Chain lube advice please?

[13 rider]

Was a squirt user ,just changed to silca drip on , I got the deposits on the pulley wheels just removed them with a flat ended screwdriver and backwind the chain

 

[AlanW]

Simply put, Silca hot wax...no brainer!!

 

[PaulSB]

You are overthinking it. Any lube will do. Apply sparingly. Wipe off the excess.

I realise lube has been discussed to death on here but different lubes do have very different outcomes. You're absolutely correct any lube will do the job. If one wants to avoid chain rings, cassette and chain collecting all sorts of gunk then some thought and experimentation is needed.

 

[HLaB]

I don't know a lot about chain lube, so if this is a common question please bear with me.
A few months ago I got some 'Squirt' wax type chain lube.
It seems to work very well, and the chain felt really smooth and very quiet.
However, I have noticed a fair bit of sludgy deposits on the derailleur, especially the idler and guide pully wheels.
Is this normal and acceptable or something to be avoided?
Is it typical of wax lubes, and does it need removing regularly and reapplying? I was told by the LBS that the whole point of the wax lube was that it was supposed to be low maintenance and basically just 'fell off' after a while at which point I assumed I'd just reapply then?
The sludgy deposits do not fit that explanation.

Am I best to swap to another lube, perhaps a summer lube and a separate winter lube?
I know they also do an 'all in one' summer/winter all your round lube, but I don't know if they are any good or just 'snake oil' (see what I did there?!!!)

I now have a brand new GRX 812 42t/11/42 1x installed and the LBS that fitted it (a different one from the one who sold me the wax lube) just used a standard summer chain lube.
I am hesitant to use the wax lube on it, if I will once again get the sludgy deposits, so would appreciate some advice on the best lube/s to use, that will protect my components and chain, and if possible make it as smooth and quiet as possible?

Thanks in advance.

Every so often I degrease my chain (I just use Peaty's foaming degreaser). I used squirt one my old gravel bike that had GRX and my current Gravel bike (also with GRX FWIW) and my commuter and I have no hesitance about using it on another bike mainly as everything stays a lot cleaner overall; no chain tattoo or hands getting extra greasy

 

[geocycle]

I use prolink gold, a light lubricant. I bought a large bottle 10 years ago and apply it to each link using a 5 ml pipette I acquired, rather than the wasteful spray it comes with. Works well and is much cleaner than wet lubes like finish line but needs reapplying after wet rides. Chain gets a squirt of degreaser every few rides and a wipe with a rag Including jockey wheels.

 

[Mike Ayling]

I think @HLaB and one or two others on here use Squirt Wax Lube

Plus 1 for Squirt

 

[AlanW]

I use prolink gold, a light lubricant. I bought a large bottle 10 years ago and apply it to each link using a 5 ml pipette I acquired, rather than the wasteful spray it comes with. Works well and is much cleaner than wet lubes like finish line but needs reapplying after wet rides. Chain gets a squirt of degreaser every few rides and a wipe with a rag Including jockey wheels.

This used to be my chosen lubricant, but trying to source it these days is near impossible. Which was another factor that made me explore other options. Needless to say, since moving to Silca Hot Wax l've not looked back, in fact all my bikes have had the hot wax treatment.

 

[Grant Fondo]

I'll add i only wash my car once a year

 

[Alex321]

I'll add i only wash my car once a year

There aren't all that many years where I wash mine

I wash the bike at least 20 times more often.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Hey @Sloth ... was thinking of you when i found this in a recent copy of Cycling Plus.
Whats that 25 quid one? For formula one cars?
Don't worry about chain lube, just ride it till it breaks.

 

[Sloth]

Hey @Sloth ... was thinking of you when i found this in a recent copy of Cycling Plus.
Whats that 25 quid one? For formula one cars?
Don't worry about chain lube, just ride it till it breaks.
View attachment 740287

Hey thanks, it does seem that some do go a little OTT, but each to their own I suppose, there are many much more serious and competitive riders than me, most of them I suspect
I think I paid about £12 for a bottle of Squirt.
I plan on cleaning my drivetrain soon, this weekend if I get chance, and then applying Squirt.
I’m confident that I can remove the chain but less so of getting it on again as I don’t have a spare/new quick link in the event the old one breaks or won’t go back on properly. Mind you it’s a new chain (Shimano HG701) and never been off since it was fitted a few weeks ago.
I may therefore bottle it and just do it with the chain in situ.

 

[AlanW]

If you think the chain lube that you are using is simply the best, see if it appears on here - https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/

Needless to say, I was quite surprised/shocked/disappointed at how crap my preferred chain lube actually was. 😮