Properly lubing the bicycle chain can dramatically extend its lifespan. It’s easy to determine whether or not the chain needs to be lubed: lightly touching the chain and then rubbing the fingers together should produce a slightly slick feeling, not dry or wet or clumpy. When you can touch the chain and then rub your finger and thumb together and can’t tell whether it’s lube or your skin’s natural oil on your fingers, it’s time to lube your chain.
When it’s time to lube your chain, it’s important to use a bike lube as opposed to something household like WD40. WD40 is not actually a lube but a solvent, and will damage your bike chain. It can also get into your bearings and cause damage to the rest of your bicycle.
Bike chain lubes come in three varieties; oil-based, wax-based, and synthetic. They will each work to oil your chain, but each has strengths and weaknesses.
Oil-based lubes like Lava Flow tend to be inexpensive and you can use very little, making them very cost-effective. It is easy to use too much, though, which can lead to a dirty or gummy chain.
Wax-based lubes like White Lightning are hard to apply too much of: more of it needs to be applied to get even the same effect as oil-based lubes. Wax-based lube needs to be reapplied regularly.
Synthetic lubes like Tri-Flow are effective in small amounts, but are hard to apply too much of, which makes them great if you’re not sure of catching yourself shy of applying too much lube. Tri-Flow is a dry lubricant in a liquid suspension, so allowing it to dry a moment or two before taking the bike on the road is recommended. Synthetic lubes are also useful around the house to loosen things that stick or squeak, unlike bike-chain-specific oil- or wax-based lubes.
To correctly apply lube to your chain, it is easiest to put the bike on a stand. Wipe the chain clean with a dry cloth, then run the pedals and apply 8-10 drops of lube, spaced around the chain. Continuing to run the pedals a few rotations will ensure the even distribution of the lube along the chain.
We are happy to lube your chain for you for free any time you drop by.
