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what chain lube do yall like the best for dry/dusty conditions

28K views 77 replies 54 participants last post by  acfsportsfan 
#1 ·
ive been using RnR Gold, but i think im gonna switch to Finish Line Dry
 
#14 ·
I used wax for years (mostly white lightening & RR) but got sick of the cleanup...it loads up over time on cogs, chain rings and chain and is just a pain in the arse to clean. I also dont think it does a good job of getting into the rollers.

I like tri-flow or ANY oil based lube....easy to clean, just works...any condition
 
#12 ·
Pedro's Ice Wax 2.0 - awesome lube for dry dusty conditions. I've tried a bottle of squirt and find it builds up waaay too much gunk, the ice wax 2.0 is similar in a lot of ways, but seems to work a whole lot better, last a lot longer and run a lot cleaner.

Designed by some PhD in chemistry at MIT who was in the cycling team there. Made of bees wax and all natural. Geez this sounds like an ad ha ha, but I've been looking for a long time for a new lube that is approved to work with my mrp chainguide and this stuff is the shizz. Really dumb name though - ice wax 2.0, just doesn't roll off the tongue I gotta say.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I used the Dumonde Tech "green" for years and liked it but you have to use it very sparingly and wipe of the excess well or it does tend to build up over time. My shop started carrying the Finish Line Wet
lube so I've used a bottle or two of that lately and like it a bit better....even for the dry conditions. Doesn't build up as much, doesn't attract grit, and lasts for a couple three rides (unless it's super bug dusty, silty).

I haven't really liked the wax-based lubes like White Lightning and Pedros. They don't seem to last more than 10 miles in my dry, dusty conditions.
 
#19 ·
If you're only in dry conditions try a paraffin wax dip (not a wax based lube). Awesome dry lube that will last for several hundred miles, but will wash away as soon as it gets wet. Get a cheap crock pot and a block of paraffin from the grocery store, clean your chain thoroughly with mineral spirits while the wax is melting in the crock pot. Drop the chain in, let it soak for 30-40 minutes, pull out with a coat hanger, let it try, pop the links free by hand, reinstall, ride around the block sweeping the gears to free up any hardened wax and then you're good to go. Supposedly the wax fills up all the space in the rollers so no grit can get in and cause wear, lots motorcycle guys swear by wax lubes as well. Got ~4K miles out of my old road bike chain using this method last year.

ProLink worked pretty well in the past but just didnt last long at all. Burned through a bottle of Dumonde Lite on the mtbs last fall and it worked really well for dryish GA conditions. Trying ChainL for 2013 but havent had too many rides on it due to a wrist injury.
 
#21 ·
Another fan of Squirt chain lube. Squirt dry lube is water based (unlike solvent based wax, Squirt doesn't soften the existing wax when reapplied), long lasting, doesn't build up on the surfaces of chain or gears. The best I've used for conditions where there is dust or mud, dry or rain.
 
#26 ·
hmmm... just can't work out why squirt didn't work for me and the guys I go riding with regularly, we saw all the rave reviews it gets on the internets and all went out and bought bottles of it. Tried it for a month, did everything they say to do in the application, letting it dry overnight etc etc, and it just ended up a black gunky mess, even when used very sparingly. The buildup on the rear derailleur wheels was unbelievable. We all ended up ditching it for good, and can't work out what we did wrong. We've all been mtbing for many years too, ie know how to lube a chain.

We ride for a few hours 4 or 5 days a week in the driest dustiest conditions you can get, so we gave it a good workout. Still got 3/4 of a bottle here. Have been using it on my kids bikes which don't get ridden that often and it seems to be ok on them. Maybe it needs longer time to dry, like a week or something... I don't got time fo' dat.
 
#27 ·
You might be using too much of it. I found that when I reapplied Squirt all the time, it started to build up.

My "go to" technique for Squirt that has worked wonderfully has been to apply it the night before, or whenever I'm getting the bikes ready, couple of days, whatever. Then before the ride do a quick wipe down. Just run the chain backwards through a paper towel couple of times. Then don't reapply until the chain starts to actually squeak. Even if it "looks" like it needs it, but is quiet, don't reapply. After every ride, I run the chain backwards through a paper towel and that's it. My drivetrain has been staying very clean and lasting a long time as well.

Basically finding every hundred miles or so or a whole bunch of water crossings is when I reapply. So if all I'm doing is a 15-20 mile dry ride every couple of days, I'll go almost 2 weeks before reapplying.

-Tom
 
#38 ·
You might be using too much of it. I found that when I reapplied Squirt all the time, it started to build up.

My "go to" technique for Squirt that has worked wonderfully has been to apply it the night before, or whenever I'm getting the bikes ready, couple of days, whatever. Then before the ride do a quick wipe down. Just run the chain backwards through a paper towel couple of times. Then don't reapply until the chain starts to actually squeak. Even if it "looks" like it needs it, but is quiet, don't reapply. After every ride, I run the chain backwards through a paper towel and that's it. My drivetrain has been staying very clean and lasting a long time as well.

Basically finding every hundred miles or so or a whole bunch of water crossings is when I reapply. So if all I'm doing is a 15-20 mile dry ride every couple of days, I'll go almost 2 weeks before reapplying.

-Tom
I remember you being a big proponent of Chain L, how does Squirt compare to Chain L?
 
#29 ·
As most "wax" lubes have the same wax ( really teflon particles) in it, Squirt has the most content for its volume, in comparison to RnR, white lightning etc.

Here in CO, we have the some pretty wicked moon dust dry conditions, and with Squirt I can go all week with out a problem.. If your gunking up your chain and pulley wheels, you may be using too much or not letting it dry before riding.
As others have said, start with a clean chain, but a drop on every link, spin it around a few times , and let it sit overnight. My chain will look bone dry, and have zero build up and run silent for a week before I will re apply. Just remember to do a quick wipe down of the chain after every ride, and you should get great results.
 
#30 ·
Here in SoCal, I've tried quite a few of the aforementioned lubes and the one that works best for me is the Gnar Lube Pink . . . its definitely got a gimmicky smell with their added scents, but I swear to you the stuff goes on clean, doesn't accumulate and easily lasts for 60 - 70 miles per application.

Check out their website too . . . . they've got some good instructional videos on how to lube a chain :thumbsup:
 
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