dry lube

[handlebar]

I started using dry chain lube 17 months ago. I bought it to reduce stains on my cuff but found that the bike ran more quietly than with oil. I may have figured out why. There's bound to be some rubbing between rails and the sides of the teeth. I think the dry lube leaves a film that lubricates those surfaces better.

Yesterday I realized it had been about 8 months since I'd last lubed the chain on my Radmission. I'd been led to believe dry lube wouldn't last that long, but it was still very quiet and smooth. I used a chain hoist to raise the bike to where the chain would be at eye level so I could see just what I was doing as I used a syringe needle to apply a drop to each end of each roller.

First I wiped the chain with a paper towel. The chain looked like bare metal, but the towel came away with black, oily smudges, and the stuff was hard to wash off my fingers. That contradicted what I'd read, that dry lube had to be applied frequently because it wouldn't last. Maybe this brand, "Finish Line," is special.

With the chain at eye level, I spotted rust specks on one rail. I guess the lubricating film protected the other rails, contrary to what I'd read. Maybe it's not the lube but the alloy. Amazon has stainless-steel chains, and some others say they resist rusting.

How about stainless-steel chains? Do they perform well?

[mrgold35]

I have two 2016 Radrovers with around 4000 miles on each with original chains.  I live in the desert southwest and "try" not to ride in the rain because the fat tires can soak me down like a garden hose.  I use Finish Line Dry Teflon chain lube because of the dry and dusty conditions.  I just got into the habit of cleaning my chain every few weeks to few months depending on how much I ride (Pedro's Oranj Peelz degreaser+park tool chain cleaner).  I can go months in-between cleanings if I'm 100% pavement work commuting; but, have to clean after a few weeks if I add in any trail rides.  So far, I haven't notice any rust spots or issues with my original chain after +8 years.

Maybe the rust spots are from where the lube has rubbed off and exposed to the elements?  I'm not that precise when oiling my chain and dump a steady stream of dry lube as I run the chain backwards. This also adds a layer of teflon on the gear teeth and I also do a steady stream of lube on all gears 1-7. I use a paper towel next to dry up any excess (clean up any drips on rear rim or derailleur parts).  Maybe not the correct way to lube a chain; but, my rover's chain and derailleur wheels/gears seems to run without issues so far.

[handlebar]

I have two 2016 Radrovers with around 4000 miles on each with original chains.  I live in the desert southwest and "try" not to ride in the rain because the fat tires can soak me down like a garden hose.  I use Finish Line Dry Teflon chain lube because of the dry and dusty conditions.  I just got into the habit of cleaning my chain every few weeks to few months depending on how much I ride (Pedro's Oranj Peelz degreaser+park tool chain cleaner).  I can go months in-between cleanings if I'm 100% pavement work commuting; but, have to clean after a few weeks if I add in any trail rides.  So far, I haven't notice any rust spots or issues with my original chain after +8 years.

Maybe the rust spots are from where the lube has rubbed off and exposed to the elements?  I'm not that precise when oiling my chain and dump a steady stream of dry lube as I run the chain backwards. This also adds a layer of teflon on the gear teeth and I also do a steady stream of lube on all gears 1-7. I use a paper towel next to dry up any excess (clean up any drips on rear rim or derailleur parts).  Maybe not the correct way to lube a chain; but, my rover's chain and derailleur wheels/gears seems to run without issues so far.

My Radrunner front tire threw up a lot of water from the road. I bought some polypropylene cutting boards 1mm thick and a heat gun and formed a fender extension. Only 3" off the pavement, it can hit things, but it flexes.

I liked old-time chain maintenance. Undo the master link, coil the chain in the bottom of a can, add kerosene, come back later and hang it to drip, put it in a can with motor oil, hang it to drip, and install. I think soaking in half an inch of solvent would be the neatest, most thorough way to clean a chain, and removing it would make it easier to clean sprockets.

I see now that 4 outboard rails have rust. One is the one with yellow acrylic paint so I can see when I've made a complete revolution of the chain. I wiped it before applying the paint. The other three are adjacent to each other, as if I'd inadvertently wiped them. None of the inboard rails has rust. Maybe the dry lube will protect if you don't wipe it off.

The first time I used it, applied it to the moving chain from the bottle. At $2.50 an ounce, that was a lot of fluid to pour on the ground, and I couldn't be sure I'd gotten every pin. I use clothespins to do one sector at a time. Without markers, I'd lose my place every time I cranked the chain back. The rails look oily, so I guess the tiny drops I applied were plenty.

To reduce maintenance, I'd love to have a mid drive bike with a belt and an infinitely adjustable transmission in the hub.

[mrgold35]

I hear you on the mid-motor belt drive ebike.  I would love to update to one; but, prices need to drop by around 30% before I jump to one.  I haven't checked into how long the belt will last or how often you need to service the transmission part?  I imagine it isn't every few weeks to few months like my current chain drive ebikes.

[handlebar]

This is about 10 weeks old. It estimates 19,000 miles on a belt.
https://bikexchange.com/best-belt-drive-electric-bikes/

One, for about $650, has a Sturmey-Archer 7-speed transmission within a hub motor. I used to love the Sturmey-Archer 3-speed. With the right seating position, that was plenty because my legs were like a truck motor, able to produce power over a wide "rpm" range. I knew what gear I was in both by the feel and the position of the lever, and I could shift without being in motion or letting up on the pedals, and I could count on the transmission to work indefinitely with no maintenance.

A midrange motor would be neat so I could get maximum motor power regardless of road speed.

[Veggyhed]

I use Muc Off dry lube and think it works really well and lasts a decent amount of time on the chain in dry conditions. If it rains you really need to apply it again after drying your chain. It seems easy to wash off with water.

Muc Off Dry Lube (50-ml) https://a.co/d/cU5IKRDMuc Off Dry Lube (50-ml) https://a.co/d/cU5IKRD



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[handlebar]

I don't know enough to compare lubes.
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/best-chain-lube-wet-or-dry-289671
This article compares several. It says Finish Line is wasteful if applied out of the bottle, and the manufacturer says it's only good for 100 miles.

Youtube has several tutorials on soaking a chain in molten paraffin wax. Discounting corrosion, they say grit is what wears chains out. You start by thoroughly cleaning even a new chain. Besides lubricating, the wax keeps dirt away from the roller pins, so you might get something like 20,000 miles, as I recall. It repels dirt, so there's nothing to smudge clothes or skin. Subsequently, dusting the chain may be adequate before soaking in molten wax.

Stovetop melting would be dangerous because it could boil, ignite, and burn down your house.

Before derailleurs, we used to clean a chain by soaking in solvent such as gasoline or kerosene, then soak it in motor oil instead of wax.  A chain guard kept the chain from  smudging skin or clothes.