# chain lube: how often to apply?



## pdxtim (Nov 15, 2004)

How often does everyone out there apply chain lube in the summer, when the roads are dry? I ride about 4 times per week, on roads and paved bike paths, use ProLink, and it seems that the chain starts to get noisy after 1-2 weeks. Applying lube seems to quiet the chain, the bike seems to shift better, and overall the bike feels smoother. (Although I think some of this is in my head). Is this typical? Should I reapply lube when the chain gets noisy or when I can no longer feel much lube on the chain with my fingers? Thanks.


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Apply...*



pdxtim said:


> How often does everyone out there apply chain lube in the summer, when the roads are dry? I ride about 4 times per week, on roads and paved bike paths, use ProLink, and it seems that the chain starts to get noisy after 1-2 weeks. Applying lube seems to quiet the chain, the bike seems to shift better, and overall the bike feels smoother. (Although I think some of this is in my head). Is this typical? Should I reapply lube when the chain gets noisy or when I can no longer feel much lube on the chain with my fingers? Thanks.


Apply when someone makes a comment about how loud your bike is. Repeat as required.


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## DM-SC (Jul 18, 2007)

Sound is the key to knowing when to re-apply. Be sure to wipe off any excess lube so it doesn't attract as much dirt.

I just started using the Finish Line Ceramic Road Lube. Right off the bat I noticed how it started cleaning out the crud that was inside my chain. I also noticed a reduction in chain noise compared to other lubes I've tried.


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

I'm getting better results with homebrew than ANY commercial chainlube I've bought. Just wet a paper towel with a little, cycle the chain thru it after every ride, then dry. Keeps the chain a LOT cleaner, and adequately lubed, without too much #@$!% gunk. 20% synthetic motor oil, 80% mineral spirits. A lot cheaper, too.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*You're doin' it right*

at the first sign of noise, or anytime it's been rained on. If it looks real gunky, clean it. No need to feel lube on the outside. (the lube on the outside isn't doing any good, anyway)


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## mandovoodoo (Aug 27, 2005)

I add a little lube every time I think it's needed. 100 to 200 miles. Wipe it off every ride. If I can flex the chain and feel anything but smooth, if the chain looks dirty instead of shiny, or at about 500 miles, I remove and clean thoroughly in solvent mixed with my current lube. I'm using RedLine MXL at the moment. Better shifting, very quiet, runs pretty clean.


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## Hairnet (Dec 17, 2006)

Every 10 hours or so if you want a quiet chain. 

You can stretch it out to 15 hours or so but the chain will be noisey.


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Lies!*



Hairnet said:


> Every 10 hours or so if you want a quiet chain.
> 
> You can stretch it out to 15 hours or so but the chain will be noisey.


Man, what a load.

Every 10 hours or it will get noisy? In what rain driven world do you live in (apologies if you live in Portland/Seattle).


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*poor advice...*

Apparently a lot of riders like to spend a lot of money changing chains frequently rather than spending 2-3 minutes a week lubing a chain.

Noise is a very poor way to judge the need for lube. If the chain is noisy or squeaks, it needed lube long before either occurs.

Barring rain, mileage should be your guide for when to lube, not noise and not how many times you ride. Some folks ride 20 miles on each ride and some ride 100.

All that said, if your use homebrew, every other ride or 100 miles is frequent enough. I usually give my chain a quick relube and wipedown after every ride (50-60 miles). While others are tossing their chain at 1500-3000 miles, mine are good for 5-6,000. The problem for most folks is they have no clue how to determine if a chain is truly worn out.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=83445&highlight=chain+wear+measuring


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## Brad2021hk (Nov 23, 2005)

magnolialover said:


> Man, what a load.
> 
> Every 10 hours or it will get noisy? In what rain driven world do you live in (apologies if you live in Portland/Seattle).


Why? 10 hours is probably 150 to 200 miles. Seems about right to me.


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## nachomc (Aug 31, 2006)

I was wiping down and lubing every 100-150 miles. By that point there's so much road grime and gunk on the chain that you sort of need to clean it up.


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## mandovoodoo (Aug 27, 2005)

Good points. For chain life/cassette life I'm simply switching chains every time it really needs a cleaning. Pop the chain off, quick clean of the cassette/chainrings , put on a freshly lubed chain. The dirty chain goes into a plastic container with fresh solvent/lube mix. Shake it a while. Less than a minute. Pull it out. Test by flexing under pressure. If it is smooth (it always is), then I hang it up to let the solvent evaporate. Next time I drain off the clean solvent/lube into another chain cleaning container, wipe the gunk out of the old container, etc. Very fast and my chain gets complements. Shiny. 

I don't know how long they last. I've not replaced a chain before I sold the bike in many years. So at least 3000 miles for a two chain/cassette combination. There's very little wear.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Maybe YMMV*



pdxtim said:


> How often does everyone out there apply chain lube in the summer, when the roads are dry? I ride about 4 times per week, on roads and paved bike paths, use ProLink, and it seems that the chain starts to get noisy after 1-2 weeks. Applying lube seems to quiet the chain, the bike seems to shift better, and overall the bike feels smoother. (Although I think some of this is in my head). Is this typical? Should I reapply lube when the chain gets noisy or when I can no longer feel much lube on the chain with my fingers? Thanks.


There are a lot of variables here, not the least of which is how dusty your local environment. Also, if you are just applying a bit of fresh lube and wiping, you are not really flushing out the gunk (see below for procedure to do this). However, in what I would call "normal" riding conditions, I relube every 350 miles or so and get chain life well over 6,000 miles for Campy 10s chains.

One way to "do it right."

1 - wipe the chain, cogs, pulleys, and chainrings clean with a rag. 
2 - drip on lube while pedaling (forward is better) so that the chain just starts to drip lube. Aim the lube between the side plates and between the bushings and the side plates. 
3 - run through all the gears several times, front and back. 
4 - wipe the chain, cogs, pulleys, and chainrings clean with a rag. 
5 - repeat steps 2-4 if the chain was really dirty 

If you do this every 300 miles or so (or when you get caught in the rain), you will not get any significant gunky buildup, and you won't have to clean the chain or the cassette. This leaves lube on the inside parts, and wipes it off the outside parts, minimizing dirt pickup.

No lube is "perfect." A brite shiny chain that is clean to the touch but is well lubed and gives long mileage is still not possible. IMO, ProLink is the best compromise.


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## DM-SC (Jul 18, 2007)

C-40 said:


> Apparently a lot of riders like to spend a lot of money changing chains frequently rather than spending 2-3 minutes a week lubing a chain.
> 
> Noise is a very poor way to judge the need for lube. If the chain is noisy or squeaks, it needed lube long before either occurs.
> 
> Barring rain, mileage should be your guide for when to lube, not noise and not how many times you ride. Some folks ride 20 miles on each ride and some ride 100.


Noise is, indeed a very good way to determine if your chain needs lubing. I'm not talking about that noise you here from the guy on the Walmart bike. Just a bit of an increase in noise while pedaling.

I've been doing it that way for 30+ years and have only had one chain problem (stiff link on my MTB which get cleaned/lubed a LOT more often than my road bike) in all those years.

Of course, mileage works fine on a road bike...


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## abqhudson (Sep 8, 2004)

About every 150 miles. And wipe of dirt/etc about every 75 miles. Works for me.

Jim


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*Ok...*

Noise loud enough to be considered above the ordinary still means that your chain could have used lube a long time before you heard it. I can't believe most riders spend their riding time listening for chain noise.

I've never had a chain "problem" either, but I get 2-3 times the chain life that most people claim to get. Even after 6,000 miles, my chain may have 1/4 of the allowable 1/16" per foot elongation. I junk the chain at that point, not because it's "stretched" (elongated) but because the rollers are shot (in my judgement). When the distance between the rollers increases from it's original .205 inch to .240 inch, it's time for a new chain, even if it shows acceptable elongation.


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## Hairnet (Dec 17, 2006)

magnolialover said:


> Man, what a load.
> 
> Every 10 hours or it will get noisy? In what rain driven world do you live in (apologies if you live in Portland/Seattle).


Is this how you got to 5500 posts?


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## stevo4 (Jun 25, 2007)

I just let the bike shop clean and lube it after every ride.






kidding.

What about the Park Chain Gang CG-2 cleaning tool? Some of the shops here in LA use them with great success.

stevo


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## kjung (Mar 25, 2007)

Check out Sheldon Brown's web site on how clean a chain. It surely can't get any better than this.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html


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## smokey422 (Feb 22, 2004)

I agree that if you wait for significant noise you've probably waited too long. I lube when it looks dry and clean it if it's dirty, then relube. I'm presently using Heavy Duty Metal Protector, an Amsoil product that sprays on wet, then dries to a waxy lube in about twenty minutes. Maxima makes Chain Wax, which is pretty much the same thing. These products last longer than the typical bicycle chain lube (for those Prolink or a home brew of synthetic oil and mineral spirits is my choice). It's important to wipe off the excess if you use Prolink or other wet lubes. Otherwise they attract dirt and do more damage than not lubing at all. I used to be a motorcycle mechanic and the no. 1 chain killer I saw was lack of maintenance. No. 2 was lubing too much, allowing dirt to stick to the chain.


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## Alan Ross (Mar 2, 2002)

every 100 miles or so clean with WD 40 and then apply liberal amount of pro link


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