappyHumber » Sun Aug 09, 2015 5:54 pm

Maybe I could recommend my favourite search engine?

It's a religious debate, often best avoided. Read around, see what's out there, dabble in one, dabble in another and then make up your own mind.

I for one will be soon releasing a Gluten free Quinoa oil based product to appeal the inner city life-style conscious lubing set.
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Re: lube lube lube

Postby Grev » Sun Aug 09, 2015 6:24 pm

Check out "The Shed" on this web site. Lots of stuff.

Robinho
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Re: lube lube lube

Postby Robinho » Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:16 pm

I normally go with muc off dry lube, which I really like, not messy, lasts well, but am also trialling some rock'n'roll gold as I'm sick of relubing 3 times a week in the wet Perth winter. Liking the rnr, but will probably revert back to muc off when it starts to dry out again. Rnr is quiet, lasts well, but it has left the drive train pretty mucky. Have also tried finish line dry lube, which is thin, stinks and doesn't last well, and singer general all purpose sewing machine oil, which is pretty decent in a pinch.

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Re: lube lube lube

Postby dmwill » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:28 am

RnR yellow when cold or moist (I try to avoid riding in the rain).

RnR red when warmer, but needs more frequent application.

MTB gets FinishLine ceramic. Chain keeps surprisingly clean given the dusty conditions.

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Re: lube lube lube

Postby Kalgrm » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:40 am

That's a very personal question, if you don't mind me saying. ;)

I have been using Rock 'n Roll Gold for years. Works fine ...

Today I mixed graphite powder with melted candle wax and dipped my MTB chain in it. I'll see if that works well enough to get me changing my religion.

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nitestick
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Re: lube lube lube

Postby nitestick » Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:41 pm

Squirt dry lube, I try to reapply every 100km (unless out on a ride longer than 100km). Haven't had any issues with it all year around over the last couple of years. Keeps the drive train a bit cleaner and I don't think it's particularly noisy.

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